What Is EV Charging Infrastructure?
The electric vehicle charging infrastructure includes all infrastructure and equipment that requires for delivering energy and charging electric vehicles. EV vehicles require charging to perform, there is a fixed time required to charge the particular vehicle depending on the type of vehicle the energy consumption, time required for charging. EV charging infrastructure provides a charging point. It consists of three main units Battery, Power Conversion System, and Software. The batteries at the EV Charging station are primarily lithium-ion batteries, consisting of cells, packs, battery management system (BMS) for the management and control of charge and discharge of the battery. The power conversion system comprises an inverter and thermal management (HVAC) for batteries to maintain the specific temperature of the battery. Electric vehicle charging software helps operators and e-mobility service providers to manage and maintain EV chargers, charging stations, and customers.
How Easy To Charge EV vehicles?
There are of different ways to charge electric vehicle battery pack. There are normal and fast charging methods, different type of connectors. A charging point is connected to the electric grid, consisting of power generation, high-voltage transmission to load centres, and distribution to consumers. Specifications and standards for EV chargers are different from country to country; depend on available EV models in the market and the characteristics of the electricity pointer. The charging speed is depend on the type of vehicle, capacity of battery and what power electric pointer is able to supply. There are different types of electric vehicle 2Ws, 3Ws, 4Ws, and Buses. This entire vehicle contains different charging plugs, mode of charging so it is somewhat difficult to create standard charging infrastructure for public. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national standards body of India, is responsible for formulating EV charging standards for the country. Conductive charging, or plug-in (wired) charging, is the main charging technology used in all countries.
EV charging infrastructure can be classified as public and private or household:
Public EV Infrastructures are continuously to fulfil the need of population; more people are shifting towards electric vehicle due to the convenience. Growing network of infrastructures throughout urban centres is providing high adoption rate of electric vehicles. electric vehicles requires charging infrastructures which allow everyone to top up there vehicles battery as like gas station on road for travel longer distances, but unlike petrol vehicles electric vehicle can charge at people’s homes, workplaces, retail destinations, and dedicated recharging stations. Public charging points are necessary to plan for conveniently located and well-distributed in the city or region.
Private EV Infrastructures is used by more than half of the population. Around 80% of all EV charging is currently done at home by customer overnight. Private charging infrastructure is allocated in the parking areas of independent homes, apartment buildings, and commercial establishments. Vehicle charge overnight more than enough EV range for most of the people daily travel needs. Trickle Charge with household current or AC Household Charge with an installed wallbox is mostly used in Private EV infrastructure.
The charging mode used in this infrastructure is of different type:
Three types of charger
- Trickle Charge: This method is used to charge vehicles at home. It is slowest method for charging any vehicle using a standard (three-prong) 220V plug. It doesn’t require installation of additional charging equipment. Charging speed is approx. 65 km of range in 5 hours.
- AC Charge: AC charger is available in both at public charging and household changing by installing wall box. It helps to increase the speed of charging. It takes 6 hours to fully charge a 40 kWh car battery. The most common and recommendable home charging option
- DC Charge: DC charger is the high power charger which charges the vehicle in less time. Public DC Fast charging station contains power from 50kW and above. This method can fuel the battery from 20 to 80% in approx. in 40 minutes.
EV charging infrastructure, often referred to as electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), is a core component of a healthy EV ecosystem and requires adequate planning and dedicated electrical infrastructure at different levels of the distribution. This EV Charging Infrastructure also supports to carry out other task such as:
- User authentication
- Vehicle communication
- Data collection and monitoring
- Payments
EV charging infrastructure Policy-Making and Regulatory Authorities:
EV charging infrastructure Policy-Making and Regulatory Authorities has issued guidelines and standards applicable to electric vehicle charging equipment. There are several authorities which involve in the policy making process.
- The Ministry of Power (MoP)
- The Central Electricity Authority (CEA)
- The State Electrical Regulatory Commission (SERCs)
- The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
- The Urban Development Departments
Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) in Europe Region
AFIR is a proposal that proposes that each European country must have a certain amount of charging infrastructure per EV registered within their borders. The deployment of charging infrastructure along with electric vehicle uptake can help people to switch and go for alternative fuels which results in a zero-emission vehicle on road. European Commission unveiled a new plan to reach a -55 reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and this increasing charging infrastructure will provide support for this mission, investment in EV charging will transform entire energy and transport systems to reduce the emission and provide good environmental conditions.
Development in EV Charging Infrastructure of North America Region
EV charging infrastructures are constantly growing in this region, the $7.5 billion are allotted for EV charging infrastructures under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to build a convenient and equitable charging network through two programs. Additionally, The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program will give $5 billion in formula funding to build out charging infrastructure at the required destination.
EV Charging Infrastructure providers:
Charge point operators (CPOs) and e-mobility service providers (e-MSPs) manage and enable day-to-day operations of EV charging infrastructure, for semi-public and public charging facilities EV charging infrastructure is provided by many organization some of the key providers are listed below:
- Advanced Energy
- AmpUp
- ChargePoint
- Connected Kerb
- Ecotricity
- Elektromotive
- EVgo
- Park & Charge
- Volta Charging
- ChargePoint
Largest EV charging network holding company
ChargePoint is the world’s largest and most open electric vehicle (EV) charging network. Company have more than 20,000 charging locations. ChargePoint makes advanced hardware and best-in-class cloud based software. ChargePoint’s open network is utilized by many leading EV hardware makers. ChargePoint try to show real-time network information consist the information related availability of charging locations throughout the nation, this service is provided through the ChargePoint mobile app, online and also this is available in the navigation systems in top-selling EVs including the new BMW i3 and the Nissan LEAF.
What Is Battery Swapping?
Battery swapping is a technical infrastructure that includes swapping of discharged electrical battery of 2Ws or 3Ws with the other battery which is already charged. This solution can save the time which is required for refuelling same battery and replace recharging time with just swapping the battery. The major restraining factor for zero-emission vehicles or EV vehicles is the time consumed by vehicles to recharge the battery. It takes 6hrs to fully charge the 2Ws battery. Due to this reason most of the people prefer vehicles which operates on fossil fuel and to convert the segment of people companies generate battery swapping solution and government also took initiatives to promote this solution for the to support the growth of EV vehicle market.
Companies Who Provides Swapping Solution in India:
- Sun Mobility
- Lithion power
- VoltUp
- Esmito
- Numocity
- ChargeUp
- CHARGE+ ZONE
- Okaya Power Group
- RACE Energy
- BatteryPool
Conclusion:
Electric vehicles (EVs) are the new advanced solution to reduce the excessive use of fossil fuels. It is a global strategy for decarbonizing the entire region. Electric vehicles play an important role in reaching ambitious climate and air quality goals. Additionally, the increasing rate of installation of EV infrastructures around the globe is driven by the increasing awareness in the population regarding pollution. EVs are preferred by individuals in the world due to their environment-friendly properties. The increasing popularity of electronic vehicles among the people is contributing to the growth and adoption of electronic vehicles and these vehicles depend on electricity to refuel the batteries, which is provided by EV charging points or infrastructure this need helps to enhance the growth of EV Infrastructure.
