Electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions by Siemens

Siemens' three phase EV charging points have been supplied and installed at the University of Lincoln as part of a collaborative work programme with the University to establish a new Engineering School.

As part of a low carbon transportation solution for the City of Lincoln, the fast charging units will be primarily used by EVs supplied by Nissan to transport staff, customers and students between Siemens' Service business and the University. As the City's largest employer, the company has been setting the standard for other local companies to follow and helping Lincoln preserve its heritage and enhance its long term sustainability.

Whilst bringing obvious time benefits to users, the migration from single to three-phase EV charging brings new challenges, not least the need for safe, high voltage and intelligent charging units.

Siemens says that its solution for the UK market is built on four key components; fast charging technology, modular back-office management software, extensive contact centre capabilities and comprehensive service packages. All are tailored to meet individual customer requirements and ensure maximum system availability and safety.

The company is already engaged in major projects across Europe to devise and develop solutions and business models that will help establish EVs as a viable and attractive transport option for the long term.

Siemens is also involved in a number of e-mobility projects in Europe including the Edison project in Denmark, the RWE car power project in Germany and the Harz Renewable Energy mobility project also in Germany. As a technology partner for energy management, the company has been responsible for setting up the battery-charging infrastructure for electric cars.

Outside of Europe, the company is, in addition, one of the first to be awarded a General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule 56 contract to provide Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations to the US Government.

A total of 20 Siemens EV charging stations will be deployed to Veterans Affairs facilities in California and Michigan by the EV Infrastructure business of the Siemens Infrastructure & Cities sector. The EV charging station on the GSA Schedule is the Community Level II designed for public outdoor applications.

Plug-in Vehicle programme:

Siemens is a member of the Plug-in Vehicle programme, designed to help accelerate eMobility in the UK. The focus is upon developing the technology and infrastructure to enable electric vehicles to evolve into an essential part of the smart grid. Already a global leader in energy-efficient control technology, Siemens also has huge experience in power generation and the connection of wind farms and other renewable energy sources to the grid.

EV fleet trials:

In another move, Siemens launched its first major fleet trials intended to test the entire concept of electric mobility from electricity generation to battery charging and driving under everyday conditions. As many as 100 electric cars will be on the road and will be gradually equipped with charging, communication, and drive system technologies from Siemens laboratories.

EVs in this pilot project have a range of around 120km, and can be recharged in two hours using a special wallbox installed at home. An onboard computer provides information on available charging stations and directions to the nearest one.

The challenge is to ensure reliable communication between driver, vehicle, and charging station. Charging stations must recognise that a vehicle is actually connected, since safety considerations preclude electricity from flowing if this is not so. In addition, the driver must be identified to ensure that the supply company knows whom to bill - it is rather similar to mobile phone billing. Calls can be made via different networks through roaming, but only one bill is received at the end of the month from the provider.

The company has built a network operation centre in Fürth, Germany that monitors communication between test vehicles and electricity suppliers Similar centres are being operated by car fleet providers, whose vehicles are generally unlocked by customers with a chip card that also activates the onboard computer, which then establishes contact with the centre via radio.

As a systems supplier, the company can also handle such functions with its operation centre. In this case, the owner of an EV fleet would not have to manage the vehicles itself, and this would make the transition to EVs more attractive and convenient.

In such a system, each car would be equipped with an onboard computer - a kind of navigation system with electric mobility functionality. Drivers would use the computer to reserve charging station time or to request information about the nearest station. The system could also notify the centre about defective charging stations. The centre, in turn, could send data about the current charge level to the driver's mobile phone in response to questions such as: 'Is the vehicle fully charged? Can I make a quick stop at the supermarket?'

So the EV infrastructure that is required is extensive, and includes not only AC and/or DC charging stations, cables and LV control and distribution equipment with circuit protection, but also electronic metering and billing, and extensive hard-wired or wireless data networks.

Full EV capabilities:

Siemens is a delivery partner for Source London, the capital's plan to develop the UK's largest EV charge point network with more charging units than petrol stations in the city. Within Source London, the company's role is IT and services partner for the back office operations, but its capabilities in the EV market extend significantly further and include:

• Complete range of charger solutions for use at home, workplace and public places, including fast AC charging (1-2 hour vehicle charge) and rapid DC charging (20 minute charging)
• Complete range of easy to use software packages, suitable for single installations through to full regional or national scheme operation
• Web based applications for charger point location, status and booking
• White list and RFID card management system
• On-line remote monitoring of charger status and performance
• Booking and prepayment systems for charging spots
• Payment, billing and account status
• Fleet management services
• Complete range of services to ensure maximum safety, availability and ease of use:
• 24/7 call centre infrastructure for scheme operation and customer access
• Experienced UK wide on-street installation and maintenance engineers.

In summary:

Electric vehicles will deliver considerable benefits to the environment - improving air quality, cutting emissions and reducing noise pollution. Siemens says that it 'is committed to being a key innovator in the successful integration of electric vehicles in the coming years'.

To see two PDF documents on EV infrastructures, please click on the links below. One of these is not directly about electric vehicles, but instead is concerned with intelligent, integrated energy systems for smart cities, which includes EV integration. This white paper is also very interesting as it show the sheer scope of extra electrical installation work that will be available for enterprising electrical contractors and installers.