Sky’s the limit with new EV charging solution

  Posted by: electime      31st March 2025

Dual charging for electric cars and flying vehicles moved a step closer with the demonstration of proof of concept in Oxfordshire this week.

Until now, the only ways to realise the ambition of personal flight have involved a pilot’s licence or a virtual reality headset, but a test conducted at Bicester’s Park and Ride facility has seen fiction merging with reality to offer a glimpse of the transport of tomorrow.

As the main contractor, Borehamwood infrastructure specialist SOS Synergy successfully developed a design solution for future use, with a present transferrable design from concept to construction of a temporary electricity infrastructure solution to supply power (using the available grid capacity).

Petalite’s prototype DC charge post and power hub successfully charged both an electric vehicle and a drone simultaneously. This ultra-fast prototype fully charged the ARC Aerosystems electric Short Take Off and Landing (eSTOL) unmanned aircraft in 12 minutes, while simultaneously charging an electric car.

This milestone validates the potential for 600kW fast charging infrastructure, supporting the continuous operation of electric ground vehicles and eVTOLs in the future.

The Future Flight and Land Infrastructure Programme (FFLIP) project is part of UKRI’s Future Flight Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).  Led by Petalite the project consortium included Oxfordshire County Council, Midlands Aerospace Alliance and ARC Aerosystems.

Omer Atuf, Managing Director of SOS Synergy, said: “To have been selected to participate in such an interesting and groundbreaking project with Petalite, Oxfordshire County Council, ARC Aerosystems and the FFLIP project team has been a real pleasure, and we look forward to being involved in future related developments as the technology evolves”.