Mandate seeks to address electric vehicle charging issues

As electric vehicle usage increases, governments and industries collaborate to establish an infrastructure for charging of automotive batteries. One such effort is the European Commission Mandate issued last year, which has tasked European standardization bodies CENELEC, CEN and ETSI to devise a common European method for electric vehicle charging.

The mandate aims to ensure the widespread availability of safe charging facilities and services, including the necessary measures to ensure that chargers and vehicles can interoperate with the electricity supply system; and, further, that emergent standards take into account "smart charging" architectures that will enable drivers to recharge their vehicles at off peak rates.

TRaC has been closely involved with the evolution of standards in this area. TRaC's director for EMC and safety, Steve Hayes, has been nominated as the UK expert for the Commission's Mandate on Vehicle Charging.

Building an infrastructure for electric vehicle charging will involve issues extending far beyond simply replenishing the batteries. Substantial amounts of energy are involved, and standards will have to ensure the safety of both users and equipment—on both the mobile and fixed side of the process. Systems will have to meet numerous standards already established in both electrical and vehicle domains, as well as comply with whatever new regulations emerge as the standardization program proceeds. Issues will range from the straightforward—defining and enforcing use of a common charging connector, for example—to much more complex and subtle matters such as ensuring that the equipment causes no EMI or disturbance to the electricity supply grid, and that communication between the vehicle and the infrastructure conforms to standard protocols.

TRaC already has in place comprehensive testing and computational analysis of vehicle components, and of complete vehicles, to meet the EMC, radio, safety and environmental qualification, reliability and legislative demands of the automotive market. TRaC is an appointed VCA (Vehicle Certification Agency) Technical Service with UKAS accreditation for Whole Vehicle Testing in addition to sub-assemblies.

Phil Ling
EE Times