How 'Charging-as-a-Service' Could Pave the way for an Electrified Future - L-Charge CEO

US-based L-Charge provides ultra-fast, off-grid charging solutions that eliminate dependency on traditional power infrastructure. It's recently announced a partnership with the electric ride-hailing platform Alto which is scaling its EV fleet in Dallas and Los Angeles.

"Our core belief is that EV charging should be fast, future-ready, and universally accessible,"  Dmitry Lashin, CEO of L-Charge, tells Auto Futures. 

"During our initial fundraising, we conducted market research and found that even in California - the state most supportive of electric vehicles - many people hesitated to adopt EVs due to insufficient charging infrastructure. Even today, the number of ultra-fast chargers is far lower than standard ones, forcing EV owners to plan their journeys around charging station availability - an impractical limitation," he says.

L-Charge describes its business as 'Charging-as-a-Service'. No matter how remote the location, as long as a customer has access to an 8.5-foot by 30-foot space to park one of its trailer, they can take advantage of an L-Charge EV charging station in a matter of hours.

"Once the trailer is parked and secured, and the generator fueled, the system is good to go. All the customer has to do is press a button, and they can start charging electric vehicles straight away," explains Lashin.

Each single 180kW charger is equipped with two charging guns. The system can be configured to enable both guns to provide 90kW simultaneously, or for one gun to dispense ultra-fast 180kW charging.

The L-Charge system can generate 4.32MW of power in 24 hours to meet the constant demand for large charging volumes of EVs required by taxi fleets, delivery services, or heavy trucks with large batteries.

Customers can add as many charging station trailers as they require. For example, two 180kW trailers can power four guns at 90kW, two at 180kW, or one at 360kW.

"L-Charge’s clean-fuel-based technology serves as a bridge to future green energy sources. It also offers crucial environmental advantages that help operators meet emission targets sooner than grid-based models."

For over two decades of R&D has underpinned the L-Charge system.

"The gas-powered generator is a well proven technology coupled with a state-of-the-art Battery Management System (BMS) looking after the battery and charging duties ensures a safe and reliable system that offers unrivalled up-time to our customers," he says.

Ensuring A Smooth Transition

Compared with gasoline and diesel vehicles, L-Charge’s natural gas solution is expected to result in a 34% to 43% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. 

In addition, emission reductions of approximately 90% for carbon monoxide and 60% for nitrogen oxides and non-methane organic gases compared with gasoline and diesel vehicles are achievable.

"Our units are hydrogen-ready, eager to support the future that will come if grid infrastructure falls short and sun, wind, and hydrogen energy will be the answer. By doing this, a real and time-proof infrastructure will be built for a changing world," says Lashin.

L-Charge's focus is currently on the US market. In January the company announced its partnership with Alto.

In a press release, Will Coleman, CEO of Alto, commented: “L-Charge’s solution has been a game-changer for us financially. By eliminating upfront costs, we’ve redirected funds to rapidly expand our fleet and meet growing demand.”

Lashin adds: "Our partnership with Alto originated approximately two years ago, during the early stages of their electric vehicle fleet strategy. By engaging with Alto at this formative phase, L-Charge was able to provide initial calculations and detailed insights into how our charging solutions could effectively power their fleet."

"This early collaboration allowed us to demonstrate the advantages of integrating L-Charge technology as a complement to the traditional grid. Ultimately, Alto chose L-Charge as a supplementary charging solution, reinforcing their commitment to efficient and reliable EV operations." 

Finally, we asked Lashin what EV charging will look like by thr end of the decade.

"By 2030 a significant percentage of the parc will be EV. This will include both cars and commercial vehicles, however fixed charging infrastructure is slow and expensive to install and it will inevitably lag behind. L-Charge's solution is easily scalable to meet demand and ensure the transition to electric vehicles is a smooth one," he predicts.