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In the quest to keep its battery-electric rideshare vehicles charged and on the road, rideshare platform Alto has partnered with L-Charge, a charge-as-a-service company. This partnership is particularly beneficial for Alto as it transitions from internal combustion engine cars to battery-powered vehicles.
Based in Dallas, Texas, L-Charge provides off-grid power through mobile units carried on trailers. These units require a small 30-foot 8.5-foot parking space and are primarily powered by natural gas - both real and synthetic, as L-Charge CEO Dmitri Lashin mentioned.
L-Charge's system features a single 180kW charger equipped with two charging guns. The guns can jointly deliver 90kW or individually supply ultra-fast 180kW charging. The goal is to provide power quickly and economically whenever a customer can't afford a permanent recharging infrastructure immediately or wait for its construction by a municipality.
For Alto, this partnership is crucial as the urgency to keep its EV rideshare fleet running is high. With over 350 EVs at its locations in Dallas, Houston, and Los Angeles, maintaining a dedicated charging infrastructure is vital for efficient operations and cost savings.
Unlike some other rideshare companies, Alto's drivers are direct employees, and the company owns the cars. Consequently, it's inefficient for Alto to pay drivers to charge the cars when they're not generating revenue.
L-Charge's charge-as-a-service model, which involves no upfront costs or additional fees, aligns perfectly with Alto's needs. Customers only pay for the power, currently priced at 35 cents per kilowatt-hour in the U.S., according to L-Charge vice president Greg Fields.
This partnership proves to be a valuable trade-off for Alto, prioritizing speed over cost in locations where traditional power sources may not be available or accessible for a long time. Additionally, the portability of L-Charge's units allows Alto to expand its EV fleet with ease, providing power until permanent infrastructure is established.
As businesses and consumers increasingly demand quicker EV charging solutions, enterprising companies like L-Charge are offering innovative solutions, such as ION Dynamics' autonomous robot, Beam Global's recharging stations, and DC Grid's modular direct current power generators.
L-Charge currently operates eight of its trailers and plans to expand to 200 units by the end of this year, targeting the east coast in North Carolina and New York. For Alto, L-Charge's trailers serve as a temporary solution in certain areas and, in other locations, may even represent the long-term solution.
This partnership with L-Charge allows Alto to incorporate innovative charging solutions into its transportation strategy, ensuring its electric vehicles remain operational. The mobile charging units provided by L-Charge are particularly beneficial, as they can be easily deployed in areas without permanent charging infrastructure.