7m wide metal tree helps charge electric vehicles

British startup SolarBotanic Trees has developed an electric car charging tree that can harvest energy from its solar-paneled canopy and store it in a battery in its trunk.

SolarBotanic Trees partners with Raw Charging to install electric vehicle charging trees. Photo: Raw Charging — SolarBotanic Trees partners with Raw Charging to install electric vehicle charging trees. Photo: *Raw Charging*

SolarBotanic Trees has just completed a half-size prototype and is working to build and test a full-size version before starting commercial production later this year, CNN reported on May 29. The company has already received its first order of 200 trees from Raw Charging Group, according to CEO Chris Shelley.

Standing 4.5 metres tall and 7 metres wide, SolarBotanic Trees’ energy trees can be easily installed in public spaces. The canopy also provides shade and is aesthetically pleasing, Shelley said.

The cost of the solar trees can be between $22,000 and $30,000, significantly higher than traditional solar panels. They have a power output of 5 kW, which is typical for a standard charging point, according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST), a UK organization that promotes low-carbon solutions. At this output, it takes nearly seven hours to charge a car with a 50 kW battery from 20% to 80%.

“This charging speed is more appropriate for vehicles that are sitting idle for long periods of time,” said Rachel Swiatek, transportation program manager at EST, adding that there are different types of charging points on the market with different capacities, each suited to a different use.

SolarBotanic Trees also plans to design a smaller, lower-cost version, a 3.2 kW model that will cost $12,000 to $18,000. This version would be suitable for places like universities, shopping malls, and town centers. They could have a variety of applications, from charging phones and laptops to LED lighting.

Each solar tree will be equipped with an AI-controlled energy management and storage system, which can link multiple trees to form a local microgrid, or connect trees to the national grid to transfer excess energy to it. Trees can also draw electricity from the grid to charge vehicles at night or in winter.

However, to reduce its dependence on the grid, SolarBotanic Trees plans to integrate batteries into the trunks of the trees, which will store excess energy during the day for use at night. By 2025, Shelley wants to build at least 1,000 trees a year. Shelley said the company will build its first trees in the UK before expanding across Europe and North America.

Thu Thao (According to CNN )

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