During Lightning’s five-day demonstration and evaluation period for commercial and consumer EVs operating within the airport grounds from 19-23 June, Lightning Mobile will provide mobile charging capabilities for airport staff and customers in a variety of locations and settings. These will include the airport’s cellphone lot, valet parking lot, Uber/Lyft lot, DFW headquarters, and an employee parking lot. The trial is part of a four-month demonstration hosted by DFW’s innovation and planning teams to identify technology solutions that support electrified ground transportation for airport staff and passengers, in addition to meeting the needs of the airport community well into the future.
“Our next-generation Lightning Mobile chargers address the growing need for readily available, flexible DC fast-charging solutions, especially during this important transitional period when charging infrastructure is still lacking,” said Lightning eMotors CEO Tim Reeser. “DFW is at the forefront of electrifying ground transportation, and we look forward to solving a major pain point that they, along with most airports across the country, are currently facing.”
The Lightning Mobile charging unit offers from 105 to 420 kWh battery capacity and provides standard, low-cost Level 2 AC charging, as well as flexible DC fast-charging capabilities for vehicles requiring short turnaround times. Each modular unit can charge up to five vehicles, depending on configuration, and features the same advanced technologies as Lightning’s powertrains. These include active thermal management for optimum battery performance and longevity, and sophisticated telematics/analytics to optimise overall fleet operations and vehicle safety. Once the testing period is completed, the data collected will allow DFW to determine how many vehicles will be accessing the charger and how much energy they are drawing. This will ultimately help to decide the best use-case scenarios for meeting traveller demand for EV charging at the airport.
Lightning Mobile allows businesses to accelerate electric fleet adoption via a portable solution that doesn’t require permits or laborious construction, and frees EVs to go further, a key feature needed during this rapid societal transition to cleaner transportation.
In addition to providing the much-needed charging solution for airport ground transportation, Lightning Mobile can also support mobile disaster relief and rescue and intermittent charging points at facilities like sports stadiums, which need an EV charging and power solution in various locations.
