Running low on battery with no charging point in sight? That’s where portable EV chargers come in. These handy devices promise to give your electric car a boost wherever you are — no more anxiously watching the battery percentage drop.
But are they actually a good solution, or just a last-resort backup? In this guide, we break down how portable EV chargers work, their pros and cons, and whether they’re worth adding to your car kit.
What is a portable electric vehicle charger?
Portable EV chargers are designed for drivers who worry about range anxiety and for the 65% of urban households without off-street parking. Think of them as power banks for your car, typically offering around 20 miles of range — just enough to get you to a proper charging station.
About the size of a large suitcase or carry-on trolley, these chargers are the EV equivalent of a petrol jerrycan — useful for emergencies when you’re off-grid. They can also be handy for topping up a friend’s EV or even small-scale community charging.
Beyond dedicated portable chargers, there are also compact charging units and cables that let you plug into a standard three-pin socket — useful if you’re within reach of mains power but don’t have access to a charging station.
What portable EV chargers are on sale?
So far, there’s just one – but expect more soon. The ZipCharge Go is legitimately a world-first for portable electric vehicle charging. It’s a suitcase-sized solution — complete with wheels—fitting conveniently into your EV’s boot.
It comes in 4kWh to 8kWh sizes and can charge an electric car up to 20 miles in 30-60 minutes —depending on the vehicle’s battery spec. You can charge it using a three-pin plug.
It’s the brainchild of co-founders Richie Sibal and Jonathan Carrier, both of whom have a combined 40 years’ experience in the automotive industry at iconic brands such as Lotus, McLaren and Jaguar Land Rover.
The ZipCharge Go is not only small enough to fit in the boot, but also uses recycled materials, remote device management and even has a way of making you money.
Connecting to the ZipCharge app, the charge times can be scheduled and this can prove lucrative, since the ZipCharge Go isn’t just a basic power bank. With bi-directional technology integrated, it can draw down energy from the National Grid when power is cheap (during the night), then feed it back to the grid at a higher price—pocketing the difference for your piggy bank. This helps the National Grid intelligently manage demand, while also helping to off-set the costs of the charging device itself.
Surprisingly, the ZipCharge Go doesn’t cost the earth. In a bid to make the cost comparable to installing a chargepoint at your home, the Go is available through a subscription model, starting from £49 per month, if drivers don’t want to purchase the device outright.
ZipCharge initially planned to launch its first portable EV charger, the ZipCharge Go, in early 2023. However, the release has since been delayed, and a revised launch date has yet to be confirmed. In the meantime, demand for electric vehicles continues to rise in the UK. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 19.6% of all new car registrations in 2024 — up from 16.5% the year before — underscoring the growing appetite for electric mobility.
As manufacturers come under increasing pressure to meet government-mandated ZEV targets, solutions like the ZipCharge Go could help address the growing need for more flexible charging options — particularly for drivers without access to home chargepoints.
To date, other portable EV charging devices, like Blink, Freewire’s Mobi and the Sparkcharge Roadie, are aimed at providing on-the-go charging, but for specific occasions like festivals, events and roadside recovery. Unfortunately, these products aren’t yet available in the UK.
Fortunately, ZPN Energy has developed the ZAPME, a portable charging device designed for use in maintenance vans and breakdown assistance vehicles, capable of delivering a full EV charge in under an hour. While the RAC’s EV Boost system remains one of the more established solutions — able to provide up to 10 miles of emergency range — other providers such as the AA, Green Flag, and ETA now also offer EV breakdown support, including towing to the nearest charge point. According to ZPN Energy CEO James Foster, the ZAPME system is six times more powerful than the RAC’s EV Boost, offering a faster and more comprehensive solution for stranded EV drivers.
Anything else?
In April 2022, ZipCharge announced the creation of GoHubs. These are modular charging stations, where the Zipcharge portable vehicle charger can be borrowed, wheeled to your electric car to charge it while you shop. The driver than wheels the device back to the charging dock for the next customer.
ZipCharge claims that these giant powerbank hubs will revolutionise electric vehicle infrastructure. They certainly take up less space than empty EV spaces. What’s more, the roof design enables solar and wind energy to be captured so the energy to recharge can be 100% renewable.
What this means for you
You now can now have a backup supply of juice for your electric car should you find yourself in the need for an extra 20 or 30 miles. If you want an electric vehicle, but don’t have regular access to an electric car charger, this could be a handy solution.
The GoHub means businesses short on space can still support EV drivers.
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