To charge where there is no power
Volkswagen presents at the turn of the year its new Mobile Charging Station, which is basically a fast charger with 360 kWh energy storage system.
Development of such stations was announced earlier this year by the way of 80th anniversary of Wolfsburg, which will get the 12 first, starting in the first half of 2019. Series production and deployment in other cities is planned from 2020 by the Volkswagen Group Components (an independent business unit within the Volkswagen Group) with the goal of developing a closed life-cycle for the battery.
The 360 kWh lithium-ion battery ESS is based on the Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB), which means it will share battery modules with Volkswagen I.D. and other MEB models. That will enable it to use new batteries at a lower cost or, on the other hand, use used batteries from old EVs (second life battery project).
The Mobile Charging Station is a simple and flexible solution, which can be set up quickly and independent of the power supply wherever it is needed. The idea is to have the ability for temporary charging stations not only at large-scale events, but also other applications.
According to the German manufacturer, a fully charged station could be used 15 times, which translates to some 24 kWh on average and an average session time of 17 minutes. Then the charger needs to be replaced or recharged (if there is any connection of up to 30 kW.
Power output is up to 100 kW when one vehicle uses CCS Combo DC plug, but the power will be split between a total of four outputs – two DC and two AC.
“If the energy content of the integrated battery set is less than 20 percent, the depleted charging station is simply exchanged for a charged one. If, however, it is permanently attached to the power supply with up to 30 kW via alternating current, the battery pack perpetually recharges itself. In case the charging process is based on renewable power supply, the charging station furthermore allows the temporary storage of sustainably generated power, such as solar or wind energy – and therefore CO2-neutral mobility.”
“The mobile charging stations can be set up at defined points, for example, spread out across a city. The flexible locations can be easily found via the Internet or apps. Each charging station enables DC quick charging with up to 100 kW. In addition to electric cars, e-bikes can also be charged. Up to four vehicles can be charged simultaneously: two with DC and two with AC connections. The total battery storage capacity of up to 360 kWh is sufficient for up to 15 e-vehicles. There is also the possibility of connecting to the power supply directly, allowing the station to be charged with up to 30 kW via alternating current by means of a permanent standard grid connection. This enables charging points for electric vehicles to be set up quickly and simply, without any structural changes or major financial outlay. The battery pack in the charging station can be recharged around the clock thanks to the direct power connection. This time-independent recharging, and therefore buffering of power, also considerably reduces the strain on the power supply at peak periods.”
Thomas Schmall, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group Components, says:
“The mobile charging stations are a decisive step toward an efficient network of charging points. They can be set up anywhere as required – with or without connection to the power supply. This flexibility enables a completely new approach for the rapid expansion of the charging infrastructure. Cities can, for example, find out the most suitable places for a permanent charging point before making major investments in developing the network. In addition, it will be possible to set up a large number of charging stations temporarily – exactly when and where they are needed.”
Mark Möller, Head of Technical Development at Volkswagen Group Components said:
“Our mobile charging stations offer a further crucial advantage. It is only when an electric car is charged with sustainably generated power that it can claim CO2-neutral mobility. Our charging station is the first to offer the possibility of temporarily storing sustainably generated power.”
Volkswagen Mobile Charging Station
Source: Electric Vehicle News
