What is Smart EV Charging?
Electric vehicles are the future and that future is here. The incredible pace at which EVs are being adopted in Australia also presents some unique challenges with some interesting solutions.
Electricity is the fuel used by electric vehicles. While petrol and diesel have roughly similar prices everywhere, electricity prices fluctuate based on the time of the day. For instance, it is a well-known fact that electricity is much cheaper at night due to lower demand.
With the increase in the number of electric vehicles, the demand for electricity will soar and there is a need for a solution that optimises energy consumption to prevent overloading of the power grid and to allow charging of electric vehicles at minimum cost. This solution is smart EV charging.
This blog post will explore the concept of smart EV charging, its benefits, its features and related topics.
What Is Smart EV Charging?
Smart EV charging is an intelligent charging system designed around optimisation of energy consumption when charging electric vehicles. The difference between a smart charging system and a regular charging system is that it involves a data connection between the charging operator and the charging device.
The brain of this system is software that continuously monitors energy usage to ensure maximum efficiency. The goal here is to create a symbiotic relationship with the power grid to avoid putting too much burden on the power grid due to electric vehicle charging.
How Do Smart EV Charging Stations Work?
Let’s first understand the components involved in charging an electric vehicle. There is the electric vehicle, the charging station and the power grid.
Smart technology analyses real-time data when an EV is being charged to ensure optimum charging efficiency without putting an undue burden on the grid.
It allows management of charging stations based on various parameters including the number of vehicles being charged concurrently, total electricity consumption, electricity capacity of the local area and other such things to ensure a sustainable energy system.
Benefits of Smart Charging
There are several advantages of investing in smart charging solutions, especially with the expected increase in the number of electric vehicles on the road. Here are a few benefits for all the parties involved in charging electric vehicles:
- It is a future-proof solution
- It saves money by charging cars when the electricity prices are the cheapest
- It allows faster and safer charging
- It allows charging station owners to manage their system accurately and remotely
- It prevents undue burden on the local power grid
- It allows hands-free operation of a charging station for the owners
- It helps in stabilising the grid
- It allows network operators to maintain several charging stations with one central hub
Different Charging Consumer Segments
All electric vehicle owners are not expected to behave in a similar manner when it comes to choosing chargers for their electric vehicles. There are different consumer segments and they are likely to choose charging stations based on certain factors.
The 4 main charging consumer segments may be categorised on the basis of:
- Convenience
- Price
- Loyalty
- Quality
The convenience segment refers to the group of consumers who are willing to pay a premium for charging stations that help them save time. The price-conscious consumers are those who don’t mind spending extra time if they are able to find a charger that costs lower.
There are also loyal consumers who will stick to a particular retailer if they are able to earn points. The fourth group of consumers is quality-conscious consumers who are ready to spend extra time or money on green power.
Smart Charging Features
Here’s a list of some smart starting features that make it worth the investment:
- Dynamic load management
- Efficient power-sharing
- Efficient power boost
- Energy management
Smart charging allows dynamic management of load. The system is capable of automatically distributing the available power among various electric vehicles as well as for other nearby devices when everything is being used simultaneously. This helps in protecting the local grid which means you can install chargers without the need to upgrade local energy infrastructure.
It also allows efficient power-sharing which means the available power is automatically divided between vehicles being charged simultaneously without any need for manual attention/management.
There are 19 million vehicles on the roads in Australia and if every vehicle is replaced by an electric vehicle, it could go a long way in creating an efficient power backup. That’s only possible with a smart EV charging system. It may seem like a far-fetched concept but is likely to become a reality with bidirectional charging in many upcoming EV models.
Final Thoughts
Overall, electric vehicles are a boon for the environment on top of being cheaper to run and maintain. Having said that, they are also going to increase the demand for electricity immensely which will require new load management solutions.
One such solution is a smart EV charging station or network which allows proper load management without the need for expensive local energy infrastructure upgrades.
Buy Electric Vehicle Chargers At GET Electric
Australians are increasingly buying electric vehicles and that opens up an opportunity for businesses looking to provide fast chargers for consumers. GET Electric is the premier supplier of reliable electric vehicle chargers in Australia. We offer a wide range of charging solutions with various monetisation options for commercial use.
Please call us today on 1800 GET NOW to learn more about our EV charging and infrastructure solutions or leave an enquiry and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.
