Feature: EVs
Designing EV chargers to meet the rapid e-mobility growth
By Felix Wedel, Product Manager for Energy Management, Schaffner T
he e-mobility market is growing very rapidly, with demand driving design forward. For example, whilst the average car journey is about 10 miles,
electric vehicle (EV) drivers demand a single charge to cover a 400-mile journey. Since no EVs offer that now, system developers of EVs, batteries and charging stations are on the case to meet those demands.
Fast charging Te move to an EV future is certain. According to Bloomberg’s Annual Electrical Vehicle Outlook 2022, there are already about 20 million passenger EVs on the roads globally, with a further 280 million electric mopeds, motorbikes, scooters and three-wheelers and another 1.3 million commercial EVs, such as delivery vans, buses and trucks. Tese figures will rise significantly by 2030, exceeding 60% of market share. For this
28 March 2024
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
growth to continue unabated, there are challenges to address, particularly the lack of charging stations. Some 12.5 million DC fast-charging stations are expected to be in operation worldwide by 2030. Currently the average small EV can
be fully charged between 24 and 36 hours using a one- or three-phase supply and a mains voltage of either 230V or 400V. Germany’s Bundesverband Freier Tankstellen (BFT), or “the mouthpiece of free petrol stations”, indicates that some 77,000 charging stations are needed for every million EVs, including 7,000 DC rapid-charging stations. BFT calculates that if 20 million EVs were sold every year, about 140,000 DC fast-charging stations will be needed by 2030. Another important factor affecting
EV market growth is battery technology; better batteries will allow EVs to travel farther between charges.
Charging station safety Along with the considerable economical,
technical and logistical issues to address, there is the significant problem of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), in terms of emissions and immunity of any product connected to the mains supply. Without an appropriate EMC measures,
EV charging stations are susceptible to interference that occurs during charging from a low-voltage network, which will affect the local network. It’s also crucial to remember that most charging stations will be used by members of the public, so their safety is paramount, whilst providing seamless interoperability between different power modules and different vehicle models. Tere are already standards that govern
the use of EV charging stations and some of these relate to EMC. For example, there are specified limits to interference that can be emitted through semiconductor switching. If non-compliant products are used, these might cause problems for other consumers who are connected to the same local power grid. Te degree
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