AeroVironment Smart Charging Dock

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Electric vehicles and plugin hybrids offer one inherent advantage: you can drive your car without consuming a drop of gasoline, as long as the battery has charge. But you still spend on electricity costs, right? AeroVironment wants to minimize that, too.

The reason why EVs and plugins have a so-called MPG equivalency is because you still consume some carbon-generated power whenever you plug in your vehicle. Some would argue that you might not be saving at all, because you still pay for the power you use when plugging in your EV.

Given that power grids charge differently during peak and off-peak hours, AeroVironment has implemented a mechanism by which your plugin car only draws power when the electricity is cheap. This can be during the night, or lax hours during the day.

AeroVironment anticipates that EVs and plugin hybrids will rise in popularity. The paddle-shaped dock can be installed by a licensed electrician, who will also train users on proper AeroVironment use.