There are cities around the world developing a recharging infrastructure. This blog recently noted the efforts of Ghosn, DONG and PBP. Green Car Congress reports that Toyota Industries Corp. is developing a Solar Charging Station for EVs and PHEVs.
Illustration of TIC solar powered charging station to be distributed about Toyota City.
“The municipal government of Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture plans to build 21 such stations at 11 locations such as the municipal office and branch offices. Full operation of the stations will begin in April, with 20 Prius Plug-In Hybrids.”
Like the Nissan model, the TIC charging station has a communication function, which exchanges information with the electric vehicle supply equipment. Solar powered charging stations really take on powerful special interests. As much as electric cars, if not more so, photo voltaic systems are an anathema to the petroleum industry.
One example of the connection between the Grid, renewable energy, and transportation is the development of solar car ports.
The station is grid connected, and also captures power generated by the 1.9 kW solar panel in an 8.4 kWh storage battery, for subsequent use in charging. Maximum output using grid power is 202VAC/3.2kW. Self-sustained operation using solar power from the battery pack has a maximum output of 101VAC/1.5 kVA.
Excess solar power can be used for facilities in the system, or sold to a utility company. TIC envisions that the station can also provide power to electrical equipment in a disaster.
TIC developed the EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment), which now has a communication function and the maximum 200V/16A/3.2kW output.
Toyota Industries recharger on a stand. Click to enlarge. TIC has been involved with the development of charging systems for electric vehicles such as charging stands and on-board chargers since the 1990s. TIC launched its current EVSE stands in July 2009. (Earlier post.)
At the 41st Tokyo Motor Show (24 Oct – 4 Nov 2009), TIC displayed newly developed charging stands with communication devices. In addition to the basic functions of the standard charging system, the newly developed stations allow user authentication using IC card technology, and enable the collection of data such as usage conditions of the charging service and amount of power used.
During the press briefing at the show, TIC said that it aimed to increase charging functionality to respond to the needs of the charging infrastructure by developing systems that support electronic billing, and solar charging stations incorporating solar power generation to further reduce the environmental impact.
It is also concurrently, developing smaller onboard chargers with higher efficiency to meet the growing demand for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles.
TIC has directly a number of components to the Prius, starting with the first generation system, including converters, inverters, and car air conditioning compressors.
Google is working on software to better integrate plug-in vehicles with the coming smart grid. Will this be a example of convergence or more confusion. Google has a product called Wave and WAVE (Wireless Access for the Vehicular Environment) also is the primary standard that addresses vehicle telematics.
Even in countries with well-established electric grids, it still is daunting to make the switch to the Frank Axiom (Big Electric, Little ICE). Yet there is an overriding logic to advocacy that we forgo the established ICE or “well to wheels” paradigm for a “sun to wheels” paradigm. That logic is called survival of life on the planet as we know it.
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