L-Charge wants to raise $5 million through crowdfunding to put toward installing 10 electric vehicle (EV) chargers on major highways between Barcelona and Paris.
This amount would provide half the funding for the chargers in the 'Green Route' project. Those who donate toward the initiative will receive a 20% discount for the first two years of service at all L-Charge stations.
L-Charge says the chargers will provide up to 100 km in up to 20 minutes and can generate and store energy with no need for a grid connection.
The power is generated from compressed natural gas or hydrogen, and the stationary charger does not require any staff or connection to an external power grid, the company adds.
The stationary mini-power stations provide fast charging for EVs using 600-1000 kW power generators.
L-Charge CEO Dmitry Lashin says: “The fact that there are not enough charging stations across the globe, even in the most developed countries such as the United States, means that EV owners are limited with their travel options. The problem is also not only the lack of the number of charging stations but the speed of charging. It’s insane to spend one or two hours charging your car nowadays, the charging speed should be comparable with that speed of gasoline filling stations. And it is where we come with our solution.”
Elsewhere in the business, L-Charge offers a mobile EV charging service that is currently available in the Russian capital Moscow. This service is expected to be operational in Abu Dhabi by the end of this year and in Barcelona and Madrid by the end of 2022.
In September, L-Charge raised $1.5 million from private investors to develop an EV charger capable of providing 100 km of power between 3-8 minutes