Electrify your weekend
In Queensland, we love to embrace our sense of adventure by heading outdoors and camping.
For some though, the idea of going off-grid with no power may be daunting.
But thanks to electric vehicles (EVs) you can now venture into remote parts of the State with your own fully-charged electricity source – your car!
Certain models have a capability known as ‘vehicle to load’, which allows EVs to be a source of power in the middle of nowhere.
Think cooking marshmallows over the fire with an ice-cold beverage pulled from your bar fridge or a ham and cheese toasty for breakfast with a barista made latte from your coffee machine.
Whether it’s a fridge, a coffee machine, an induction cooktop or a kettle, the battery power of these cars is helping to electrify off-grid weekends.
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RACQ Head of Public Policy Dr Michael Kane said there are only certain newer models which have this capability, but it’s expected more will in the future.
“BYD’s Atto 3, Seal and Shark 6, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, MG’s 4 and ZS, and Kia’s Niro, EV5 and 6 are just some of the models that offer vehicle to load capability,” Dr Kane said.
“As more EV models enter the market, including a range of Utes in the near future, the ability for Queenslanders to embrace their adventurous side with a battery-powered car is becoming even more appealing.
“The amount of electricity these EVs use to power appliances is relatively small so for many weekends away you’d likely be able to travel to and from your destination and power your appliances all in one charge.”
Electric vehicles also represent a huge resilience opportunity for Queenslanders, particularly during severe weather, with the vehicle able to act as an electricity source to power lamps and essential appliances.
“In times of natural disaster and power loss, these electric vehicles can keep families and communities safe by providing essential power to appliances before electricity is restored,” Dr Kane said.
“We have been told of a situation where people have been able to use their electric cars to run their fridge, kettle and microwave over an eight-hour period during a power outage and it only used 4% of the car’s battery.”
It’s evident that electric vehicles will continue to play a role in disaster resilience now and into the future.
In the meantime, the idea of using an EV’s battery while camping to cook a steak, make a latte and refrigerate a drink sounds like a great way to fully-charge a weekend away.
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