Ask any manufacturer how to build an EV charging station and they'll sell you an EV charger.
Ask Autel Energy how to build one, and they'll give you the blueprints for a meaningful business that lasts a lifetime.
The Autel Energy team recently caught up with four partner companies to discuss their vision for the world. Like Autel, our partners are dedicated to clean energy solutions for their customers and communities. For us and them, that means eliminating toxic emissions from ICE vehicles by transitioning to electric vehicles. Autel's MaxiCharger series of EV chargers help our partners build out the necessary infrastructure needed for this clean energy transition.
"Our partnership with Autel signifies a key milestone in our journey towards a more cleaner and sustainable future," proclaimed Alok Dayanand, Senior Product Engineer for Admiral Energy.
A clean and sustainable future is not just an ambitious goal for our partners; it's a way of life. As Admiral Energy electrifies commercial fleets in the Middle East, they needed a partner that also lived the same values and shared a similar vision. Autel Energy entered the fold with the robust MaxiCharger DC Fast, helping Admiral Energy and other partners around the globe reach their goals quickly.
"It supports our green and sustainable initiatives," noted Jeremy Porter, CEO of Atlanta Motorsports Park in the U.S., where five of Autel's DC Fast MaxiChargers are installed. "[It's] what we're after with trying to be better humans on this planet."
Being better humans translates to better business for Porter and for our partner in the U.S., Indigo Energy, that provided the MaxiChargers. It also means understanding the humans who use the chargers every day. Autel's MaxiChargers are designed with humans in mind, delivering user-friendly displays and intuitive charging instructions for all drivers.
The user experience is a key point of emphasis for Autel. While other chargers feature black displays, broken dispensers, and non-intuitive charging instructions, Autel designed its MaxiChargers to operate seamlessly, giving the end user a barrier-free charging experience.
"People love the bright, responsive screens," says Colson Rivers, Account Executive at Indigo Energy. "And also the transparent experience that they have, where Autel is showing off each and every step in the charging process."
Rivers also notes the importance of inspiring "some confidence" in drivers' charging experience. Confidence comes from reliable chargers that work when they're supposed to, and fast speeds that get drivers back on the road to wherever they're going.
Confidence also stems from experience. As Jasper Boogert, General Manager of Orange Charging in the Netherlands, puts it, "the company behind Autel Energy [and] they experience they have in the automotive business," is a very important aspect for this partnership.
Boogert and Orange Charging installed two MaxiCharger DC Fast chargers for their professional customers, and also highlighted the "current product lineup and future plans" being very impressive. The world needs EV chargers for different scenarios, including fast highway charging, fleet charging, destination charging, and home charging, and Boogert's vision is to encompass all of them.
An often overlooked aspect of electrification is commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles, like semi-trucks, delivery vans, and buses log long hours on the road and contribute heavily to a polluted environment. Having charging solutions ready for electric commercial vehicles makes for a seamless transition to a cleaner future. Hup Hin is a machinery and transporation company located in Singapore. They have 24 MaxiCharger DC Fast chargers installed for their electric trucks and buses. The Director of Hup Hin, Ryan, told us that drivers think "the chargers are easy to use....[and] also have been very reliable." With 24 MaxiChargers, Hup Hin allows their electric commercial vehicles to charge with ease, becoming the main charging hub for commercial vehicles in Singapore.
Autel stands by our global partners as they achieve their sustainability and business goals. Most importantly, we stand by our partners as they help others become better humans.
Check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQKxvs3eFRM
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The world of compliance can be a complicated one. Every country has their own standards and certifications that allow products to be sold in their respective regions. The basis of this is to protect consumers so that when they buy products- in our case electronic ones- they can feel safe that they have been tested to meet certain safety standards. There was a time a number of years ago where electric hover boards started exploding in popularity. With any new novelty product that gets hot in the market, no pun intended, many manufacturers flock to produce them knowing the sales will come easy. In 2015-2016 they were flooding the market due to appearances in social media, online, and generally for being a fun product. However, in early 2016 while some hover board companies applied for the UL certification, none were certified at that time (1). After numerous reports of sudden combustion and multiple cases of death, the US required the UL2272 safety standard for any hoverboards sold. There are many cases similar to this, but this one sticks out because of the relative short time period from coming to market, becoming very popular, and then having major issues leading to more stringent regulations.
So what does that mean for our products specifically? Since we are a global company selling across many continents, we adhere to the standards of the countries we sell in. Our MaxiCharger AC series of products have multiple certifications, such as the following:
Europe
UK Conformity Assessed - Also known as UKCA
This mark is fairly new and is a direct result of "Brexit." Now the UK excluding Northern Ireland is using the UKCA certification for goods previously using the CE mark.
CE is the abbreviation of "conformité européenne"
The CE mark is used for products assessed to meet high safety, health, and environmental protection requirements. Submitting your product for CE certification of course does not mean that you will meet the regulations. Some of the various supporting documents needed could include the following list among others:
-Technical description
-Drawings, circuit diagrams and photos
-Bill of materials
-Materials used
-Details of any design calculations
You should be aware of the fact that there are fake CE marks out there. If the seller is a no-name seller and has no real track record of making products, then you should be more skeptical. Getting assessed through a notified body is costly and time consuming, so you can imagine why some companies don't do it. Another important thing to note is there is another extremely similar mark called the China Export mark which is the same font and letters except the China Export mark is closer together. The official CE European mark has a noticeable space between the C and E. Even to the trained eye it can be hard to tell which CE is the European standard.
BQB or Bluetooth
Bluetooth is widely known name for headphones and computers but in fact the Bluetooth trademark must be applied for to use. By testing that a company meets the requirements set out by the Bluetooth SIG Company’s standards and paying the required fee, companies have access to the Bluetooth Intellectual property and signifies their product has met the standards set forth by the Bluetooth team.
MID
The Measuring Instruments Directive is a directive coming out of the European Union. The simple summary would be that the directive requires a measuring or metering device that is used for accuracy in different industries with products such as electrical meters, water meters, gas meters, taximeters, etc. The need for accuracy is important in the way when you go to fill up your car with petrol or diesel you have a clear meter to tell you how many liters you have filled, and the corresponding cost. The Autel AC touchscreen is equipped with the MID certification so you and your customers have a clear understanding of how much electricity is being used for accurate and honest billing.
North America
UL or Underwriter laboratories
UL is both a US standards body as well as a laboratory. In the US, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA created the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory or NRTL which, "Recognizes sector organizations to perform certification for certain products to ensure that they meet the requirements of both the construction and general industry OSHA electrical standards." (*2) When it comes to choosing among UL, CSA, TUV, ETL, MET, etc., it isn’t a matter of one certification being better or more important than the other. In fact, OSHA recognizes all as NRTLs. For all legal and regulatory purposes, all NRTL certifications are equivalent. Autel's EV chargers are certified to meet the UL requirements.
CSA - Canadian Standards Association for North America
The CSA mark is used for certification of electrical, mechanical and other high-risk products. It is an internationally recognized certification but is most commonly used in North America.
Taken from the CSA Group website, “A product goes through a certification process to verify that it has met the requirements that are outlined in standard(s) or other recognized document(s). Standards help to ensure that products and services meet minimum requirements for safety, performance and energy efficiency. The certification of a product is an ongoing process that involves follow up factory inspections and retail surveillance to continually ensure that the product meets the standard(s).”
Just like with CE and any form of certifications, there will be fakes out there. The best way to check if you have suspicions that a product may be falsely advertising as CSA certified is to use this link from their website: https://www.csagroup.org/testing-certification/product-listing/
RoHS - Restriction of Hazardous Substances
To become CE compliant one of the requirements is to have passed RoHS compliance testing. RoHS makes sure products don’t over the maximum amount for hazardous substances. These substances are bad for the environment and can pollute landfills. The EU RoHS regulations specify the following levels and their maximum amounts:
FCC – Federal Communications Commission
The FCC is a US regulatory board and any FCC marked electronic device has been tested and approved to comply with FCC standards. The tests are to determine if the electronic device meets the limits of ionizing radiation. In short, high levels of ionizing radiation can damage cells and DNA so it’s essential to make sure electronics that go to market are deemed safe.
Conclusion
Besides the above standards, many countries and regions have their own standards. It would take too long to list them all, but as a general rule it’s best to be aware of different continents and counties’ specific regulation requirements. If your head doesn't hurt yet then you haven't read enough about certifications across the globe. The main takeaway is if a company uses a recognized laboratory to do testing and it is a widely used mark across continents or large regions, then at a minimum you know your product has been tested by a third party to meet safety requirments and has done their due diligence in planning, designing, and manufacturing a product. If you constantly see new products popping up on Amazon and Google without any such certifications as mentioned in this article, it's very possible they are rushing to market to make sales, but haven't gone through the stringent tests to make sure their products are safe.
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If you’ve been following the EV industry in the UK then you’re likely well aware of the new laws that came into effect from the end of June. The “Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021” are the latest laws to regulate and standardize the sale of private EV chargers across the UK.
Autel has been preparing for the rollout since the better part of 2021 and is happy to say that all our chargers sold in the UK are compliant with these new regulations. A brief summary of the regulations are outlined below. Please note, these are just quick summaries of the regulations and should not be interpreted as the official definitions. For the full regulations please visit:
The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021
Smart functionality: This requirement basically states the product needs to have an interface, is able to send and receive information and be able to respond with signals, such as changes in charging power or time. Lastly, Demand Side Response services capability is necessary.
Electricity supplier interoperability: This requirement states that even when changing an electricity supplier, the charger must be able to maintain smart functionality.
Loss of communications network access: This requirement is to make sure the charger can continue to charge even without being connected to a communications network.
Safety: This requirement is based on making sure an owner or end-users cannot override default charging during the default charging hours, DSR services, randomized delay, or anything that could risk the health of safety of said person.
Measuring system: This requirement makes sure that similar to a petrol station pump, you are able to accurately understand how much energy is being used and the ability to view this calculated electrical power information through a network communication.
Off-peak charging: This requirement is simplified down to, a charger must have default hours set, and an owner must be able to override them if desired.
Randomised delay: This requirement was designed to ease the load on the grid so that at any one time there aren’t thousands of people trying to charge. A delay is set which randomizes the start time ensuring no big spikes in energy that could cause issues with the grid.
Security: This requirement comes into effect on December 30th 2022 and is related to the physical security of the internal components and prevention of potential cyber-attacks among others.
Assurance: This requirement is assuring the consumer that their charger meets the above aforementioned regulations through a statement of compliance and technical file as well as keeping records of all sales for 10 years from the starting date of these regulations.
iF design is global symbol of excellent design and hosts the annual iF design award, one of the most prestigious design awards worldwide. Almost 100 independent design experts from all over the world meet in Berlin to discuss and honor achievement in different design categories, including product design, communication, packaging, service design and concepts, architecture and interior design, as well as UX and UI. For almost 70 years iF has been giving design awards to companies worldwide, and Autel is honored to receive yet another prestigious iF award to go along with its previous winners.
The MaxiCharger AC Wallbox, DC Fast, and DC High power are all characterized by a beautiful modular design. Featuring interactive and easy-to-use touchscreens, the outer appearance of these chargers reflect not just a convenient charging experience, but a powerful one. With language selection, real-time cost analysis and power usage, MaxiCharger owners can optimize their charging schedules and bring power and control to their charging experience.
The MaxiChargers are designed to be placed indoors or outdoors and can be used in any weather situation, including rain, snow, and even sand storms.
Our MaxiCharger AC Wallbox also won awards at two exhibitions in Europe: The TTM exhibition in Poland and the APR Motortech Madrid exhibition in Spain. The AC Wallbox won the MTP Gold medal at the TTM exhibition. We are honored to receive these awards as it showcases our brilliance in design and engineering expertise. Thank you to both exhibitions for the awards!]]>Complicated installation processes, limited charger lifespan and low resistance to bad weather have been painpoints for a long time. The MaxiCharger AC Wallbox was developed to smooth out these painpoints as well as have a charger that aesthetically stood out.
The AC Wallbox features a modular design that simplifies installation and maintenance.
Rounded corners offer a softness to the product, giving it an appearance of everyday utility, much like a smartphone does. And the teflon surface gives it a sleek metallic texture, giving it a smooth and durable feel with every touch. The touchscreen stands out with intuitive icons and an easy-to-use interface, with a bright green Autel logo at the top. The charging port in the bottom half provides an eye-catching and functional spot for the charging cable to rest. The port also features a bright green circle, complementing the black cable and customizable cover.
The AC Wallbox comes with IP65 protection from weather and dust, making it perfect for outdoor applications.
Inside the charger is an innovative cooling design that keeps temperature at a full power lower than industry average by 10 degrees celsius, prolonging its lifespan over 8 years. Our hardware features charger + battery management + vehicle protection, making it the world's first triple protection technology. Health charging mode prevents overcharging and increases battery safety, as do Autel's safety warnings if your vehicle's battery needs maintenance.
Red Dot has been giving awards for industrial design for more than 60 years. Based in Germany, this award distinguishes winning businesses through extraordinary design. Winners have their products published in the annual Red Dot Design Yearbook and presented in the winners' section on their website. Their museums in Essen, Germany, Xiamen, China, and Singapore also showcase the winning products, ensuring Autel and other winners get international recognition and attention.
2022 saw a record number of companies and design studios participate in the annual competition, and in an evaluation lasting several days, products were placed under heavy scrutiny by a distinguished panel of judges. Every small detail is looked at, poked, prodded and analyzed, and come together to be judged for overall design quality and degree of innovation. As CEO and founder of the award, Dr. Peter Zec, puts it: "The fact that you emerged victorious from such a strong group of participants is testimony to the extraordinary quality of your product."
Autel is not new to the Red Dot Award as our products have won distinctions in the past. Likewise, as Red Dot states, winning the award is not the conclusion of a success story- it is the beginning. This is "the beginning of a story that needs to be told," and the design quality prevalent in the AC Wallbox is our best story-teller. Winning design awards along with giants such as Porsche, Braun, Bose, and Acer, Autel has positioned itself as a leader in design quality. This level of excellence is what drives us forward, and we want to thank Red Dot and Dr. Zec for the honor.
]]>A common question often asked in the EV world is how much range do I need? When purchasing an EV, this may be one of the foremost concerns for people who don't want to worry about running out of battery while on the road. While there is no direct way to answer this because everyone’s individual needs may vary, let’s talk a little more to see what some averages would be for a typical EV owner.
Already having been driving combustion engines for 100+ years, people have a certain mindset about filling up for gas. Think of it as a bias. Not technically bad, but it’s the habit that we’ve had and until recently there didn’t seem to be any need to change it. With that said, it’s safe to say there are probably too many gas stations in most areas. Gas stations are notoriously known for not actually making money on their Gasoline, or Diesel, but rather the food and drink, and car + detailing services. This may be why in the US they are so prolific and you can find them without driving more than a kilometer or two in most places. With EV’s starting to take hold across the world, we have a chance to redefine our relationship with charging or re-fueling. Batteries are some of the most expensive components of an electric vehicle, not to mention they are very heavy. This means there is a tradeoff for having more potential range because it will cost more money, take a longer time to charge, and be a heavier vehicle. In a gas powered vehicle as you continue to drive you are actually making the vehicle lighter because of the gas that’s being burned in the process. However, with an EV this is not the case. An average EV battery weighs around 454 Kilograms (1*)! With recent companies like Ford, GM and Rivian making Electric trucks which are likely heavier than normal cars and will require a bigger battery, you can guess that the batteries will be even heavier. In addition, while you are driving and depleting your EV battery, the weight doesn’t get lighter as a gas powered vehicle would.
Ideally people should seek out the range that best fits their needs. Having an 800 kilometer range for someone who works near their home and rarely travels more than 20 Km roundtrip, may not be necessary and one would be wasting money buying a range that far. The same concept goes with electronics. Yes we all would love to have a laptop battery that could hold a charge all day long and even multiple days. However, would you be willing to add an extra kilogram or two and a few cm’s of thickness to your machine? To some, the cost may outweigh the benefit.
Your city’s design:
This title is self-explanatory, if you live in an urban densely populated environment where most of your needs are not far away, the range you need will be less than if you are in a rural farming community. To piggyback on this idea, it does matter if you have home charging or have to charge outside. Those who have the home charging option have it the easiest because they can charge every time they come home, which is likely every night. If you live in an apartment community or rent a condo, etc., then you’ll need to find a reliable place to charge and therefore you’ll likely not want to do that everyday. You would also want to find fast charging stations because if you were charging level 2 away from your home, that wouldn’t make much sense considering you’d need to wait overnight for the charge to finish.
The first step to take here is to assess your normal driving needs. Go to google maps or any related mapping program online and start checking routes you normally drive and see what the distances are. Getting familiar with the available public level 2 and DC fast chargers would also be advisable (2*). Once you get a rough estimate an average day’s trip, add a 10% buffer for just in case situations and then compare multiple days Km totals to the battery capacity to see how often you’ll need to charge. If you find out that you’re taking 100 Km trips at least once a week then you may start to look into some of the longer range EV’s out there. If you realize they are all short distance trips then you can look at smaller options. Again smaller range usually equals less money. If money isn’t an issue, then being human you probably will choose a car with higher range or greater performance, because why not? But if you don’t have unlimited funds and are trying to find the most efficient EV for you, then it makes sense to weigh the pros and cons. Charging once every 1-4 days seems like a fair value if you have a home charger. If you’re charging publicly we would say every 3-5 days seems like a reasonable amount. This is purely opinion so take it as that.
I think it’s important to point out that range anxiety is exactly what it sounds like. How many of us get anxiety when the low gas light turns on? Even knowing there are gas stations right around the corner some people naturally still get anxious. Instead of focusing on the emotional side of range anxiety, it seems more beneficial to estimate your daily and weekly trips and figure out what’s reasonable. Weigh the pros and cons of distance vs. price and you’ll probably realize you don’t need as much range as you thought. We spend a great amount of time optimizing our lives, so why not optimize our EV needs?
The last thing to note here is that it has been recommended that you charge your battery to roughly 80% instead of the full 100% by some people. You also should not let your battery fall too low, ideally staying above 20% if you can help it. This is to maximize your battery life in the long run. Many EV’s will already have a function that’s built into their Battery Management System (BMS).
With the current range leader Lucid Motors coming in with a whopping 520 EPA rated range, this may be towards the higher end of future battery capacities. As DC fast chargers become more plentiful across the US and Europe, there just may not be a reason to have so many batteries packed into an EV. Ease your anxiety and find what range fits your lifestyle. Results may vary.
(1*) https://vehicleanswers.com/how-much-car-battery-weigh/
(2*) https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_locations.html#/find/nearest?fuel=ELEC
This blog post will be more of a creative brainstorming process to be honest, because the market has not fully matured to understand what the future will hold. While most home charging is done through AC power, DC power is still reserved for fast charging needs.
Whether you plan on making a cross country trip or visit a park across town, you will likely find yourself in a situation where you need a quick charge. The speed at which your EV charges is based on the DC chargers themselves and how many kW they charge at, as well as the amount of Amps your EV is able to receive. 120-480 kW seem to be the most likely options in the next decade along with Amperages of 32, 40, 50, and other combinations according to need.
Much money is being invested into fast chargers and infrastructure specifically to persuade the internal combustion folks to adopt EV’s as well as make EV’s a viable means of transportation for those who need more range. What’s unknown is the shape and form the new charging stations will take on.
The easiest and least imaginative way to prepare for an electric future would be to convert existing gas stations into EV charging stations. Although this may prove a bit difficult.
For one the decision would need to be made on how many pumps to convert. Would it be all at once? Slowly over time?
Secondly, there would need to be a re-design of the layout for many stations because not only will they likely not have enough charging stations, they may not be optimized for charging times and flow of traffic.
Some already existing stations in the US, notably Quik Trip and Buc-ee’s are known for massive-all-encompassing stores that sell a wide variety of hot and cold foods and offer more than just a gas pumping experience.
However, many stations do not have world record holding 6162 square meter facilities (1*), so they will have to be more creative. The question to ask for the smaller stations is if the charger is fast enough to get people in and out in a relatively short time then will customers actually sit there and wait? Initially if busy, to be able to charge, then waiting for their charge to finish.
This idea would be to utilize the already large parking lots that some big stores take up and add chargers somewhere on the perimeter or dispersed throughout. The highlights of this idea is it would use up already wasted space that is most often not being occupied and offer value to people who could stop in for a quick shopping trip while charging their EV.
In this scenario the charging time wouldn’t be very important because the customer would be able to go shopping while waiting. We’re not sure how realistic the infrastructure is setup for this concept, but it definitely makes some sense for those places which have way too much parking space.
One of the caveats is who would pay for the stations? Would it be a business who sells the chargers to the parking lot owners, or possibly a business provides the chargers and takes the profit or a profit share from the money made from customers? Costco already does this in a similar fashion with its gasoline often selling at a low price.
Although, we’re not sure if the low priced gas attracts people to go shopping at Costco, or the people who are already planning on shopping at Costco go to fill up their tank after buying their goods. It’s possible the malls or big retailers could offer incentives like a reduced charging price during certain times to bring the customers in to shop. The option of converting existing open parking lots to charging stations is definitely an avenue that some companies have already considered or are figuring out the economics for.
This one is self-explanatory. The idea is to add EV chargers to restaurants or fast food outlets in order to get people to stop to eat there. These chargers could be subsidized when a customer spends xxx amount of money, they could be free to really entice people to come eat, or they could charge the customers whatever the normal fee is.
Recently Taco Bell in the United States— a fast food Mexican franchise—decided to offer DC fast charging at a San Francisco store in order to attract more customers. Their plan is to expand rapidly to more restaurants (2*). They might be the first movers in this area, but will hardly be the last. Cheap calories and cheap electricity may just be a winning combination.
These two places, highways and public parks are a difficult one. On one hand they are necessary for people who need to charge when traveling long distances. On the other hand they are not the most trafficked areas which means they may have a lower ROI than higher trafficked areas. For parks specifically, you would need to have a reason to put fast chargers there.
The EV Company Rivian who currently sells an electric EV truck, is taking the adventure route in North America with plans to install 3,500 chargers through 2023. A number of those chargers are expected to be at public parks which goes along with Rivian’s branding and message of being an adventure EV brand (3*). Highways are naturally needed for the adoption of EV’s to take full hold and ease range anxiety for those who are afraid of running out of electricity while out.
The question is again who will be the ones to invest in these areas? Will it be the charging network operators who are competing for customers and coverage? Or it will it possibly be EV manufacturers like Rivian who want to have a connected in house network to offer their customers a streamlined platform without the need to go out of network?
This concept would be the one that might make a few savvy investment heavy businesses very wealthy. With our lives being so hectic and fast paced, along with the massive amounts of data we take in everyday, there may be a market for a new concept for an EV charging lounge.
Instead of gas stations which will have someone in and out in a few minutes or 10 minutes tops, if an EV takes 30 or more minutes to charge it might make sense to offer a “rest and detox” type experience. We can envision a place where certain car brands get preferential treatment or customers buy a membership card to certain brands.
These branded relax and detox (for lack of really knowing what they will be called) stations could go one of a few different directions. One would be similar to an airport gold member lounge with free light snacks and drinks. Another option would be to set it up as a wellness or relaxing endeavor with massage therapists or chairs waiting to knead out those tired muscles. The whole experience could be heavily robotic to save on costs with only a few employees staffing the place, or it could be the opposite with stellar customer service as the selling point and games or ways to keep people entertained. If we really want to think big picture, maybe there will even been napping pods available for a quick afternoon 30 minute nap to get a little brain boost (4*).
One thing is likely sure, whoever does find the winning recipe or recipes will need to scale quickly and also have the right type of charging available. If the wait is too long, then someone may go and find a faster charger. If the wait is too short, then that means they likely have super-fast chargers which is a higher up-front cost for the business. There won’t be a specific magic recipe, the same way small gas stations and the larger ones can both do well based on factors aside from store size. If recent history repeats itself, with the continuation of the “sharing economy,” you may find yourself paying for a monthly membership for the right to charge and access to the store or lounge.
What are your thoughts? If you have good ideas on the future of EV Charging stations, leave us a comment below.
(1*) https://buc-ees.com/about/world-record-holder/
(3*) https://rivian.com/experience/charging
(4*) https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/can-a-nap-boost-brain-health
Battery technology has been taking off for the past few decades. Partly due to the rise of EV technology but also because of our ever connected world of phones, electronics, and the internet of things and the need for more compact rechargeable power. While current EV batteries have different metal and element compositions, the most widely known is lithium-ion batteries. Digital cameras, headphones, drones, and EV batteries use these to offer high power and recharging for long usage life. But is there anything better than this?
The answer is yes. But yes doesn’t mean it’s cheaper or more feasible, or that the technology is perfected, it just means there are more efficient methods of making higher density batteries (more density = more power). Solid-State Batteries could be the future. We’re not sure how far that future is, but it’s definitely coming.
Let’s dive deeper.
We don’t want to get too technical here, because we are believers in simple being better, and those who want to learn more will find resources and ways to do so. But let’s discuss how these batteries work and differ with each other.
Lithium-ion batteries and how they work:
Li Batteries are composed of an Anode and Cathode: The positive and negative battery ends.
Separator- Allows for ions to pass through the battery.
Electrolyte- Liquid that carries the ions back and forth when the battery is charging and discharging.
The main difference with SS batteries is instead of the electrolyte being a liquid, it is a solid. This could be ceramic, a metal, or a mix of different things. That being said, that perceivably small difference actually means a lot. While many car manufacturers have invested in SS batteries and dozens of startups are all trying to perfect the technology for mass production, there still isn’t a definitive timeline on when it will be ready for mass market production and adoption. Not to mention the cost at the moment is vastly more expensive than the current technologies being used today.
So knowing that the technology isn’t perfected, manufacturing being difficult, and the cost prohibitive, why is there so much fuss about SS batteries?
First let’s talk about the downsides of a traditional lithium-ion battery. One of the main downsides is the risk of explosion or fire. Lithium-ion EV batteries unfortunately have made the news in a few instances for raging fires caused by crashes and this liquid becoming inflamed and burning extremely hot for hours (1*). With a bunch of battery cells packed tightly together there is a lot of stored energy that if released in a short amount of time can keep burning. This process is called thermal runaway and occurs when a battery ignites and the chain reaction of more cells burning continues. EV batteries don’t burn as a traditional internal combustion engine would burn with gasoline, so consumers may be more worried about their safety. Besides being punctured by collision, it is also possible for the liquid to leak, which is another environmental concern. SS batteries don’t have these issues and therefore would be much safer when punctured or involved in accidents. They also are much denser with energy packed in tighter spaces which not only offers longer battery life, but also means they can be on average 50% + lighter than traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Seems like a decent upgrade, right? Safer, lighter, and the ability to squeeze more power in a smaller space sounds like a good deal to us. However, of course this comes at a cost. The first one being the technology is not perfected yet so we’ll continue to see money invested into R&D to make sure it’s stable. The second one is the price of manufacturing. With so much money already in lithium-ion batteries it would make sense if someone came up with technology that could harness the current manufacturing processes so they are able to seamlessly switch over without more expensive machinery. Another issue with SS batteries is since temperature changes affect how objects expand and contract, having the solid electrolyte poses some challenges due to breaking and fracturing. There are those who are working on this, but every company will have different methods with different degrees of success.
It would be important to mention that one of the leading battery types is not actually lithium-ion but rather Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP). We mentioned this in another article and the current leader is BYD with a version they call their "Blade" battery. These LFP batteries have withstood puncturing, being heated to 300 degrees Celsius and crushed by a semi-truck, all without any thermal runaway and fires (2*). So in reality SS batteries have to compete with these LFP batteries as the new frontrunners.
The next decade will be an exciting one for battery tech. When the intersection between long drivable range matches reasonable battery prices and strong charging infrastructure, we may just find ourselves over the tipping point of EV adoption with internal combustion engines a relic of the 20th century.
(1*) -https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/18/22390612/two-people-killed-fiery-tesla-crash-no-driver/
Batteries have a love/hate relationship with the cold. On one hand they definitely don't like very hot temperatures, and on the other hand, performance may suffer in cold weather. One of the basic reasons is the battery will be working extra on keeping the car heated. Compared to internal combustion engines (ICE), electric vehicles don't produce as much wasted heating, so they need to provide it somehow for the passengers on those cold days in the car. Extra heat for the passengers means more power is necessary. The exact numbers may vary, but it's safe to say performance can be affected by heating alone by anywhere from 10%-50%, with the average likely somewhere in the middle. Temperature does have an effect on this of course, with negative-20 degrees Celsius and below having a greater impact. So if you're in a very cold climate you may see some obvious battery performance issues. However, if you are in a place that stays around 0 degrees Celsius to 15 degrees, the performance may not be as noticeable.
Another major battery performance limitation is regenerative braking in cold conditions. Regenerative braking, for those who don't know, is when the EV uses the heat generated from braking as energy reconverted to battery power. So while a traditional gasoline or diesel engine vehicle will brake and the heat will dissipate, EV's have the advantage of using the heat acquired from braking (kinetic energy) to help power the battery. However, in cold weather regenerative braking is affected. Less energy is able to be regenerated based off of the outside temperature, and more importantly, the battery temperature. If you have a short drive in a cold climate, which wouldn't give the battery sufficient warm-up time, you could experience poor battery performance.
Compounding these two factors together, the electrochemical reactions that take place inside a battery are slowed by cold temperatures. With this being said, we are naturally led to the question: how can we optimize battery health?
For starters, if you have a heated garage, then that's excellent. If you have a garage that's not heated, use it because it's still better than being directly outside. Keeping your car plugged in is a must when possible. Autel's AC MaxiCharger has Health Charging mode to prevent overcharge and increase battery safety, and the EV's themselves will also have onboard electronic protection so you can be rest assured staying plugged in is OK. The EV's will use a small amount of electricity to keep the battery warm. This way, when you're ready to depart you won't experience the potential loss of energy by heating the battery. Many cars come equipped with something called "pre-conditioning." You can set your departing time in the car's APP, and a short while before you leave, the car will draw electricity to heat up the interior to a desired temperature. This way you won't need to start from cold while on the road, and the electricity you pulled from was from the grid and not your EV's battery. Driving in an optimal way is also something to keep in mind. This includes avoiding quick acceleration and braking, and aiming to coast more often when possible.
The last thing we'll mention in this article is a heat pump which is used by some EV manufacturers. A heat pump is not a new invention. It is actually the inverse of how a refrigerator works. Simply put, the job of the heat pump is to use the heat generated from cooling off the battery and distribute it throughout the EV. This feature can cost extra money for some EV models, and would likely not be as necessary in a warm environment. But for those who deal with normal cold temperatures it could offer a battery saving boost. The exact amount is hard to say as every EV manufacturer's technology and efficiency is different, but if it's worth mentioning here, then it's worth looking in to.
If you're living in extremely cold climates, it's probably not beneficial for you to buy an EV until the technology can deal with the extreme cold. However, for those who have four seasons or generally chilly temperatures, EV's are still great choices as modes of transportation. Maximizing your battery health in winter is like choosing your winter clothes. It's always best to be prepared.
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Where to start:
The first thing you have to ask yourself is, where will I be installing this? If you live in a stand-alone house, then you're in luck and you'll be able to do as you please. However, if you live in an apartment complex or multi-unit housing where the grid is connected, you'll need to find the proper authorities and ask them if you are allowed to install an AC charger.
Notice how I said AC charger. There are available DC chargers, which stands for direct current as opposed to AC or alternating current. However DC chargers are much more expensive and tend to be used in commercial settings. For the vast majority of individuals, an AC charger will be perfectly fine for their needs. Since your battery's capacity is based on DC power, your car will convert the AC power internally into DC power for storage in the battery.
The next question is how fast do you want your car to charge? The speed of charge is directly related to three different units of measurement. Kilowatts, Amps, and Volts.
Watts = Amps x Volts
Watts can be thought of as the speed of which energy is created or used. In EV charging cases you will see chargers posted in kW Kilowatts in which 1000 watts = 1 kW
Amperes or Amps for short can be thought of as the strength of an electrical current or the volume of electricity flowing through an electrical circuit. Higher amps means faster charge times.
Volts differ from country to country with Europe being 230 volts and 50Hz.. Volts can be thought of as the speed at which the electricity passes through which is directly related to the pressure which pushes it through.
So how is this important to your EV charger? To keep it simple, slower charges will likely have lower kW's and amps, and faster chargers the opposite.
If you can choose 22kW over 7kW then do it as you'll be charging faster. We should mention you'll need to check to see if you have single phase or three phase electricity supply. Most of Europe has 3 phase supplied energy so you're in luck. 3 Phase can support the 22kW which will lead to a quicker charge. Different car models have different accepted charging speeds, so that's something to keep in mind, however, a good EV charger like Autel's AC Wallbox will last a long time (3 year warranty, standard useage life of 8 years, and tested beyond 13 years) so it's better to prepare for future EV's which will get better and more efficient at charging over time even if your current EV can't support 22kW yet.
What about weather protection?
Protection from weather is a must if you are installing outside, and IP ratings are a good way to know how protected your EV charger will be. If you plan on installing your EV charger outside where it's exposed to the elements, you should likely look for an IP rating of no less than IP54 with IP65 being the ideal solution. IP65 protects from dust, and water directed and shot from a nozzle. IP54 has limited dust protections and can protect from water being sprayed. If you are planning on an indoor install then you can be more lax with weather protection and an IP41 would likely do but you will have no dust protection and only condensation protection.
Lastly we will mention safety standards. In Europe the German TUV certification is the current standard and means the EV charger has passed a thorough safety check. If the charger doesn't have this, we would advise to stay away. No need to risk buying a product that could fail or hasn't gone through rigorous testing, because safety is always paramount.
Extra features:
Other useful features that aren't strictly necessary but definitely nice to have include
This is a run down of choosing an EV charger and is surely not an exhaustive list. There are many more functions such as RFID card swiping to charge, APP interfaces, smart charging ability, touchscreen functions, etc. Do some research and figure out what works best for you. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments.]]>