Fast Charging and Smart Charging Tests for Electric Vehicles Batteries Using Renewable Energy

Abstract

-Electric Vehicles (EV) technologies are still relatively new and under strong development. Although some standardized solutions are being promoted and becoming a new trend, there is an outstanding need for common platforms and sharing of knowledge and core technologies. This paper presents the development of a test platform, including three Li-ion batteries designed for EV applications, and three associated bi-directional power converters, for testing impacts on different advanced loadings of EV batteries. Different charging algorithms/profiles have been tested, including constant current and power, and forced and pulsed power. The aim of the tests has been to study the impact of smart charging and fast charging on the power system, on the battery state of health and degradation, and to find out the limitations of the batteries for a Smart Grid. The paper outlines the advantages and disadvantages of both tests in terms of regulation of the aggregated local power, power capacity and the power exchange with the grid. The smart charging tests performed have demonstrated that even with a simple control algorithm, without any forecasting, it is possible to provide the required charging and at the same time the power system services, reducing the peak power and the energy losses in the power connection line of the power exchange with the national grid.

A Comprehensive Study of Key Electric Vehicle (EV) Components, Technologies, Challenges, Impacts, and Future Direction of Development

“…This definition makes a lot of combinations possible for HEVs like ICE and battery, battery and flywheel, battery and capacitor, battery and fuel cell, etc. Therefore, the common population and specialists both started calling vehicles with an ICE and electric motor combination HEVs, battery and capacitor ones as ultra-capacitor-assisted EVs, and the ones with battery and fuel cell FCEVs [2][3][4]. These terminologies have become widely accepted and according to this norm, EVs can be categorized as follows:…”

“…Electricity generated from the fuel cells goes to an electric motor which drives the wheels. Excess energy is stored in storage systems like batteries or supercapacitors [2,3,[16][17][18]. Commercially available FCVs like the Toyota Mirai or Honda Clarity use batteries for this purpose.…”

“…Another major advantage of these are, and maybe the most important one right now, refilling these vehicles takes the same amount of time required to fill a conventional vehicle at a gas pump. This makes adoption of these vehicles more likely in the near future [2][3][4]19]. A major current obstacle in adopting this technology is the scarcity of hydrogen fuel stations, but then again, BEV or PHEV charging stations were not a common scenario even a few years back.…”

“…The current high cost of EVs is likely to come down from mass production and better energy policies [3] which will further increase the economic gains of the owners. V2G also allows the owners to obtain a financial benefit from their vehicles by providing service to the grid [160].…”

“…The next generation power grid, called 'smart grid' is also being developed. EVs are being considered a major contributor to this new power system comprised of renewable generating facilities and advanced grid systems [2,3]. All these have led to a renewed interest and development in this mode of transport.…”