50 March/April 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering Peter Donaldson investigates a containerised system that can charge multiple vehicles and doesn’t need a grid connection Boxing clever Until the electric power grid is able to support fast charging for EVs everywhere, there is likely to always be a market for something like Fellten’s Charge Qube – a containerised system that stores energy in repurposed battery packs and can charge multiple vehicles simultaneously, with or without a connection to the grid. The system is initially intended for sites that need charging capacity and either don’t yet have planning permission for permanent installations or they don’t need it. Fleet depots transitioning to EVs may fall into the first category. Building contractors wanting to replace diesel generators on site to charge electrified off-highway vehicles and other equipment, and open-air festival and show venues are likely to fall into the second category. Weighing at least 3.5 t, depending on the number of battery packs installed, the system is designed to be delivered to the site on a flat-bed truck with an integral crane, and it can be positioned on any piece of level, dry ground firm enough to take its weight. Once delivered, it can be put into service in under two hours. Today, the maximum capacity is 450 kWh with six 75 kWh battery packs in a 10 ft container format; 20 ft container options are being finalised with capacity up to 900 kWh. For fleet operators and businesses that need overnight charging for multiple vehicles, the system can be equipped with a pair of Type 2 AC chargers on Qube itself, and two each on five satellite ‘pavilions’. It can charge up to 12 vehicles at the same time at up to 7 kW per port. There is also an integral, 22 kW charger for rapid top-ups during the day. The smart charging software prioritises overnight charging and recharges the onboard battery pack in 6.5 hours. Qubes equipped with a pair of 150 kW Combined Charging System (CCS) fast chargers are aimed at businesses and public charging networks that need rapid charging capabilities. Outputs range from 400-800 V, depending on customer requirements and the battery packs used. If needed for only a short period of time, during which it will not need recharging, Qube can operate as a standalone system. However, it can also be connected to the grid or any kind of trickle-charging device, including diesel or multi-fuel generators, solar panels and wind turbines. Multiple Qubes can be daisy-chained together. Second-life packs and containers An important part of Fellten’s business model for Qube is the use of second-life components, which cut manufacturing costs and reduce the carbon footprint, says CEO and co-founder Chris Hazell. Based on a repurposed container and second-life EV battery packs, Charge Qube has integrated chargers and connected ‘pavilions’ to serve multiple vehicles (Image courtesy of Fellten)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mzk4