Browse Topic: Fast charging
The increasing electrification of vehicles means that heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems have a broader range of tasks and a different priority assessment. In electric cars, air conditioning systems are not only responsible for cooling the passenger compartment, but also for controlling the battery temperature, particularly during rapid charging, which represents a high-load operating point. Furthermore, achieving high thermodynamic efficiency is desirable, as this directly impacts the range of electric cars. The elimination of the combustion engine as a major source of noise prioritizes the noise, vibration and harshness behavior of the refrigerant compressor for product selection. To investigate the vibration and acoustic behavior, as well as the fluid dynamic forces resulting from the cyclic compression principle of an electric refrigerant compressor, a test rig was developed that allows compressors to be operated and measured in isolation in an anechoic chamber under various defined operating conditions. This test rig has been expanded in two ways within the scope of this work. Firstly, the compressor can be either rigidly attached to a dead mass using a VDA mount or measured while suspended freely. Secondly, a new R744-compatible refrigeration circuit has been added to the test rig, enabling compressors operating with the environmentally friendly refrigerant CO₂, which has so far only been used by a few manufacturers in selected models, to be tested. Measurement results obtained using this test rig provide valuable insight into the vibration behavior and sound spectra of the refrigerant compressor's fluid, structural, and airborne noise when operating at different points.
Developing efficient fast-charging infrastructure along highway corridors is critical for reducing range anxiety and promoting long-distance electric travel. However, traditional static location approaches often fail to account for the stochastic interactions between continuous traffic flows and the stochastic variability of remaining driving ranges. To address these methodological gaps, this study develops a demand-driven optimization framework that integrates an improved Genetic Algorithm with the flow-capturing location-allocation model (GA-FCLM). Unlike static facility location approaches, the flow-capturing location-allocation component is specifically selected to maximize the interception of continuous traffic flows under strict range constraints, while the genetic algorithm efficiently navigates the high-dimensional discrete search space of simultaneous siting and sizing decisions. By synthesizing segment-level traffic flows with Monte Carlo simulations of state of charge (SOC) trajectories, the model accurately reconstructs corridor-level charging demand. For the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway, the optimization identifies a robust layout with twenty active stations and 204 fast chargers, requiring a capital investment of 32 million Chinese Yuan (CNY). This configuration achieves a 99% aggregate coverage ratio, effectively eliminating long uncovered segments. Sensitivity analysis reveals that while profit increases linearly with pricing, infrastructure capacity exhibits a nonlinear response to rising electric vehicle (EV) penetration, necessitating strategic spatial rebalancing. The proposed GA-FCLM framework thus provides a scalable and methodologically superior tool for balancing investment costs, coverage continuity, and spatial equity on national highway networks.
India's electric 2-wheeler (E2W) market has witnessed fast growth, driven by lucrative government policies. The two-wheeler segment dominates the Indian automotive market, accounting for the largest share of total sales. Consequently, the manufacturers of 2-wheelers are developing new electric vehicles (EV) tailored for the Indian market. However, the Indian EV market has witnessed multiple fire accidents in recent years, raising safety concerns among consumers and industry stakeholders. These incidents highlight key weakness in battery thermal management systems (BTMS), particularly during charging. Most existing E2W BTMS relies on passive (natural) air cooling, which has been associated with fire incidents due to its inefficiency in heat dissipation, particularly during charging in India's high-temperature environment. Therefore, it is imperative to build thermally viable and economical BTMS for the growing E2W vehicles with fast charging capability. FEV is actively developing the thermally efficient and cost-effective BTMS solutions tailored for Indian E2Ws operating in extreme climatic conditions. The present study evaluates a novel approach of integrating heat carrier plates into the E2W with 3.6 kWh battery pack, which is analyzed under natural and forced air cooling system. The airtight battery pack is located under the floorboard region. The multiple internal heat carrier plates models are developed and integrated with aligned and staggered cell arrangement to evaluate heat dissipation and temperature uniformity with the battery pack. The study further proposes a concept of duct and fan placement for the application during forced air cooling. The simulations are performed at a high ambient temperature of 45 °C, representing a worst-case scenario in India, using charging rates of 0.2 C for natural cooling and 0.35 C for forced cooling. The results show that the aligned cell model with 4-heat carrier plates achieve superior temperature distribution across cells, with a lower average module temperature of 49.6 °C, minimal temperature gradient of 1.3°C and reduced maximum cell temperature of 50 °C, under natural cooling. In forced air-cooling mode, the split air duct model provides better cooling over the battery cover surfaces with maximum temperature of 55 °C with ΔT of 4°C. The study also presents comprehensive details of modelling approaches and outlines the scope of further research for developing thermally efficient BTMS for E2Ws.
CAMX Power is developing enhanced safety, high-power, OV-tolerant Li-ion 6T batteries implementing our CELX-RC® chemistry which incorporates our proprietary GEMX® cathode opposite lithium titanate (LTO) anode. The advantages of the CAMX Power 6T battery include high tolerance of severe mechanical, thermal and electrical abuse, exceptional fast charge capability, and extreme low-temperature performance capabilities (e.g., -60 °C). This 6T battery can also be repeatedly discharged to 0V and stored in that condition without maintenance, greatly enhancing logistical management, handling and safety. The CAMX Power 6T battery will provide enhanced performance and safety in extreme environments and operational conditions which cannot be met by 6T batteries made with conventional Li-ion chemistry.
Charging a battery electric vehicle at extreme temperatures can lead to battery deterioration without proper thermal management. To avoid battery degradation, charging current is generally limited at extreme hot and cold battery temperatures. Splitting the wall power between charging and the thermal management system with the aim of minimizing charging time is a challenging problem especially with the strong thermal coupling with the charging current. Existing research focus on formulating the battery thermal management control problem as a minimum charging time optimal control problem. Such control strategy force the driver to charge with minimum time and higher charging cost irrespective of their driving schedule. This paper presents a driver-centric DCFC control framework by formulating the power split between thermal management and charging as an optimal control problem with the goal of improving the wall-to-vehicle energy efficiency. Proposed energy-efficient charging strategy would provide a solution as per the driver’s itinerary or chosen charging time, allowing the driver to choose the trade-off between charging time and cost. A reduced order single particle model is used to model the battery states and limit the charging current, ensuring battery longevity. Detailed simulation study is performed to analyze the trade-off between the charging time and energy consumption.
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus has announced it will conduct a joint demonstration of its Battery 2nd Life initiative this year. This initiative will be jointly conducted with CONNEXX Systems and will repurpose used batteries from Mitsubishi eCanter trucks to build energy storage systems. According to Mitsubishi, CONNEXX will remove the used batteries from end-of-life eCanters and repurpose them as power sources for what CONNEXX has dubbed its EnePOND EV Charger energy storage systems. These units have integrated EV chargers developed by CONNEXX that can reportedly reduce the load on the existing power grid while allowing for DC fast charging of multiple EVs simultaneously. CONNEXX also noted that these units enable EV charging during power outages.
The added connectivity and transmission of personal and payment information in electric vehicle (EV) charging technology creates larger attack surfaces and incentives for malicious hackers to act. As EV charging stations are a major and direct user interface in the charging infrastructure, ensuring cybersecurity of the personal and private data transmitted to and from chargers is a key component to the overall security. Researchers at Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®) evaluated the security of direct current fast charging (DCFC) EV supply equipment (EVSE). Identified vulnerabilities included values such as the MAC addresses of both the EV and EVSE, either sent in plaintext or encrypted with a known algorithm. These values allowed for reprogramming of non-volatile memory of power-line communication (PLC) devices as well as the EV’s parameter information block (PIB). Discovering these values allowed the researchers to access the IPv6 layer on the connection between the EV and EVSE and use traditional ethernet penetration testing methods, including port and vulnerability scanning. Port scanning exposed open SSH and HTTP services, the latter of which was vulnerable and allowed unauthenticated retrieval of proprietary information. The ports should be secured, or closed if unneeded, to prevent this type of vulnerability.
Chinese battery manufacturer CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd.) completed the launch of its TECTRANS battery system for the commercial transport sector at IAA Transportation, which took place in September in Hanover, Germany. CATL added its heavy-duty truck and bus/coach battery ranges to the light-truck range that the company launched in China in July 2024. For heavy-duty trucks, CATL offers two alternatives: the TECTRANS - T Superfast Charging Edition and the TECTRANS - T Long Life Edition. As the name suggests, the Superfast Charging Edition is designed to offer rapid charging capability for operators needing to recharge during a duty cycle. CATL quotes a 4C peak charging rate, which would permit a charge to 70% in 15 minutes.
Balancing low conductivity, corrosion resistance and optimum heat transfer in next-generation EV coolants while meeting new EV safety regulations. Managing the heating and cooling of electric vehicle propulsion systems may seem to be an easy task compared with combustion engines. After all, ICEs run much hotter-the thermal optimum for a gasoline engine is around 212 F (100 C). By comparison, EV batteries normally generate (as a function of current during charge/discharge cycles) a relatively cool 59-86 F (15-30 C). And while motors and power electronics operate hotter, typically 140-176 F (60-80 C), they still run cooler than ICEs. But among the myriad complexities of EV thermal management are batteries' dislike for temperature extremes, new cell chemistries, heat-generating high-voltage electrical architectures and 800V fast charging. All are putting greater focus on maintaining stable EV battery thermal performance and safety. Experts note that compatibility among the cell chemistry, hardware, and coolant fluid is the key to a balanced systems solution.
As the world looks to net-zero emissions goals, hybrid electric vehicles may play an increasingly important role. For passenger electric vehicles (EVs) that predominantly make short journeys but occasionally need to make longer trips, electrofuel range extension may be more cost effective than either hydrogen or rapid charging. Micro gas turbines and catalytic combustion show significant potential to deliver low-cost, low-maintenance, lightweight engines with virtually no emissions, and hydrocarbon consuming solid oxide fuel cells show even greater potential in these areas. Aditioanlly, sodium-ion batteries for EVs, dispatachable vehicle-to-grid power and buffering, and variable intermittent renewable energy could also play key roles. The Role of Hybrid Vehicles in a Net-zero Transport System explores the costs, considerations, and challenges facing these technologies. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio.
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