Duke Energy has proposed a three-year, $10.4-million pilot initiative to support the installation of charging stations in South Carolina. The pilot is comprised of four programs with the overarching goal of understanding the impact increased EV adoption will have on the electrical grid: Residential EV Charging Program – Provides rebates for up to 400 residential… Read more »
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A closer look at DC-DC converters
As far as we know, all EVs in production by major automakers use a conventional lead-acid battery for the 12 V system (surprising, but true – more on why in a bit) and this battery needs charging, just as it does in an ICE vehicle. While you could hang an alternator off the traction motor… Read more »
A closer look at film capacitors
Plastic film capacitors relentlessly continue to take over many of the duties in EV power electronics that were once performed by the venerable aluminum electrolytic type, mainly because film capacitors exhibit much lower losses and have a much longer operational lifespan, especially at ambient temperatures in the 75-85° C range. The tradeoff is that film… Read more »
Nidec’s Ultra Fast Charger smooths out power demand from the grid
Nidec ASI’s new Ultra Fast Charger (UFC) incorporates 160 kWh of batteries, and functions as a buffer between a charging station and the electrical grid. It can use LV or MV grid connections and, according to Nidec, can supply 320 kW of power to a vehicle, while drawing only 50 kW from the grid. Nidec… Read more »
SAE releases new J3068 specification for charging of medium- and heavy-duty EVs
SAE International has published its recommended practice for plug-in charging of heavy-duty EVs. The new J3068 standard allows vehicles to fully utilize three-phase AC power. Presenting a symmetric three-phase load enhances grid stability, especially at high power levels. SAE J3068 standardizes an AC three-phase-capable charging coupler and digital control protocols, offering sufficient power and reliability… Read more »
A closer look at energy consumption in EVs
When it comes to factors that affect energy consumption in EVs, the big kahunas are weight and wind resistance (aka CdA), but there are other factors that can have a surprisingly outsized effect and that tend to be overlooked, such as the use of climate control (AC, of course, but especially heat). Conversely, one factor… Read more »
Bel Power Solutions sees strong growth in industrial electrification and its auxiliary power products
When many people think of electric vehicles, they imagine sleek passenger EVs like the near-quintessential Tesla Model S. However, EVs are by no means restricted to consumer use. As more and more industries move towards electrification, more and more industrial EV solutions will be needed. Bel Power Solutions is a power conversion product provider that… Read more »
AxleTech and TM4 partner to produce fully integrated electric axles
AxleTech International has announced a partnership with motor manufacturer TM4 to develop integrated electric axles (e-axles) for heavy-duty vehicles. As part of AxleTech’s Electric Drivetrain Systems product line, the company is developing e-axles with multiple-speed gearboxes that are integrated with electric motors. These integrated drivetrain systems are designed to be compact, light, quiet, and easy… Read more »
New study finds V2G discharging harmful to EV batteries
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology is seen as a potentially valuable resource for balancing electrical grids and facilitating the use of renewable energy. However, a new study by a team at the University of Hawaii suggests that the additional cycling to discharge vehicle batteries to the grid is detrimental to battery performance. In “Durability and reliability of… Read more »
Groupe PSA and partners launch GridMotion smart charging project
Groupe PSA and several partners have launched a new project to evaluate smart charging technology. The idea is to reduce an EV driver’s electricity bill by shifting charging times to periods of lower electricity prices. Further savings could be achieved by providing grid balancing services through a Vehicle to Grid (V2G) system. The two-year GridMotion… Read more »