Understanding the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

With the increasing demand for electric vehicles (EV) in the market, the focus of original equipment manufacturers has also started shifting towards the development of long-range batteries.

In this the fast-charging system is emerging as the new phase in the electric vehicle sector.

One of the main concerns for the user of an EV is the vehicle range, which is depends on the battery power. This concern can’t be solved by upgrading batteries alone, the charging systems also need to be upgraded.

Currently, the automotive sector is focusing more on providing reliable and innovative charging solutions that can provide effective charging options.

This article talks about the overall infrastructure of electric vehicle charging system in detail.

Different Level of Charging Systems

Level-1

• Level-1 EV charging systems support a maximum current of 120 volts and can be used with a control box and power cord.
• They are easy to handle and can also be used at home for charging electric vehicles.
• No installation cost is required for level-1 charging.
• It takes 16–18 hours to charge a 60-kWh EV.

Level-2

• The level-2 charging system supports a maximum current of 240 volts.
• It requires proper installation of the electric wiring and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) for handling such high voltage powers.
• Charge faster in-comparison to level 1 charging system. It takes 7–8 hours to charge a 60-kWh EV.
• The level-2 charging system can be used at multiple places such as apartments, hospitals, retail stores, and small workplaces.

Level-3

• The level-3 charging system is also known as the direct current (DC) charging system.
• It can charge vehicles much faster compared to other charging levels. It takes less than 30 minutes to charge vehicles up to 80%.
• It is high in cost, compared to level-1 and level-2, and used at public charging stations.

The efficiency of the EV does not only rely on the power stored in the batteries through the charging station but also depends on several other external factors such as temperature, traffic, accelerations, and more.

Components of Electric Vehicle Charging Station

The electric vehicle charging stations include several components such as a power grid, energy controller, network operating center, software platform, electric vehicle chargers, and other relevant devices.

The energy storage system of electric vehicle charging stations mainly consists of three units: Battery, Power Conversion System, and Software. Let’s have a look at each of these units.

• Battery

In electric vehicle charging stations, the batteries used are mostly lithium-ion batteries which consist of several packs, cells, and battery management systems (BMS). BMS helps in managing the electric vehicle charger and controlling the level of power to be put in the battery.

• Power Transformation System

The power transformation system for the electric vehicle charging system mainly consists of an inverter and thermal management for maintaining the temperature of the batteries at a specific level.

• Software

The charging software is a crucial part of the EV charging station. It helps e-mobility and charge point providers to manage EV charging stations effectively.

Some of the most useful features of charging software are fault detection, liver meter display, track cost, interactive dashboard, monitoring the charger, and managing the users.

A Rapidly Expanding EV Market

Since the introduction of the EV to consumers almost a decade ago, it has rapidly risen in popularity. The continuous advancements in electric vehicles such as the development of fast charging systems are making it much preferable.

As per BIS Research, the global EV fast-charging system market is expected to reach $10.82 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 16.56% during the period 2022–2031.

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The demand for fast chargers increased with the growing demand for electric vehicles and higher capacities for handling high current supply and power.

The current advanced electric vehicles models can be easily charged with the help of DC fast chargers.

Also, there are several companies such as ABB and Tritium Pty ltd. which are focusing more on the developments of ultra-high-power charging systems for the upcoming advanced EV models.

These ultra-high-power charging systems can charge the new EV models much faster in comparison to level-1 and level-2 chargers.

Conclusion

EV’s charging system is moving towards a better utilization of renewable sources such as wind and solar for the development of fast chargers for EVs.

The consumer does not like waiting for long to get any service. Similarly, the owners of EVs are demanding fast charging options that can save their time and make it more concrete for the use of EVs. In the future, the development of fast chargers can create a great impact in raising the demand for electric vehicles.

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