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[ Focus: EV infrastructure ] Domestically, Mode 1 is unlikely to be used for


safety reasons. The recommendation is that the normal charging mode for domestic electrical circuits is Mode 3, but Mode 2 is likely to be more common shorter term. Remember that re-charging an EV is not trivial – handling supplies higher than 2 kW in private dwellings is uncommon and there are safety issues, so it is essential to choose the equipment well. Standards are being developed to take account


of connectors on the wall for AC domestic circuits, for heavier charging at three-phase AC (IEC 62196 Part 2 has several options, but one is needed for Europe), and to take account of diff erences in national wiring rules across Europe. Some important existing standards are:


 Fixed installations – IEC 60364  Conductive recharging system – IEC 61851 (TC 69)


 Equipment – EV electrics (if not re-charging) – ISO TS 22/SC 21


 Battery cell array – IEC SC 21A  Battery – ISO TC 22/SC 21  Data transfer – JWG IEC/ISO - V2G  Connection interfaces – IEC 62196 (SC 23H). Sockets are Type-1, Type-2 and Type-3, which are single-phase (32A - 250V), single-phase/three-phase (70A single-phase; 63A three-phase 0 - 500V), and single-phase/three-phase (32A - 500V). The Type 3 socket, together with recharging Mode 3, provides best safety and performance as its protection is identical to industrial types. As well as charging at business premises and homes, there is also a growing network of public and private charging points. Typical public charging points are posts for indoors or outdoors, fi tted with a plug socket and a coiled power lead supplying 240V AC at 13A – suitable for most EVs. The covered socket is opened by a radio-


frequency identifi cation (RFID) tag, which users can obtain in return for showing suitable ID. EV users could also use a generic smartcard, allowing them access to all charging stations. Users simply swipe a card or tag, open the socket, plug in and charge, but they must supply their own cable. Some charging stations provide one or more heavy duty or special connectors. Induction charging is possible and it needs no physical connection. Current or connection sensing mechanisms disconnect power if an EV is driven away before being unplugged.


Charging scheduling and smart metering Because many EV owners will start charging in the early evening, coinciding with maximum demand and putting grids at risk, sophisticated integrated information and charging systems are being developed. Also important are systems that allow scheduling (from PCs, tablets and smartphones) and billing from charging points, with supervisory control from elsewhere using intelligent networking.


34 ECA Today December 2013


Completing the ‘smart meter’ rollout will be


The extensive EV charging and other infrastructure that will be needed can defi nitely provide big business opportunities for electrical contractors


essential to complement the EV rollout successfully. It would help optimise national electrical infrastructure use, and provide appropriate price incentives for EV owners. Charging could be automatically switched on at night. Good data handling will be essential, and this means using advanced hard-wired and wireless data network control and communication systems.


EVs for decentralised power Because most vehicles are typically parked 85 to 90 per cent of the time, another possibility is that EV batteries could be used to charge the grid when connected to it. This is known as Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G). In this way, EVs could be used as distributed energy sources to buff er power, help optimise EV power demand and add desirable fl exibility and redundancy.


Opportunities The extensive EV charging and other infrastructure that will be needed can defi nitely provide big business opportunities for electrical contractors and installers. And it is not just low voltage charging infrastructures; intelligent, hardened ethernet and wireless data networks will also be essential to tie the whole giant edifi ce into the coming smart grids, and to allow the full benefi ts of sustainable, decentralised power technologies to be realised. This makes for very real business opportunities, though suitable training will be necessary.


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