Charging station
Encyclopedia
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment), is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile electrical units such as exhibition stands.
As hybrid electric vehicle
s and battery electric vehicle
ownership is expanding, there is a growing need for widely distributed publicly accessible power points, some of which support faster charging at higher voltages and currents than are available from domestic supplies. Major installation designs include Park & Charge
in Europe and Better Place in America. PARVE is an open-source design being developed in Madrid
, Spain
. Many charging stations are on-street facilities provided by electric utility companies. Some of these special charging stations provide one or a range of heavy duty or special connectors and/or charging without a physical connection using parking places equipped with inductive charging
mats.
(EV) owners and has additional current or connection sensing mechanisms to disconnect the power when the EV is not actually charging. This is in case an EV should be carelessly driven away before being unplugged, and so violently rip away the charging cable insulation and expose the electric conductors, which (except for the sensor mechanism) could be dangerous.
There are two main types of safety sensor:
Sensor wires react more quickly, have less parts to fail and are possibly less expensive to design and implement. Current sensors however can use standard connectors and can readily provide an option for suppliers to monitor or charge for the electricity actually consumed.
terminology, 240 volt AC
charging is known as level 2 charging, and 500 volt DC
high-current charging is known as DC Fast Charge.
Owners can install a level 2 charging station at home, while businesses and local government provide level 2 and DC Fast Charge public charging stations that supply electricity for a fee or free.
The International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC) "Modes" are similar:
There are also three connection "Cases" with which Mode is sometimes confused
And finally there are four plug "Types"
Mode 1: Household socket and extension cord
The vehicle is connected to the power grid through standard socket-outlets (standard current: generally 10 A) present in residences. To use mode 1, the electrical installation must comply with the safety regulations and must have an earthing system, a circuit breaker to protect against overload and a earth leakage protection. The sockets have blanking devices to prevent accidental contacts.
This solution is the simplest and the most direct to implement. It offers the driver the option of charging his /her vehicle almost everywhere, which guarantees the peace of mind for the first-time buyers of electric vehicles.
Why then can’t we be satisfied with this solution? As a matter of fact, it has several serious limitations and may pose risks if used incorrectly. These limitations have led to the definition of other more efficient charging modes.
The first limitation is the available power, to avoid risks of
The second limitation is related to the installation’s power management
All these factors impose a limit on the power in mode 1, for safety and service quality reasons. This limit is currently being defined, and the value of 10A appears to be the best compromise. It must be noted that at this power, it will take nearly 10 hours to fully charge a vehicle.
No dedicated circuit
For instance, in France, the local standard NF-C-15100 standard on installation allows the connection of several household socket-outlets into the same protective element of the dwelling’s electrical switchboard:
Protection by a 16A circuit breaker
.
Protection by a 20A circuit breaker
.
It is therefore highly probable that the household socket used for charging an electric vehicle is on the same circuit as another electrical appliance, which may also be in operation during the charging.
In this case, the OCP, Overcurrent
Protective Device, will open for safety reasons, as the cumulated currents of the electric vehicle and the household appliance will be higher than its setting threshold. Installation of a dedicated circuit for electric vehicle charging can prevent this type of unwanted tripping. Ensuring that any load or appliances on the shared EV charging circuit are turned off while charging, can prevent the OCP from tripping as well. This can be difficult to ensure, so a dedicated circuit is the most reliable solution.
Temperature derating and intensive use
We have seen above that fully electric vehicles have charging powers varying from 3 to 24 kW. These powers correspond to charging currents from 16A single-phase up to 32A three-phase.
Moreover, charging the vehicle may take up to 8 hours, and this has to be done regularly, even on a daily basis.
The NF-C-15100 standard imposes cable cross-sections of 1.5 mm2 or 2.5 mm2. Their maximum permissible power is 3.7 kW for a 1.5 mm2 cable and up to 5.7 kW for a 2.5 mm2 cable.
Household sockets are designed to be used at full load only for a limited period (typically 1 hour at maximum power, which is the case when we use household appliances). When charging an electric vehicle, the charging time exceeds this limit and can last up to 6 or 8 hours. Household sockets must therefore be classified as derating systems for this use case: their permissible current must be lower than 16A or 32 A in order to limit abnormal temperature increases in components and to prevent fire hazards.
Obsoleteness and non-compliance
In France, electrical installation professionals believe that there are about 7 million hazardous electrical installations (obsolete, non-compliant, etc.), accounting for a little less than half of the old residential building stock.
For instance in France, from 1972 onwards, new electrical installations are subject to an inspection and an attestation of compliance. This measure instituted by public authorities was extended in 2001 to the electrical installations of fully renovated dwellings.
However, the electrical installations of the 16 million dwellings built before 1972 are not covered by any regulatory control measure.
There are also misgivings about the condition of electrical installations in the dwellings built after 1972: according to electrical safety experts, an installation in which no change has been made for the last 30 years can be considered as obsolete. They further believe that, after thirty years, even in normal usage conditions, an electrical installation may most likely pose hazards due to wear and tear if no maintenance operation has been carried out since it was set up.
Connecting an electric vehicle without any precaution to this type of installation can therefore be dangerous for people and property when appropriate protective devices are absent.
Mode 2: Domestic socket and cable with a protection device
The vehicle is connected to the main power grid via household socket-outlets. Charging is done via a single-phase or three-phase network and installation of an earthing cable. A protection device is built into the cable.
This solution is particularly expensive due to the specificity of the cable.
Mode 3: Specific socket on a dedicated circuit
The vehicle is connected directly to the electrical network via specific socket and plug and a dedicated circuit. A control and protection function is also installed permanently in the installation.
This is the only charging mode that meets the applicable standards regulating electrical installations. It also allows load-shedding so that electrical household appliances can be operated during vehicle charging or on the contrary optimise the electric vehicle charging time.
Mode 4: Direct current (DC) connection for fast recharging
The electric vehicle is connected to the main power grid through an external charger. Control and protection functions and the vehicle charging cable are installed permanently in the installation.
article. Currently charging stations are being installed by public authorities, commercial enterprises and some major employers in order to stimulate the market for vehicle that use alternative fuels to gasoline & diesel fuels. For this reason most charge stations are currently either provided gratis or accessible to members of certain groups without significant charge (e.g. activated by a free 'membership card' or by a digital 'day code').
Charging time
The arrival of electric vehicles into the everyday life of users should not change their habits, nor should it expose them to new situations that might be potentially hazardous when they charge their vehicles.
The battery capacity of a fully electric vehicle is about 20kWh, providing it with an electrical autonomy of about 150 kilometres; chargeable hybrid vehicles have capacity of roughly 3 to 5kWh, for an electrical autonomy of 20 to 40 kilometres (the heat engine ensures the autonomy of a conventional vehicle).
As this autonomy is still limited, the vehicle has to be charged every 2 or 3 days on average. In practice, the driver will probably charge his / her vehicle as soon as he / she finds an occasion to do so.
For normal charging (3kW), car manufacturers have built a battery charger into the car. A charging cable is used to connect it to the electrical network to supply 230 volt AC current.
For quicker charging (22kW, even 43kW and more), manufacturers have chosen two solutions:
- use the vehicle's built-in charger, designed to charge from 3 to 43kW at 230V single-phase or 400 V three-phase.
- use an external charger, which converts AC current into DC current and charges the vehicle at 50kW.
The user finds charging an electric vehicle as simple as connecting a normal electrical appliance; however to ensure that this operation takes place in complete safety, the charging system must perform several safety functions and dialogue with the vehicle during connection and charging.
Infrastructure
Charging stations for electric vehicle
s may not need much new infrastructure
in developed countries, less than delivering a new alternative fuel over a new network.
The stations can leverage the existing ubiquitous electrical grid and home recharging is an option. For example, polls have shown that more than half of homeowners in the USA have access to a plug to charge their cars.
Also most driving is local over short distances which reduces the need for charging mid-trip. In the USA, for example, 78% of commutes are less than 40 miles (64.4 km) round-trip.
Nevertheless, longer drives between cities and towns require a network of public charging stations or another method to extend the range of electric vehicles beyond the normal daily commute.
One challenge in such infrastructure is the level of demand: an isolated station along a busy highway may see hundreds of customers per hour if every passing electric vehicle has to stop there to complete the trip.
In the first half of the 20th century, internal combustion vehicles faced a similar infrastructure problem.
Fast charging
A relatively inexpensive charging station providing 3.3 kilowatts of power (240 volts at 14 ampere
s) will take several hours to fully recharge an electric vehicle.
For example, the Nissan Leaf with its 24 kilowatt-hour battery pack takes approximately 8 hours to recharge.
However, most users will charge every day, so they will very rarely need to fully recharge their battery. So 3.3 kilowatts charging is more than enough for parking at home or work, but not for "refueling" in the middle of a trip.
Subject to the power handling of the car's charging electronics and battery chemistry, higher-power charging stations reduce charging time significantly. The SAE J1772
-2009 connector can supply 16.8 kW (240V,70A), the VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2 connector in Europe provides up to 43.5 kW (400V, 63A, three-phase), the J1773 (Magne Charge
) inductive paddle can provide 50 kW Nimh batteries to 80% in 12 minutes, CHAdeMO
DC Fast Charge (formerly referred to as Level 3) charging stations can supply 62.5 kW (500V DC
, 125A); the latter reduces the time to recharge the Nissan Leaf to 80% of capacity to about 30 minutes.
A fast charge 'service station' designed to simultaneously fast charge multiple vehicles in the way current gasoline or diesel stations simultaneously refuel multiple vehicles might require a peak power service on the order of several megawatts.
In practice, the energy efficiency of ten-minute charging is likely to be somewhat lowered in any case due to the ohmic losses
caused by the required high current inside the vehicle. The lost energy is converted directly to heat, which could be detrimental to the battery pack or surrounding electronics; additional power may be required for cooling equipment that removes the excess heat. Increasing the capacity of the battery pack increases the required power, current and heat loss linearly, which is why ten-minute charging may require new innovations as vehicles with increased range are developed.
The high peak power requirement of ten-minute charging can also stress the local power grid and might increase the risk of power brown- or black-outs during peak demand if enough vehicles choose to charge at these times. Time of use metering can help alleviate this stress by creating economic incentives for vehicles to be recharged at off-peak times. Another solution is to use an energy storage system to bridge the gap between the charging station demand and the power grid. The energy storage system suffers some efficiency drop and thus trades lower overall system efficiency in favor of higher peak demand capacity. Another possibility is on-site, on-demand power generation.
Most charging development focuses on speed of charge using conductive coupling
rather than safety, convenience, and ease using inductive charging
.
Inductive charging had been used on the GM EV-1
, Chevy S-10 EV and Toyota RAV4 EV
. With current technology, inductive efficiency losses of 8-13% are to be expected. Also, signaling and protective circuitry can address safety concerns associated with conductive coupling.
has an energy density similar to lead-acid batteries; however, the charge is stored solely in a vanadium-based liquid electrolyte which can be pumped out and replaced with charged fluid. The vanadium battery system is also a potential candidate for intermediate energy storage in ten-minute charging stations because of its high power density and extremely good endurance in daily use. System cost however, is still prohibitive. As vanadium battery systems are estimated to cost between $350–$600 per kW·h, a battery that can service one hundred customers in a 24 hour period at 50 kW·h per charge could cost $1.8-$3 million.
It has two batteries, one that stores electrical energy from the grid and another that delivers it to the car at extremely high current (500-600 amp
s, 20kW
), which allows it to use a low-voltage
power supply (AC
200V
; while the existing rapid charging systems require a higher power supply voltage 50 kW or more, AC6.6kV).
The company claims that even though one station costs about $63,000, that’s roughly 40% less than the competing CHAdeMO system.
AeroVironment
's Fleet Fast Charging Station aims to making "filling up" at the EV30-FS similar to using a gas pump. According to AV's website, "As battery chemistries evolve to support faster charging, a 25kWh EV battery may eventually receive up to an 80% battery capacity charge in less than 10 minutes, depending on conditions."
Smart grid communication
Recharging a large battery pack presents a high load on the electrical grid, but this can be scheduled for periods of reduced load or reduced electricity costs. In order to schedule the recharging, either the charging station or the vehicle can communicate with the smart grid. Some plug-in vehicles allow the vehicle operator to control recharging through a web interface or smartphone app.
Furthermore, in a Vehicle-to-grid
scenario the vehicle battery can supply energy to the grid at periods of peak demand. This requires additional communication between the grid, charging station, and vehicle electronics.
SAE International
is developing a range of standards for energy transfer to and from the grid including SAE J2847/1 "Communication between Plug-in Vehicles and the Utility Grid".
s, in parking lot
s (at places of employment, hotels, airports, shopping centers, convenience shops, fast food restaurant
s, coffeehouse
s etc.), phone booths, as well as in driveways and garages
at home. Existing filling station
s may also become or may incorporate charging stations.
They can be added onto other public infrastructure that has an electrical supply, such as phone booths and smart parking meters.
Anxiety regarding range and finding charging stations can be a major concern for EV drivers; this can be helped with online directories such as EV-Networks or some charging station providers like POD Point in the UK publish live availability of their charging locations for EV drivers.
In the UK most charging points have highly visibly indicator lights on the charging point to show whether it is available, charging or out of service.
s of public charging stations.
The EV Plug Alliance is an association of 21 European manufacturers which proposes a safe connecting solution. The project is to impose an IEC
norm and to adopt a European standard for the connection solution with sockets and plugs for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The EV Plug Alliance has the highest safety level thanks to the adoption of protective shutters to prevent any accidental contact with live parts and the expertise of its members: Schneider Electric
, Legrand, Scame, Nexans, etc.
There is an open source, public domain European charge station sign proposed.
s and set with circuit breaker
s that prevent large current draws for other uses. These can sometimes be used to recharge electric vehicles, albeit slowly, when the temperature falls below -20°C.
Battery swapping
A charging station is different from a battery switch station, which is a place to swap a discharged battery or battery pack for a fully charged one, saving the delay of waiting for the vehicle's battery to charge.
Battery swapping is common in warehouses using electric forklift truck
s. The companies Better Place, Tesla Motors
, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and others are currently working in integrating battery switch technology in their electric vehicles to extend their driving range. Better Place is using the same technology to swap batteries that F-16 jet
fighter aircraft
use to load their bombs.
In a battery switch station, the driver does not need to get out of the car while the battery is swapped.
Better Place's automated battery-switching station (also called Quickdrop Stations) can complete a battery swap in less than one minute,
which is faster than refueling a conventional petrol car.
SwapPack, a Texas entity, is developing as of April 2010 a swap arrangement, similar to the swapping out of butane gas tanks at convenience stores, a similar swap at car dealerships and large wholesale big box retailers. These locations will allow drivers the security of making a quick change of battery packs to have a power pack that is totally recharged. As of November 2010 the batteries of existing hybrid/electric cars, i.e. Prius, have not yet expired after a 100000 miles (160,934 km) duration.
Battery swap depends on at least one electric car
designed for "easy swap" of batteries. However, electric vehicle manufacturers that are working on battery switch technology have not standardized on battery access, attachment, dimension, location, or type. Better Place announced the Renault Fluence Z.E.
would be the first electric car with a switchable battery available on the Better Place network,
also Tesla Motors
are integrating one minute battery switch technology in their Model S sedan with the possibility to rent 300 miles (482.8 km) batteries for longer trips.
Summary of benefits of battery swapping:
and 15 produced by Haima
) were withdrawn from service that day and modified before going back into service.
Renewable electricity and RE charging stations
Charging stations are usually connected to the electrical grid, which often means that their electricity originates from fossil-fuel power stations or nuclear power plant
s. Solar power
is also suitable for electric vehicle
s. SolarCity
is marketing its solar energy systems along with electric car charging installations. The company has announced a partnership with Rabobank
to make electric car charging available for free to owners of Tesla Motors
' vehicles traveling on Highway 101
between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Other cars that can make use of same charging technology are welcome.
See also
External links
As hybrid electric vehicle
Hybrid electric vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...
s and battery electric vehicle
Battery electric vehicle
A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or...
ownership is expanding, there is a growing need for widely distributed publicly accessible power points, some of which support faster charging at higher voltages and currents than are available from domestic supplies. Major installation designs include Park & Charge
Park & Charge
Park & Charge is a European infrastructure for charging electric vehicles. Since 1992 it has been supported by the Electromobile Club of Switzerland ....
in Europe and Better Place in America. PARVE is an open-source design being developed in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Many charging stations are on-street facilities provided by electric utility companies. Some of these special charging stations provide one or a range of heavy duty or special connectors and/or charging without a physical connection using parking places equipped with inductive charging
Inductive charging
Inductive charging uses an electromagnetic field to transfer energy between two objects. This is usually done with a charging station. Energy is sent through inductive coupling to an electrical device, which then can use that energy to charge batteries....
mats.
Safety
Although most rechargeable electric vehicles and equipment can be recharged from a domestic wall socket, a charging station is usually accessible to multiple electric vehicleElectric vehicle
An electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...
(EV) owners and has additional current or connection sensing mechanisms to disconnect the power when the EV is not actually charging. This is in case an EV should be carelessly driven away before being unplugged, and so violently rip away the charging cable insulation and expose the electric conductors, which (except for the sensor mechanism) could be dangerous.
There are two main types of safety sensor:
- additional physical 'sensor wires' which provide a feedbackFeedbackFeedback describes the situation when output from an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or occurrences of the same Feedback describes the situation when output from (or information about the result of) an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or...
signal such as specified by the undermentioned SAE J1772SAE J1772SAE J1772 is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by the Society of Automotive Engineers and has the formal title "SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772, SAE Electric VehicleConductive Charge Coupler”...
and IEC 62196IEC 62196IEC 62196 is an international standard for set of electrical connectors and charging modes for electric vehicles and is maintained by the International Electrotechnical Commission ....
schemes that require special (multi-pin) power plug fittings, - Current sensors which monitor the power consumed, and only maintain the connection if the demand is within a "window" (for example between 1 ampere and 15 amperes).
Sensor wires react more quickly, have less parts to fail and are possibly less expensive to design and implement. Current sensors however can use standard connectors and can readily provide an option for suppliers to monitor or charge for the electricity actually consumed.
Standards
In SAESAE International
SAE International is an organization for engineering professionals in the aerospace, automotive, and commercial vehicle industries. The Society is a standards development organization for the engineering of powered vehicles of all kinds, including cars, trucks, boats, aircraft, and others.SAE...
terminology, 240 volt AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
charging is known as level 2 charging, and 500 volt DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
high-current charging is known as DC Fast Charge.
Owners can install a level 2 charging station at home, while businesses and local government provide level 2 and DC Fast Charge public charging stations that supply electricity for a fee or free.
The International Electrotechnical Commission
International Electrotechnical Commission
The International Electrotechnical Commission is a non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as "electrotechnology"...
(IEC) "Modes" are similar:
- "Mode 1" - slow charging from a regular electrical socket (single or 3-phase)
- "Mode 2" - slow charging from a regular socket but which equipped with some EV specific protection arrangement (e.g. the Park & ChargePark & ChargePark & Charge is a European infrastructure for charging electric vehicles. Since 1992 it has been supported by the Electromobile Club of Switzerland ....
or the PARVE systems) - "Mode 3" - slow or fast charging using a specific EV multi-pin socket with control and protection functions (e.g. SAE J1772SAE J1772SAE J1772 is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by the Society of Automotive Engineers and has the formal title "SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772, SAE Electric VehicleConductive Charge Coupler”...
and IEC 62196IEC 62196IEC 62196 is an international standard for set of electrical connectors and charging modes for electric vehicles and is maintained by the International Electrotechnical Commission ....
) - "Mode 4" - fast charging using some special charger technology such as CHAdeMOCHAdeMOCHAdeMO is the trade name of a quick charging method for battery electric vehicles delivering up to 62.5 kW of high-voltage direct current via a special electrical connector....
.
There are also three connection "Cases" with which Mode is sometimes confused
- "Case A" is any charger connected to the mains (the mains supply cable is usually attached to the charger) usually associated with Modes 1 or 2
- "Case B" is an on-board vehicle charger with a mains supply cable which can be detached from both the supply and the vehicle - usually Mode 3
- "Case C" is a dedicated charging station with DC supply to the vehicle. The The mains supply cable may be permanently attached to the charge-station such as in Mode 4.
And finally there are four plug "Types"
- "Type 1" - single phase vehicle coupler - reflecting the SAE J1772SAE J1772SAE J1772 is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by the Society of Automotive Engineers and has the formal title "SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772, SAE Electric VehicleConductive Charge Coupler”...
/2009 automotive plug specifications - "Type 2" - single and three phase vehicle coupler - reflecting the VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2 plug specifications
- "Type 3" - single and three phase vehicle coupler equipped with safety shutters - reflecting the EV Plug Alliance proposal
- "Type 4" - fast charge coupler - for special systems such as CHAdeMOCHAdeMOCHAdeMO is the trade name of a quick charging method for battery electric vehicles delivering up to 62.5 kW of high-voltage direct current via a special electrical connector....
Mode 1: Household socket and extension cord
The vehicle is connected to the power grid through standard socket-outlets (standard current: generally 10 A) present in residences. To use mode 1, the electrical installation must comply with the safety regulations and must have an earthing system, a circuit breaker to protect against overload and a earth leakage protection. The sockets have blanking devices to prevent accidental contacts.
This solution is the simplest and the most direct to implement. It offers the driver the option of charging his /her vehicle almost everywhere, which guarantees the peace of mind for the first-time buyers of electric vehicles.
Why then can’t we be satisfied with this solution? As a matter of fact, it has several serious limitations and may pose risks if used incorrectly. These limitations have led to the definition of other more efficient charging modes.
The first limitation is the available power, to avoid risks of
- heating of the socket and cables following intensive use for several hours if we exceed the maximum power (which varies from 8 to 16 A depending on the countries in Europe)
- fire or electric injuries in case the electrical installation is obsolete or if certain protective devices are absent.
The second limitation is related to the installation’s power management
- as the charging socket shares a feeder from the switchboard with other sockets (no dedicated circuit) if the sum of consumptions exceeds the protection limit (in general 16A), the circuit-breaker will trip, stopping the charging.
All these factors impose a limit on the power in mode 1, for safety and service quality reasons. This limit is currently being defined, and the value of 10A appears to be the best compromise. It must be noted that at this power, it will take nearly 10 hours to fully charge a vehicle.
No dedicated circuit
For instance, in France, the local standard NF-C-15100 standard on installation allows the connection of several household socket-outlets into the same protective element of the dwelling’s electrical switchboard:
- Up to 5 socket-outlets with a cable with a cross-section 1.5 mm2.
Protection by a 16A circuit breaker
Circuit breaker
A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit. Its basic function is to detect a fault condition and, by interrupting continuity, to immediately discontinue electrical flow...
.
- Up to 8 socket-outlets with a cable with a cross-section 2.5 mm2.
Protection by a 20A circuit breaker
Circuit breaker
A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit. Its basic function is to detect a fault condition and, by interrupting continuity, to immediately discontinue electrical flow...
.
It is therefore highly probable that the household socket used for charging an electric vehicle is on the same circuit as another electrical appliance, which may also be in operation during the charging.
In this case, the OCP, Overcurrent
Overcurrent
In electricity supply, overcurrent or excess current is a situation where a larger than intended electric current exists through a conductor, leading to excessive generation of heat, and the risk of fire or damage to equipment. Possible causes for overcurrent include short circuits, excessive load,...
Protective Device, will open for safety reasons, as the cumulated currents of the electric vehicle and the household appliance will be higher than its setting threshold. Installation of a dedicated circuit for electric vehicle charging can prevent this type of unwanted tripping. Ensuring that any load or appliances on the shared EV charging circuit are turned off while charging, can prevent the OCP from tripping as well. This can be difficult to ensure, so a dedicated circuit is the most reliable solution.
Temperature derating and intensive use
We have seen above that fully electric vehicles have charging powers varying from 3 to 24 kW. These powers correspond to charging currents from 16A single-phase up to 32A three-phase.
Moreover, charging the vehicle may take up to 8 hours, and this has to be done regularly, even on a daily basis.
The NF-C-15100 standard imposes cable cross-sections of 1.5 mm2 or 2.5 mm2. Their maximum permissible power is 3.7 kW for a 1.5 mm2 cable and up to 5.7 kW for a 2.5 mm2 cable.
Household sockets are designed to be used at full load only for a limited period (typically 1 hour at maximum power, which is the case when we use household appliances). When charging an electric vehicle, the charging time exceeds this limit and can last up to 6 or 8 hours. Household sockets must therefore be classified as derating systems for this use case: their permissible current must be lower than 16A or 32 A in order to limit abnormal temperature increases in components and to prevent fire hazards.
Obsoleteness and non-compliance
In France, electrical installation professionals believe that there are about 7 million hazardous electrical installations (obsolete, non-compliant, etc.), accounting for a little less than half of the old residential building stock.
For instance in France, from 1972 onwards, new electrical installations are subject to an inspection and an attestation of compliance. This measure instituted by public authorities was extended in 2001 to the electrical installations of fully renovated dwellings.
However, the electrical installations of the 16 million dwellings built before 1972 are not covered by any regulatory control measure.
There are also misgivings about the condition of electrical installations in the dwellings built after 1972: according to electrical safety experts, an installation in which no change has been made for the last 30 years can be considered as obsolete. They further believe that, after thirty years, even in normal usage conditions, an electrical installation may most likely pose hazards due to wear and tear if no maintenance operation has been carried out since it was set up.
Connecting an electric vehicle without any precaution to this type of installation can therefore be dangerous for people and property when appropriate protective devices are absent.
Mode 2: Domestic socket and cable with a protection device
The vehicle is connected to the main power grid via household socket-outlets. Charging is done via a single-phase or three-phase network and installation of an earthing cable. A protection device is built into the cable.
This solution is particularly expensive due to the specificity of the cable.
Mode 3: Specific socket on a dedicated circuit
The vehicle is connected directly to the electrical network via specific socket and plug and a dedicated circuit. A control and protection function is also installed permanently in the installation.
This is the only charging mode that meets the applicable standards regulating electrical installations. It also allows load-shedding so that electrical household appliances can be operated during vehicle charging or on the contrary optimise the electric vehicle charging time.
Mode 4: Direct current (DC) connection for fast recharging
The electric vehicle is connected to the main power grid through an external charger. Control and protection functions and the vehicle charging cable are installed permanently in the installation.
Evolution
The coordinated development of charging stations in a region by a company or local government is more fully discussed in the electric vehicle networkElectric vehicle network
An electric vehicle network is a proposed infrastructure system of publicly accessible charging stations and possibly battery swap stations to recharge electric vehicles....
article. Currently charging stations are being installed by public authorities, commercial enterprises and some major employers in order to stimulate the market for vehicle that use alternative fuels to gasoline & diesel fuels. For this reason most charge stations are currently either provided gratis or accessible to members of certain groups without significant charge (e.g. activated by a free 'membership card' or by a digital 'day code').
Charging time
The arrival of electric vehicles into the everyday life of users should not change their habits, nor should it expose them to new situations that might be potentially hazardous when they charge their vehicles.
The battery capacity of a fully electric vehicle is about 20kWh, providing it with an electrical autonomy of about 150 kilometres; chargeable hybrid vehicles have capacity of roughly 3 to 5kWh, for an electrical autonomy of 20 to 40 kilometres (the heat engine ensures the autonomy of a conventional vehicle).
As this autonomy is still limited, the vehicle has to be charged every 2 or 3 days on average. In practice, the driver will probably charge his / her vehicle as soon as he / she finds an occasion to do so.
For normal charging (3kW), car manufacturers have built a battery charger into the car. A charging cable is used to connect it to the electrical network to supply 230 volt AC current.
For quicker charging (22kW, even 43kW and more), manufacturers have chosen two solutions:
- use the vehicle's built-in charger, designed to charge from 3 to 43kW at 230V single-phase or 400 V three-phase.
- use an external charger, which converts AC current into DC current and charges the vehicle at 50kW.
| Charging time | Power supply | Voltage | Max current |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-8 hours | Single phase - 3,3kW | 230 VAC | 16 A |
| 2-3 hours | Three phase - 10kW | 400 VAC | 16 A |
| 3-4 hours | Single phase - 7kW | 230 VAC | 32 A |
| 1-2 hours | Three phase - 24kW | 400 VAC | 32 A |
| 20-30 minutes | Three phase - 43kW | 400 VAC | 63 A |
| 20-30 minutes | Direct current Direct current Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through... - 50kW |
400 - 500 VDC | 100 - 125 A |
The user finds charging an electric vehicle as simple as connecting a normal electrical appliance; however to ensure that this operation takes place in complete safety, the charging system must perform several safety functions and dialogue with the vehicle during connection and charging.
Infrastructure
Charging stations for electric vehicle
Electric vehicle
An electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...
s may not need much new infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
in developed countries, less than delivering a new alternative fuel over a new network.
The stations can leverage the existing ubiquitous electrical grid and home recharging is an option. For example, polls have shown that more than half of homeowners in the USA have access to a plug to charge their cars.
Also most driving is local over short distances which reduces the need for charging mid-trip. In the USA, for example, 78% of commutes are less than 40 miles (64.4 km) round-trip.
Nevertheless, longer drives between cities and towns require a network of public charging stations or another method to extend the range of electric vehicles beyond the normal daily commute.
One challenge in such infrastructure is the level of demand: an isolated station along a busy highway may see hundreds of customers per hour if every passing electric vehicle has to stop there to complete the trip.
In the first half of the 20th century, internal combustion vehicles faced a similar infrastructure problem.
Fast charging
A relatively inexpensive charging station providing 3.3 kilowatts of power (240 volts at 14 ampere
Ampere
The ampere , often shortened to amp, is the SI unit of electric current and is one of the seven SI base units. It is named after André-Marie Ampère , French mathematician and physicist, considered the father of electrodynamics...
s) will take several hours to fully recharge an electric vehicle.
For example, the Nissan Leaf with its 24 kilowatt-hour battery pack takes approximately 8 hours to recharge.
However, most users will charge every day, so they will very rarely need to fully recharge their battery. So 3.3 kilowatts charging is more than enough for parking at home or work, but not for "refueling" in the middle of a trip.
Subject to the power handling of the car's charging electronics and battery chemistry, higher-power charging stations reduce charging time significantly. The SAE J1772
SAE J1772
SAE J1772 is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by the Society of Automotive Engineers and has the formal title "SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772, SAE Electric VehicleConductive Charge Coupler”...
-2009 connector can supply 16.8 kW (240V,70A), the VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2 connector in Europe provides up to 43.5 kW (400V, 63A, three-phase), the J1773 (Magne Charge
Magne Charge
Magne Charge is a largely obsolete inductive charging system, also known as J1773, used to charge battery electric vehicles formerly made by General Motors, for vehicles such as the EV1, Chevy S10 EV, and other electric vehicles. It was produced by the General Motors subsidiary Delco Electronics....
) inductive paddle can provide 50 kW Nimh batteries to 80% in 12 minutes, CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO is the trade name of a quick charging method for battery electric vehicles delivering up to 62.5 kW of high-voltage direct current via a special electrical connector....
DC Fast Charge (formerly referred to as Level 3) charging stations can supply 62.5 kW (500V DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
, 125A); the latter reduces the time to recharge the Nissan Leaf to 80% of capacity to about 30 minutes.
Technical issues
Fast charging requires an industrial-type electric service (i.e., voltage greater than 120 VAC, and maximum current capacity greater than than 15 A; the values found at a typical US residential wall outlet). For example, given a 50 kWh vehicle battery pack and 100% charger efficiency, a 10 minute quick-charge from 10% to 80% battery capacity requires that 210 kW of power be provided to the charger. (80% minus 10% equals 70%. 70% of 50 kWh equals 35 kWh, the amount of energy that the charger must provide to the battery. 10 minutes equals 0.167 hour. 35 kWh divided by 0.167 hour equals 210 kW, the amount of power that the charger must provide during each moment of the charge time.) As a comparison, 210 kW is the total power drawn by approximately 140 US homes (if each home draws 1.5 kW of power, a reasonable value). If the vehicle charger is fed using 480 VAC, 3-phase service, the charger must draw 253 A of current on each phase so that it receives 210 kW of power. In the US, when the electric utility provides 480 VAC, 3-phase service, the most common maximum current capacity provided is 200 A.A fast charge 'service station' designed to simultaneously fast charge multiple vehicles in the way current gasoline or diesel stations simultaneously refuel multiple vehicles might require a peak power service on the order of several megawatts.
In practice, the energy efficiency of ten-minute charging is likely to be somewhat lowered in any case due to the ohmic losses
Joule heating
Joule heating, also known as ohmic heating and resistive heating, is the process by which the passage of an electric current through a conductor releases heat. It was first studied by James Prescott Joule in 1841. Joule immersed a length of wire in a fixed mass of water and measured the temperature...
caused by the required high current inside the vehicle. The lost energy is converted directly to heat, which could be detrimental to the battery pack or surrounding electronics; additional power may be required for cooling equipment that removes the excess heat. Increasing the capacity of the battery pack increases the required power, current and heat loss linearly, which is why ten-minute charging may require new innovations as vehicles with increased range are developed.
The high peak power requirement of ten-minute charging can also stress the local power grid and might increase the risk of power brown- or black-outs during peak demand if enough vehicles choose to charge at these times. Time of use metering can help alleviate this stress by creating economic incentives for vehicles to be recharged at off-peak times. Another solution is to use an energy storage system to bridge the gap between the charging station demand and the power grid. The energy storage system suffers some efficiency drop and thus trades lower overall system efficiency in favor of higher peak demand capacity. Another possibility is on-site, on-demand power generation.
Most charging development focuses on speed of charge using conductive coupling
Conductive coupling
Conductive coupling is the transfer of electrical energy by means of physical contact via a conductive medium, in contrast to inductive coupling and capacitive coupling...
rather than safety, convenience, and ease using inductive charging
Inductive charging
Inductive charging uses an electromagnetic field to transfer energy between two objects. This is usually done with a charging station. Energy is sent through inductive coupling to an electrical device, which then can use that energy to charge batteries....
.
Inductive charging had been used on the GM EV-1
General Motors EV1
The General Motors EV1 was an electric car produced and leased by the General Motors Corporation from 1996 to 1999. It was the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle of the modern era from a major automaker, and the first GM car designed to be an electric vehicle from the...
, Chevy S-10 EV and Toyota RAV4 EV
Toyota RAV4 EV
The RAV4 EV was an all-electric version of the popular RAV4 SUV produced by Toyota. It was leased from 1997 to 2003, and at the lessees request, many units were sold after the vehicle was discontinued. A total of 1,485 were leased and/or sold in California to meet the state’s mandate for...
. With current technology, inductive efficiency losses of 8-13% are to be expected. Also, signaling and protective circuitry can address safety concerns associated with conductive coupling.
Mobile stations
Fast charging mobile stations are generally mounted in a vehicle and includes batteries. An example are the Nation-E Angel Cars.Replacement
One type of battery "replacement" offers a simpler solution. The latest generation of vanadium redox batteryVanadium redox battery
The vanadium redox battery is a type of rechargeable flow battery that employs vanadium ions in different oxidation states to store chemical potential energy...
has an energy density similar to lead-acid batteries; however, the charge is stored solely in a vanadium-based liquid electrolyte which can be pumped out and replaced with charged fluid. The vanadium battery system is also a potential candidate for intermediate energy storage in ten-minute charging stations because of its high power density and extremely good endurance in daily use. System cost however, is still prohibitive. As vanadium battery systems are estimated to cost between $350–$600 per kW·h, a battery that can service one hundred customers in a 24 hour period at 50 kW·h per charge could cost $1.8-$3 million.
Faster charging
JFE Engineering Corporation is developing a quick charge system that it claims can take a battery from zero charge to 50% full in about 3 minutes.It has two batteries, one that stores electrical energy from the grid and another that delivers it to the car at extremely high current (500-600 amp
Ampere
The ampere , often shortened to amp, is the SI unit of electric current and is one of the seven SI base units. It is named after André-Marie Ampère , French mathematician and physicist, considered the father of electrodynamics...
s, 20kW
Kw
kw or KW may refer to:* Kuwait, ISO 3166-1 country code** .kw, the country code top level domain for Kuwait* Kilowatt* Self-ionization of water Kw* Cornish language's ISO 639 code* Kitchener–Waterloo, Ontario, Canada...
), which allows it to use a low-voltage
Low voltage
Low voltage when used as an electrical engineering term concerning an electricity supply grid or industrial use, broadly identifies safety considerations of the system based on the voltage used. The meaning of the term "low voltage" is somewhat different when used with regard to a more typical end...
power supply (AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
200V
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
; while the existing rapid charging systems require a higher power supply voltage 50 kW or more, AC6.6kV).
The company claims that even though one station costs about $63,000, that’s roughly 40% less than the competing CHAdeMO system.
AeroVironment
AeroVironment
AeroVironment Inc. is a technology company in Monrovia, California, and Simi Valley, California, that is primarily involved in energy systems, electric vehicle systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles . Paul B. MacCready, Jr., a famous designer of human powered aircraft, founded the company in 1971...
's Fleet Fast Charging Station aims to making "filling up" at the EV30-FS similar to using a gas pump. According to AV's website, "As battery chemistries evolve to support faster charging, a 25kWh EV battery may eventually receive up to an 80% battery capacity charge in less than 10 minutes, depending on conditions."
Smart grid communication
Recharging a large battery pack presents a high load on the electrical grid, but this can be scheduled for periods of reduced load or reduced electricity costs. In order to schedule the recharging, either the charging station or the vehicle can communicate with the smart grid. Some plug-in vehicles allow the vehicle operator to control recharging through a web interface or smartphone app.
Furthermore, in a Vehicle-to-grid
Vehicle-to-grid
Vehicle-to-grid describes a system in which plug-in electric vehicles, such as electric cars and plug-in hybrids , communicate with the power grid to sell demand response services by either delivering electricity into the grid or by throttling their charging rate.Vehicle-to-grid can be used with...
scenario the vehicle battery can supply energy to the grid at periods of peak demand. This requires additional communication between the grid, charging station, and vehicle electronics.
SAE International
SAE International
SAE International is an organization for engineering professionals in the aerospace, automotive, and commercial vehicle industries. The Society is a standards development organization for the engineering of powered vehicles of all kinds, including cars, trucks, boats, aircraft, and others.SAE...
is developing a range of standards for energy transfer to and from the grid including SAE J2847/1 "Communication between Plug-in Vehicles and the Utility Grid".
Locations
Charging stations can be found and will be needed where there is on-street parking, at taxi standTaxi stand
A taxicab stand is a queue area on a street or on private property where taxicabs line up to wait for passengers.-How stands work:...
s, in parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
s (at places of employment, hotels, airports, shopping centers, convenience shops, fast food restaurant
Fast food restaurant
A fast food restaurant, also known as a Quick Service Restaurant or QSR within the industry itself, is a specific type of restaurant characterized both by its fast food cuisine and by minimal table service...
s, coffeehouse
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
s etc.), phone booths, as well as in driveways and garages
Garage (house)
A residential garage is part of a home, or an associated building, designed or used for storing a vehicle or vehicles. In some places the term is used synonymously with "carport", though that term normally describes a structure that is not completely enclosed.- British residential garages:Those...
at home. Existing filling station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
s may also become or may incorporate charging stations.
They can be added onto other public infrastructure that has an electrical supply, such as phone booths and smart parking meters.
Anxiety regarding range and finding charging stations can be a major concern for EV drivers; this can be helped with online directories such as EV-Networks or some charging station providers like POD Point in the UK publish live availability of their charging locations for EV drivers.
In the UK most charging points have highly visibly indicator lights on the charging point to show whether it is available, charging or out of service.
Vehicle and charging station projects and joint ventures
Electric car manufacturers, charging infrastructure providers, and regional governments have entered into many agreements and ventures to promote and provide electric vehicle networkElectric vehicle network
An electric vehicle network is a proposed infrastructure system of publicly accessible charging stations and possibly battery swap stations to recharge electric vehicles....
s of public charging stations.
The EV Plug Alliance is an association of 21 European manufacturers which proposes a safe connecting solution. The project is to impose an IEC
International Electrotechnical Commission
The International Electrotechnical Commission is a non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as "electrotechnology"...
norm and to adopt a European standard for the connection solution with sockets and plugs for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The EV Plug Alliance has the highest safety level thanks to the adoption of protective shutters to prevent any accidental contact with live parts and the expertise of its members: Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a French global company. It was founded in 1836 by two brothers, Eugène and Adolphe Schneider.In the first part of the 20th century, Schneider et Cie associated itself with Westinghouse Systems, a major international electrical group at the time. The group began manufacturing...
, Legrand, Scame, Nexans, etc.
List of EV Charging Station Designers
The principal suppliers and manufacturers of charging stations offer a range of options from simple charging posts for roadside use, charging cabinets for covered parking places to fully automated charging stations integrated with power distribution equipmentSlow Charge
Design concentration in systems that may take up to 6 hours and in automated chargers which are likely to provide a full (100%) charge and conserve battery life.- Park and Power A small UK-based company
- Pod Point UK initiative in association with others.
- Pavement Power a UK design house
- PARVE Charging System A Spanish design
- SemaConnectSemaConnectSemaConnect is an electric vehicle infrastructure company located in Annapolis, MD and founded by entrepreneur, Mahi Reddy.SemaConnect offers the ChargePro line of charging stations which are available with a NEMA outlet for Level 1 or with an SAE J1772 connector for Level 2...
A US maker of Charge Pro Level 1 outlets
Fast & Slow Charge
Design concentration on quick charge (c. 1 hour or fast charge (less than 30 Mins). These systems are likely to reduce battery life and so may offer a restricted charge (typically 80%)- AeroVironmentAeroVironmentAeroVironment Inc. is a technology company in Monrovia, California, and Simi Valley, California, that is primarily involved in energy systems, electric vehicle systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles . Paul B. MacCready, Jr., a famous designer of human powered aircraft, founded the company in 1971...
- Better Place
- Coulomb TechnologiesCoulomb TechnologiesCoulomb Technologies is an electric vehicle infrastructure company, based in Campbell, California. Coulomb Technologies was founded in 2007 by Richard Lowenthal and Praveen Mandal....
- Circontrol A spanish company working with APT in UK
- DBT (La Douaisienne de Basse Tension) A French manufacturer
- ECOtality
- ElektromotiveElektromotiveElektromotive is a UK based company specialising in the manufacture and installation of charging infrastructure for electric cars and other electric vehicles, using their trade name of Elektrobay...
- Epyon a Netherlands producer
- IAV A German design for an In-Road Electric Vehicle Charger
- SGTE Power the French manufacturer Charge rapide systems
EV charging station signs
In the United States, the standard charging station sign is defined in the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) 2009 edition.- See two examples of "D9-11b Electric Vehicle Charging" and "D9-11bP Electric Vehicle Charging" at "Figure 2I-1. General Service Signs and Plaques", page 301, Sect. 2I.02
There is an open source, public domain European charge station sign proposed.
Block heater power supplies
In colder areas such as Finland, some northern US states and Canada there already exists some infrastructure for public power outlets provided primarily for use by block heaterBlock heater
A block heater warms an engine to ease and speed starting and vehicle warmup in cold weather. The most common type is an electric heating element connected through a power cord often routed through the vehicle's grille. The block heater may replace one of the engine's core plugs, or may be...
s and set with circuit breaker
Circuit breaker
A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit. Its basic function is to detect a fault condition and, by interrupting continuity, to immediately discontinue electrical flow...
s that prevent large current draws for other uses. These can sometimes be used to recharge electric vehicles, albeit slowly, when the temperature falls below -20°C.
Battery swapping
A charging station is different from a battery switch station, which is a place to swap a discharged battery or battery pack for a fully charged one, saving the delay of waiting for the vehicle's battery to charge.
Battery swapping is common in warehouses using electric forklift truck
Forklift truck
A forklift is a powered industrial truck used to lift and transport materials. The modern forklift was developed in the 1920s by various companies including the transmission manufacturing company Clark and the hoist company Yale & Towne Manufacturing...
s. The companies Better Place, Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors, Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based company that designs, manufactures and sells electric cars and electric vehicle powertrain components. It was the only automaker building and selling a zero-emission sports car, the Tesla Roadster, in serial production...
, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and others are currently working in integrating battery switch technology in their electric vehicles to extend their driving range. Better Place is using the same technology to swap batteries that F-16 jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
use to load their bombs.
In a battery switch station, the driver does not need to get out of the car while the battery is swapped.
Better Place's automated battery-switching station (also called Quickdrop Stations) can complete a battery swap in less than one minute,
which is faster than refueling a conventional petrol car.
SwapPack, a Texas entity, is developing as of April 2010 a swap arrangement, similar to the swapping out of butane gas tanks at convenience stores, a similar swap at car dealerships and large wholesale big box retailers. These locations will allow drivers the security of making a quick change of battery packs to have a power pack that is totally recharged. As of November 2010 the batteries of existing hybrid/electric cars, i.e. Prius, have not yet expired after a 100000 miles (160,934 km) duration.
Battery swap depends on at least one electric car
Electric car
An electric car is an automobile which is propelled by electric motor, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric cars were popular in the late-19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass...
designed for "easy swap" of batteries. However, electric vehicle manufacturers that are working on battery switch technology have not standardized on battery access, attachment, dimension, location, or type. Better Place announced the Renault Fluence Z.E.
Renault Fluence Z.E.
The Renault Fluence Z.E. is an upcoming electric version of the Renault Fluence, part of the Renault Z.E. program of battery electric vehicles. It was unveiled by Renault at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Fluence Z.E...
would be the first electric car with a switchable battery available on the Better Place network,
also Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors, Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based company that designs, manufactures and sells electric cars and electric vehicle powertrain components. It was the only automaker building and selling a zero-emission sports car, the Tesla Roadster, in serial production...
are integrating one minute battery switch technology in their Model S sedan with the possibility to rent 300 miles (482.8 km) batteries for longer trips.
Summary of benefits of battery swapping:
- Fast battery swapping of around 59.1 seconds.
- Unlimited driving range where there are battery switch stations available.
- The driver does not have to get out of the car while the battery is swapped.
- The driver does not own the battery in the car, transferring costs over the battery, battery life, maintenance, capital cost, quality, technology, and warranty to the battery switch station company.
- Contract with battery switch company could subsidize the electric vehicle at a price lower than equivalent petrol cars.
- The spare batteries at swap stations could participate in vehicle to grid storage.
Incidents
In 2011 a Zotye Langyue EV taxicab in Hangzhou, China caught fire and was destroyed, although the driver and passenger were able to escape unharmed. Later investigation by the city's Quality Supervision and Inspection Administration revealed that the fire had been caused by an issue with taxi's defective swappable battery pack. Although the batteries themselves were not designed for automotive use, the battery pack had been poorly taken care of which caused damage to the insulation between the battery cells and the aluminum casing, creating numerous short circuits. It was one of the stronger short circuits which ignited the car. The remaining 29 taxicabs belonging to the city (14 produced by Zotye InternationalZotye International
Zotye Auto is an automobile manufacturer from China. It is owned by the Zotye Holding Group.-History:Zotye International was founded on 13 January 2005 by Zotye Holding Group. Previously, Zotye had contracts to only export automotive parts but increased its production to complete cars to take...
and 15 produced by Haima
Haima (car)
Haima is the name of a subsidiary of China's First Automobile Works conglomerate based on southern the island of Hainan. It produces vehicles based on old Mazda mechanical components.-History:...
) were withdrawn from service that day and modified before going back into service.
Renewable electricity and RE charging stations
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
s. Solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
is also suitable for electric vehicle
Electric vehicle
An electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...
s. SolarCity
SolarCity
SolarCity is an American provider of solar energy system design, financing, installation and related services and also builds charging stations for electric vehicles....
is marketing its solar energy systems along with electric car charging installations. The company has announced a partnership with Rabobank
Rabobank
Rabobank is a financial services provider with offices worldwide. Their main location is in the Netherlands. They are a global leader in Food and Agri financing and in sustainability-oriented banking...
to make electric car charging available for free to owners of Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors, Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based company that designs, manufactures and sells electric cars and electric vehicle powertrain components. It was the only automaker building and selling a zero-emission sports car, the Tesla Roadster, in serial production...
' vehicles traveling on Highway 101
U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...
between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Other cars that can make use of same charging technology are welcome.
E-Move Charging Station
The E-Move Charging Station is equipped with eight monocrystalline solar panels, which can supply 1.76KWp of solar power. With further refinements, the designers are hoping to generate about 2000KWh of electricity from the panels over the year.See also
- Automated charging machineAutomated charging machineAn Automated Charging Machine is an electronic machine that provides the public with the ability to recharge a mobile device, often for a small fee. Similar to vending machines, ACMs take cash, then charge the connected devices, which may be cell phones, PDAs, or other handheld devices...
- Battery chargerBattery chargerA battery charger is a device used to put energy into a secondary cell or rechargeable battery by forcing an electric current through it.The charge current depends upon the technology and capacity of the battery being charged...
- Battery leasing
- Direct couplingDirect couplingIn electronics, direct coupling is a way of interconnecting two circuits such that, in addition to transferring the AC signal , the first stage also provides DC bias to the next...
- Dump chargingDump chargingDump charging is a method of charging a electric vehicle's battery pack at a higher rate than is possible with standard grid connections and battery chargers...
- Electric vehicle batteryElectric vehicle batteryAn electric vehicle battery or traction battery is a rechargeable battery used for propulsion of battery electric vehicles...
- Electric vehicle networkElectric vehicle networkAn electric vehicle network is a proposed infrastructure system of publicly accessible charging stations and possibly battery swap stations to recharge electric vehicles....
- EV Project
- Filling stationFilling stationA filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
- IAVIAVIAV GmbH, , abbreviated to IAV, is one of the leading engineering providers to the automotive industry.IAV provides production-ready automotive solutions in all fields of powertrain, electronics and vehicle development. Founded in Berlin in 1983 by Prof. Dr...
- In-road electric vehicle charger
- Lamppost
- Magne ChargeMagne ChargeMagne Charge is a largely obsolete inductive charging system, also known as J1773, used to charge battery electric vehicles formerly made by General Motors, for vehicles such as the EV1, Chevy S10 EV, and other electric vehicles. It was produced by the General Motors subsidiary Delco Electronics....
- Park & ChargePark & ChargePark & Charge is a European infrastructure for charging electric vehicles. Since 1992 it has been supported by the Electromobile Club of Switzerland ....
- Plug-in vehiclePlug-in vehiclePlug-in vehicle may refer to:* Plug-in all-electric vehicle * Plug-in electric vehicle includes electric chargable vehicles such as BEVs and PHEVs*Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle...
- Plug-in hybrid vehicle
- Plugless PowerPlugless PowerPlugless Power is a type of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment based on inductive charging. Plugless Power, a charging system for the electric vehicle , connects the on-board EV battery charger inductively to the electrical power source, without physical connection...
- Pod Point
- RFID
- SAE J1772SAE J1772SAE J1772 is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by the Society of Automotive Engineers and has the formal title "SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772, SAE Electric VehicleConductive Charge Coupler”...
and CHAdeMOCHAdeMOCHAdeMO is the trade name of a quick charging method for battery electric vehicles delivering up to 62.5 kW of high-voltage direct current via a special electrical connector....
charging standards
- Solar-charged vehicle
- Transport electrification
- V2G, V2Green and V2H
- List of EVSE Manufacturers#EVSE Level 2 Manufacturers
External links
- Alternative Fueling Station Locator (EERE): US charging stations.
- Electromaps - Recharge points for electric vehicles Find where recharge your electric vehicle
- EV Charger News - website/mailing list
- UK directory of charge points / charging stations.
- Recargo - community-driven directory of charging stations
- Schneider Electric charging solutions EVlink charging solutions for electric vehicles
- Plug-In Charging Stations List of US Charging station networks and phone numbers
- www.gidophone.com Mobile device charging kiosk
- Description of the EVITP or Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program, via a PDF file from the DOEUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
's web site.