Charging station
An EV charging station, also called electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment), supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles and other plug-in vehicles (including plug-in hybrids).
Although most electric cars can be recharged from a domestic wall socket, many support faster charging at higher voltages and currents that require dedicated equipment with a specialized connector, or more convenient charging without a physical connection through inductive charging.
In SAE 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 coordinated development of charging stations in a region by a company or local government is discussed in electric vehicle network.
An alternative to recharging the battery in the vehicle is battery swapping: a battery switching facility that exchanges the vehicle's discharged battery for a charged battery.
"Charging station" may also refer to filling of compressed air vehicles.[citation needed]
Infrastructure
Charging stations for electric vehicles may not need much new infrastructure in developed countries, less than delivering a new alternative fuel over a new network.[1] 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.[citation needed] 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 km) round-trip.[2] 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 amperes) 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.[3]
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,[4] 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.[3]
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 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,[citation needed] 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.[citation needed]
Most charging development focuses on speed of charge using conductive coupling rather than safety,[5] convenience, and ease using inductive charging.[6] 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.[7]
Mobile stations
Fast charging mobile stations are generally mounted in a vehicle and includes batteries. An example are the Nation-E Angel Cars.[8]
Replacement
One type of battery "replacement" offers a simpler solution. The latest generation of vanadium redox battery 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.[9]
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 amps, 20kW), which allows it to use a low-voltage power supply (AC200V; while the existing rapid charging systems require a higher power supply voltage 50 kW or more, AC6.6kV).[10] The company claims that even though one station costs about $63,000, that’s roughly 40% less than the competing CHAdeMO system.[11]
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.[citation needed] 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".[12]
Deployment of public charging stations
Locations
Charging stations can be found and will be needed where there is on-street parking, at taxi stands, in parking lots (at places of employment, hotels, airports, shopping centers, convenience shops, fast food restaurants, coffeehouses etc.), phone booths, as well as in driveways and garages at home. Existing filling stations 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[13] 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 [14] or some charging station providers like POD Point in the UK publish live availability [15] of their charging locations for EV drivers.
In the UK most charging points have highly visibly indicator lights[16] 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 networks of public charging stations.
EV charging station signs
There is no standard in signs for charge stations. There is an open source, public domain European charge station sign proposed.[17]
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 heaters and set with circuit breakers 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.[18]
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 trucks.[19] The company Better Place, Tesla Motors, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries[20] 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.[21]
In a battery switch station, the driver does not need to get out of the car while the battery is swapped.[22] Better Place's automated battery-switching station (also called Quickdrop Stations) can complete a battery swap in less than one minute,[23] 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 a making a quick change of battery packs to have a power pack that is totally recharged. As of November 2010 the batteries of existing electric cars ie Prius have not yet expired after a 100,000 mile 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, [24] also Tesla Motors are integrating one minute battery switch technology[25] in their Model S sedan with the possibility to rent 300 mile batteries for longer trips.[26]
Summary of benefits of battery swapping:
- Fast battery swapping of around 59.1 seconds.[23]
- Unlimited driving range where there are battery switch stations available.[27]
- The driver does not have to get out of the car while the battery is swapped.[28]
- 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.[29]
- Contract with battery switch company could subsidize the electric vehicle at a price lower than equivalent petrol cars.[30]
- The spare batteries at swap stations could participate in vehicle to grid storage. [citation needed]
Renewable electricity and RE charging stations
Solar power is suitable for electric vehicles. 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.[33]
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.[34]
See also
- Automated charging machine
- Battery charger
- Battery leasing
- Coulomb Technologies
- Direct coupling
- Electric vehicle battery
- EV Project
- Filling station
- IAV
- In-road electric vehicle charger
- Lamppost
- Park & Charge
- Plugless Power
- RFID
- SAE J1772 and CHAdeMO charging standards
- SemaConnect
- Solar-charged vehicle
- Transport electrification
- V2G, V2Green and V2H
Notes
- ^ "Plug-In 2008: Company News: GM/V2Green/Coulomb/Google/HEVT/PlugInSupply". CalCars. 2008-07-28. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
- ^ Source: US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Omnibus Household Survey. Data from the February, April, June, and August 2003 surveys have been combined. Data cover activities for the month prior to the survey. (2003). "From Home to Work, the Average Commute is 26.4 Minutes" (PDF). OmniStats. 3 (4). Retrieved 2009-10-15.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Nissan LEAF Electric Car | Answers | Charging". Nissan. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
- ^ Takafumi Anegawa (2009-10-13). "Desirable characteristics of public quick charger" (PDF). Tokyo Electric Power Company. p. 33. Retrieved 2010-06-27.
- ^ Dallas Kachan (January 20, 2010). "'Disaster' scenarios for electric cars". Cleantech Group. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
- ^ Stephen Marcus (February 15, 2010). "Contenders vie for quickest EV battery charging time". Cleantech Group. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
- ^ "Staff Paper on the Standardization of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure" (PDF). California Air Resources Board. 2001-02-26. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2003-05-09. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
- ^ http://nation-e.com/
- ^ The Energy Blog: Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries
- ^ Keisuke Ogawa (2010-06-21). "JFE Engineering Announces 'Super-rapid' EV Charging System". Tech-On!. Nikkei Business Publications. Retrieved 2010-06-27.
- ^ Nick Chambers (2010-05-05). "Ultra Quick Battery Charge System Developed: 50% Full in 3 Minutes". gas2.0. Retrieved 2010-06-27.
- ^ "SAE Ground Vehicle Standards Status of work – PHEV +" (PDF). SAE International pages=1-7. 2010-01. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Missing pipe in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "ENDESA AND TELEFÓNICA LAUNCH FIRST ELECTRIC VEHICLE TELEPHONE BOOTH RECHARGING STATION" (Press release). Endesa. 2010-05-10. Retrieved 2010-05-21.
- ^ http://www.ev-network.org.uk/Default.aspx?pageId=524100
- ^ http://www.pod-point.com/live-availabilty/
- ^ http://www.pod-point.com/using-pod-point/
- ^ http://evinfra.org
- ^ Park and Ride Locations, Calgary Transit, 16 April 2009, retrieved 2009-04-25,
The plug-ins located in the Park and Ride lots automatically turn on when the outside temperature falls below -20 degrees and turn off and on in increments to save electricity usage.
- ^ "Industrial electrical vehicle stalwarts head out on the road".
- ^ "Mitsubishi working on battery swapping for transit buses, Better Place not involved".
- ^ "Charging Ahead With a New Electric Car".
- ^ "Better Place. Battery switch stations".
- ^ a b "Better Place expands Tokyo battery swap trials; taxis have changed packs 2,122 times already".
- ^ "Better Place. The Renault Fluence ZE". Better Place. 2010-10-22. Retrieved 2010-10-22.
- ^ "Tesla Model S specs".
- ^ "Tesla Model S customers will be able to swap batteries at Tesla dealerships with the possibility to rent 300 mile batteries for longer trips".
- ^ "Better Place, California Battery Switch Station Deployment".
- ^ "Better Place, battery switch station description".
- ^ "Lithium Ion Israel".
- ^ "Better Place's Renault Fluence EV to sell for under $20,000".
- ^ "PNNL Solar Array Photos". Hire Electric Blog. Hire Electric, Inc. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
- ^ "PNNL puts finishing touches on it's first solar panel project". KNDO News. KNDO. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
- ^ http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/solarcity-installs-electric-car-chargers-along-cal-highway/
- ^ http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-tech-e-move-charging-station-fuels-just-about-everything-with-solar-energy/
External links
- Alternative Fueling Station Locator (EERE): US charging stations.
- Electric Car Stations - a wiki-type map-driven global directory of electric car 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