Charging electric vehicles in wilderness

The northern lights -themed and illuminated charging station was based on the idea that came from the local electric snowmobile producer and safari organizer Aurora Powertrains. They were looking for a practical way to provide charging especially during their emission free snow mobile safari tours. The prototype TEQU designed and built was tested in winter conditions and then produced in bigger quantities to accommodate larger fleets of snow mobiles.

Prototyped solution

The prototype was constructed from oriented strand board and surface treated to withstand cold and humidity. The design allows the station to be easily multiplied, and the boards on both sides can be produced from different materials with varying looks. The structure keeps the main wiring covered between the boards, while the chargers can be easily reached from the front. To help usage during dark winter months, there is a LED illumination that radiates from the station.

The station can be continued by placing units next to each other to form a longer northern light pattern. One piece can charge 3 snow mobiles at once.

The charging device is positioned to a comfortable use height and reachable also when the snow level rises. Wires can be kept out of the way inside the upper part of the station.

Making of Charging Station

The charging station prototype is part of e-Sprint, a public development project aiming to boost local entrepreneurship. e-Sprint is managed by Lapland University of Applied Sciences and it has an ERDF funding granted by the Regional Council of Lapland.