Inductive charging is one of the candidate technological solutions for the deployment of the “Electric Road” in France and Europe. It allows electric vehicles to be recharged while driving. The main advantage is the reduction in the size of vehicle batteries while increasing the range of electric vehicles. It is particularly suited to the needs of the logistics sector and long-distance road transport.
Successfull trials
Since a world first in July 2018 as part of the European H2020 project called FABRIC, with two vehicles charging at 20kW while each one is travelling at 100km/h at the same time on a track (American tertiary system), VEDECOM has developed with its partners Renault, Stellantis and EDF, a clean charging technology while travelling by induction at a power of 30kW. The system consists of coils and electronic boxes that must be integrated into the road during its renewal or construction. 30 kW is enough power to recharge a light vehicle on a motorway.
According to the first tests obtained on a test platform, the efficiency obtained is over 90%, which is an excellent rate. Other tests validated compliance with electromagnetic field standards, bearing in mind that the system is secure: induction is only activated when the vehicle passes by and if the communication system recognises and validates the triggering of its recharge. VEDECOM is continuing to develop its system as part of the VERA project (PIA).
Other inductive charging technologies are being tested in Europe, notably the Israeli ElectReon solution: its DWPT (Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer) system is being tested on the 1050m Italian “Arena del Futuro” circuit.
INCIT-EV and Use Case 2 – Demonstration of inductive charging while driving in Paris
VEDECOM will test its technology in an urban area, in Paris, in the second half of 2022, as part of the European INCIT-EV project. INCIT-EV aims to test and evaluate seven different charging technologies. With a budget of €18M, it brings together 33 partners from 8 different countries. The objective is to demonstrate the replicability of these solutions, to guarantee interoperability and to provide a decision-making tool to help make the most appropriate choices for the territories. A project focused on the user experience, to INCITE the use of Electric Vehicles. These experiments have a lot at stake for the deployment of electric vehicles.
A promising technology that requires a collective dynamic
Dynamic contactless recharging promises to be one of the most interesting and interoperable recharging solutions: interoperable from one vehicle to another, but also from one supplier to another.
Aesthetic and sustainable, since it is buried underground, it is perfectly suited to urban environments where the constraints of space dedicated to infrastructure are particularly strong and where speed limits are more conducive to charging. Since we drive slower, we stay longer on the track and therefore recharge for longer. This is also the solution that would be the most widely shared: recharging while driving would solve the problem of the inevitable bottlenecks at the charging stations.
The key to progress is both a dialogue among the players and a political strong will.
>> More info on INCIT-EV Project
Valentin Rigot, doctorant chez VEDECOM dans le domaine Electrification/Electronique de puissance, soutiendra sa thèse le 21 avril 2022 à 10h. Cette thèse concerne le lot 2 du projet HiDePe mené par l’Institut VEDECOM :
Transformateur à air pour un convertisseur dc-dc bidirectionnel haute densité de puissance et haute fréquence pour l’application automobile
le jeudi 21 avril à 10h
Amphi V dans le bÄtiment Eiffel de Centrale Supélec, 3, Rue Joliot-Curie, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Les travaux présentés contribuent à l’amélioration de la densité de puissance dans les chargeurs embarqués dans les véhicules électriques, en profitant notamment de l’essor des composants semi-conducteurs à grand gap, qui autorisent la réalisation de convertisseurs plus compacts.
- Encadrant académique Pr. Tanguy PHULPIN, CentraleSupélec
- Directeur de thèse : Pr. Daniel SADARNAC, CentraleSupélec
- Encadrant industriel : Dr. Jihen SAKLY, VEDECOM
Attend the thesis defense
Contact : Leyla Habarek Arioua : leyla.arioua@vedecom.fr
Thesis Abstract
The electric vehicle is currently strongly expanding to face climate change. The power density requirements for onboard power are constantly growing and need evolution to go over the present electronic limitation without decreasing the efficiency.
This thesis focuses on modeling, optimization and realization of a high-frequency coreless transformer integrated into a dedicated converter to validate a bidirectional on-board battery charger operating at 1.5MHz.
The work contributes to the increase of the on-board charger power density by taking benefit of wideband gap semiconductors emergence which opens a new range of admitted switching frequency. It consequently offers an opportunity to increase the compacity of the converters.
After a study on high power density transformers and coreless transformers, a highlight of the opportunity that an air-core transformer designed for power density is presented. The high-frequency electrical conductors have also been considered to determine the best one for our application by considering the skin and the proximity effects. The new transformer geometry is the result of an optimization program able to propose the best turns’ positions for minimizing the magnetic emission while ensuring a certain value of self-inductance. This geometry establishes the first technical breakthrough of this thesis.
Several transformers’ trials were realized on 3D printed polycarbonate supports resulting in a 7kW prototype. An electrical, magnetic, and thermal characterization was done on the transformer after its winding process and validate the prediction. Those values were taken for the start point of a dedicated DC-DC topology. The automotive and bidirectional context led us to merge on the Dual Active Bridge converter. The switching frequency was determined to ensure the required power transfer with a soft-switching operation. This frequency value in automotive chargers establishes the second technical breakthrough of this thesis.
After determining the command signals and choosing the required components for the realization of the converter, a ready-to-use inverter branch was chosen to simplify the complexity of construction. A dedicated printed circuit board was realized to link the inverter branch with the DC bus, the transformer, and the command board of the converter. Finally, experimental results on the converter respect the requirement specifications with an efficiency conversion of 96% for a power transfer of 9kW and a switching frequency of 1.5MHz. The final estimated power density is 8.5 kW/L which is higher than the existing power density in the industry.
Some complementary works must be done to validate the prototype in a final application. It is however possible to observe this kind of transformer in an electrical vehicle in the future. The results were indeed in rupture and presents better volume, better thermal management, and better efficiency.
Versailles, France, November 9, 2021
The Mobena project was launched in September 2021 for two years. It brings together players from all the electric mobility value chain in France. Its aims to support the e-mobility companies in ensuring a successful deployment of the new generation of electric vehicle charging solutions. These solutions will simplify the user experience and improve the quality of service.
Interoperable charging services
Plug and Charge and smart charging will be the first provided services. They require interactions between many players through various IT interfaces. These services must be clear, homogeneous, and interoperable to be easily adopted. Any vehicle must be able to charge with any charging infrastructure, relying on any service provider.
Mobena will particularly focus on integrating interoperability as an initial requirement and providing high value-added services through the massive adoption of the ISO 15118[1] standard in a competitive and open market.
[1] ISO 15118 standard defines communication and data transfers between the vehicle and the charging infrastructure.
20 mobility players engaged in Mobena
The Mobena project gathers 20 partners including 19 industrials. They represent all the mobility sector: Atos, Chargepoly, CRITT M2A, EDF, FEV France, GIREVE, Hager, IES Synergy, Legrand, Nexans, Renault, SAP Labs, Schneider-Electric, Stations-e, Stellantis, Thales, TotalEnergies, Valeo, VINCI Energies. The project is driven by VEDECOM.
- Research and innovation: VEDECOM
- OEM: Renault, Stellantis
- Technology Suppliers: Atos, GIREVE, Thales
- Operators: EDF, SAP Labs, Stations-e, TotalEnergies, VINCI Energies
- Test specialists: CRITT M2A, FEV France
- Charging Infrastructure: Chargepoly, Hager, IES Synergy, Legrand, Nexans Power Accessories France, Schneider Electric, Valeo
Mobena continues to welcome new industrial partners from the e-mobility ecosystem who wish to position themselves on Plug and Charge and smart charging and contribute to the offer structuring.
The project is also open to institutional partners. These partners will help to prepare for the harmonious arrival of offers on the French market and will promote the orientations resulting from the project.
Mobena is part of an initiative addressing next-generation charging systems. This action was launched in 2020 by an initiative committee comprising AFIREV, AVERE-France, GIMELEC, PFA, UFE and VEDECOM.
Supporting the deployment of plug and charge and smart charging
Joe Matta, Projet Manager, with Tony Jaux, Charman of VEDECOM Board, on Nov. 9, 2021, during the official Mobena Project Kick Of.
The Mobena project partners will implement the following actions, in a collaborative framework within working groups:
- Definition of a transition roadmap towards new generation charging solutions and use cases to be adopted, including Plug and Charge and smart charging.
- Creation of technical guidelines for the development, testing and deployment of products and services supporting the ISO 15118 standard, validated by a technical committee before publication.
- Identification and follow-up of pilot projects to test deliverables on the field.
- Establishment of a dissemination and lobbying unit. It will ensure the consistency and relevance of the choices made by Mobena in regard of other European initiatives and ecosystems. It will disseminate the project’s choices for wide adoption and carry the idea of having a replicable solution at European level.
The project will focus on system architectures (interactions between the vehicle, the charging station and the operators’ backend) including communication protocols, PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) and cybersecurity. The approach integrates the two types of recharging, AC and DC.
The main results of the project will constitute a common good which will be made public at the end of the main project milestones.
Harmonized actions at a European level
Consensus and unity within the industry are prior to ensure the successful deployment of Plug and Charge and smart charging in an interoperable manner at European level.
To achieve this goal, Mobena seeks to collaborate with European organizations for the development and adoption of a reference architecture, both from a technical and organizational point of view. Such an architecture will ensure the interoperability of systems and allow an open and competitive market between electromobility players. It will allow end users and operators to freely select their service providers.
VEDECOM has been appointed member of the Sustainable Transport Forum (STF) sub-group of the European Commission dedicated to governance and communication standards within the electromobility ecosystem. The results of this group will be integrated into European regulations as part of the Fit for 55, in particular the revised Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). VEDECOM will carry the position developed jointly with the Mobena project partners.
VEDECOM and Mobena partners, who are also members of CharIN (association which promotes the European charging standard – CCS) actively contribute to the working groups led by CharIN to develop benchmarks and roadmaps consistent with the Mobena vision.
In addition, VEDECOM and Mobena project partners are involved in setting up technical demonstrations to assess interoperability approaches in the charging ecosystem. This collaboration is part of a long-term partnership between VEDECOM and the Dutch innovation center Elaad. The two organizations have successfully carried out various joint demonstrations since 2018 in the field of smart charging.
Dowload Nov 9 2021 Press Release
Download HD photo of the consortium members on November 9, 2021
Dowload the HD photo of the consortium members and partners
Read our last article on the same subject
The Certificate Trust List has been demonstrated on the 2nd of June 2021 as a technical solution for ISO 15118 Plug and Charge interoperability.
The objective is to simplify the user experience wherever he is and guarantee the interoperability between any vehicle and any charging station. Such architecture shall enable an open and fair market between all EV actors.
Guarantee the interoperability with multiple actors
2 online identical sessions were broadcast live from Arnhem (Netherlands), Berlin (Germany) and Versailles (France).
The demonstration was operated by 17 actors representing different roles in the Electromobility domain, research institutes, manufacturers, cybersecurity actors, operators, interoperability platforms, charging infrastructure installers: Driivz, e clearing.net, ElaadNL, Freshmile, GIREVE, Hager, Hubject, IoTecha, NewMotion, Groupe Renault, SAP, Smartlab, Stellantis, Thales, Trialog, VEDECOM, Verisco
The demonstration was done in real conditions using different electric vehicles, charging stations and IT services (including PKI) in order to demonstrate the interoperability scenarios.
Promote an open and fair market for eMobility services
Electromobility actors are ready to adopt and deploy new services that will improve the user experience, such as Plug and Charge and Smart Charging. Those services should be interoperable and rely on the ISO 15118 standard. To do this, adopting a single reference architecture, from a technical and organizational point of view, is vital. Such architecture shall enable an open and fair market between all EV actors and allow end-users and operators to freely select their providers.
In this spirit, a collaborative work has started since 2019 to define and test multiple technical solutions. The partners mainly focused on PKI architectures that allow the development of multiple interoperable offers.
The French initiative Mobena is part of the demonstration
Mobena, a French initiative towards the new generation of electromobility, closely followed this demonstration, in which several of its members intervened.
The Mobena initiative was created in July 2020 by the main French professional organizations representing the electromobility ecosystem in the French market. The goal is to simplify the user experience by ensuring interoperability between charging systems and leading the way towards the deployment of a new generation of EV charging in the French market.
Coordinated by VEDECOM institute, the Mobena initiative regroups AFIREV, AVERE-France, PFA, GIMELEC, UFE and VEDECOM.
About twenty companies representing the different roles in the ecosystem have joined this initiative. The mission is to support the players of the EV charging ecosystem, operating in France, by defining the roadmap and the means to ensure a successful and harmonized deployment of the e-Mobility services.
The Mobena project, which will be launched in september 2021 and extended to more partners, will particularly focus on integrating interoperability as an initial requirement and providing high added value services through a massive adoption of the ISO 15118 standard in a competitive and open market.
A particular focus will be put on Smart Charging, Plug & Charge and the implicated end-to-end system interfaces, including backend communication protocols (OCPP, OCPI…), PKI and cyber security. This for both AC and DC charging.
Read lastest Mobena news:
Mobena harmonizes the deployment of new services for EV charging
May 17, 2021. The Mobena initiative was created in July 2020 by the main French professional organizations representing the electromobility ecosystem in the French market. The goal is to simplify the user experience by ensuring interoperability between charging systems and leading the way towards the deployment of a new generation of EV charging in the French market. The initiative now reaches two key milestones:
- the demonstration of an interoperability solution between multiple PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), organized with international partners of June 2nd, 2021. Learn more
- the kick-off of a collaborative project that gathers the e-Mobility actors and aims for ensuring a successful roll-out of the new EV charging services in the French market.
Towards an open and fair market with a reference architecture
The Mobena initiative’s objective is to ensure a successful deployment in the French market of the ISO 15118 services (Plug and Charge -PnC- and smart charging) in a harmonized way with Europe.
To do this, adopting a reference architecture, from technical and organizational point of view, is key. Such architecture shall ensure interoperability and enable an open and fair market between all EV actors and allow end-users and operators to freely select their providers.
A first technical feasibility verification
In preparation for the event planned on June 2nd, the Mobena initiative partners tested the technical feasibility of the Certificate Trust List (CTL) as a solution for Plug and Charge (PnC) interoperability between multiple PKI.
On March 11th 2021, VEDECOM hosted a Workshop for this objective at mobiLAB with the contribution of Freshmile, GIREVE, Hager, Groupe Renault, Stellantis, SAP Labs, Thales et Trialog
About the Mobena initiative
The Mobena initiative was created in July 2020 by the main French professional organizations representing the electromobility ecosystem in the French market. The goal is to simplify the user experience by ensuring interoperability between charging systems and leading the way towards the deployment of a new generation of EV charging in the French market.
Coordinated by VEDECOM, the Mobena initiative committee regroups AFIREV, AVERE-France, PFA, GIMELEC, UFE and VEDECOM.
About twenty companies representing the different roles in the ecosystem have joined this initiative. The mission is to support the players of the EV charging ecosystem, operating in France, by defining the roadmap and the means to ensure a successful and harmonized deployment of the e-Mobility services. The Mobena project, which will be launched in July 2021 and extended to more partners, will particularly focus on integrating interoperability as an initial requirement and providing high added value services through a massive adoption of the ISO 15118 standard in a competitive and open market.
A particular focus will be put on Smart Charging, Plug and Charge and the implicated end-to-end system interfaces, including backend communication protocols (OCPP, OCPI…), PKI and cyber security. This for both AC and DC charging.
For more information: Joe.matta@vedecom.fr
More information about Mobena initiative:
MOBENA website
It will bring a better experience and more services to users. In addition, it will save costs!
Industrial representatives from all electric mobility players gathered in a first plennery session. Their aim is to support the deployment of the new-generation electric mobility. Ultimately, any AC and DC terminal installed in France should be compatible with the ISO 15118 vehicle-terminal communication standard, but also secure and interoperable.
If you have ever owned an electric vehicle, you know the pleasure of less polluting the air… but also the complications of recharging. Today, electric vehicle charging system is at a crossroads. The price of electric vehicles becomes accessible, the batteries are breaking distance records. To allow a better user experience and more services, the major remaining obstacle is the maturity of charging systems. If overcame, it will bring smart charging, plug & charge (see definitions below) and later on, bidirectionnal charging systems (the car recharges the network) or even wireless systems.
To achieve this, the main French and European players are converging towards compliance with a standard for communication between terminals and vehicles, the ISO15118 standard. However, to enable the emergence of terminals compatible with this standard, and therefore an open market, it is necessary to bring all the players around the table and agree on the final specifications. One major point remains to be defined: that of cybersecurity (PKI).
General mobilisation
To this end, the main organisations representing the sectors involved in electric recharging joined forces on 7 July 2020 in the form of an Initiative for New-Generation Electric Recharge: AFIREV (Association Française pour l’Itinérance de la Recharge Electrique), AVERE (Association nationale pour le développement de la mobilité électrique), PFA (Plateforme Française de l’Automobile) and the VEDECOM Institute (research and innovation on the mobilities of the future), the latter being tasked with coordinating the initiative.
Several workshops then gave rise to a plenary meeting on 17 September 2020, bringing together around fifteen French industrialists from each sector: energy specialists such as Enedis, car manufacturers such as PSA Group, such as Schneider Electric, charging infrastructure and e-mobility services operators such as Freshmile, technology and services for e-mobility suppliers such as Trialog.
Electric Charging Initiative partners ©VEDECOM
The circle will gradually be extended to all manufacturers in order to deploy the ISO 15118 standard by 2023.
The plenary session enabled the participation of other institutional actors such as the French Ministry of Ecology (DGEC), which supports and accompanies the Initiative. It will ensure that the specicifications defined by the Initiative for the developpers are consistent with the French “Objective 100,000 charging stations” plan. The Ile de France Region was also participating. The local authority is working since 2029 on the deployment of more than 5,000 charging stations by 2022, notably with the help of the IRVE label: a system that complements national aid such as Advenir. Finally, the initiative is working together with existing French and European working groups on this theme.
3 years to manage the deployment of a standard
If one wants to implement 15118 standard into charging systems and allow plug & charge service, it is first necessary for the charging stations manufacturers to make them interoperable, i.e. able to recognise any electricity supplier and any charging infrastructure operator. It is also necessary for charging infrastructure and e-mobility services operators, as well as for technology and service providers, to learn how to make this standard work, how to implement new blocks in their information systems. This first step will allow cardless charging and plug & charge. Finally, they need to improve the security of the connection.
To achieve this, VEDECOM, as the project’s prime contractor, has proposed a two-step calendar:
- First step (2020): define the adapted cybersecurity architecture (ISO 15118 PKI) for Plug and Charge (PnC).
- Second step (by 2021-23): define a standardised, interoperable and industrialisable PnC and Smart Charging system to support a collaborative deployment. Some tests will be carried out on pilot sites. Various documents will be produced by the working group, training and technical workshops will be proposed in 2021 and 2022. At the end of this stage, all the players will benefit of all necessary tools and knowledge. By 2023, the planners and operaters will be able to start the deployment of the new-generation electric charging.
What will ISO 15118 bring in charging systems?
- Plug & Charge (PnC): this solution automatically identifies the user’s service contract by simply connecting the charging cable between the vehicle and the terminal, with a high level of security and a simplified user experience. It therefore avoids the need for multiple badges: “you plug in the cable.. and the charging process starts automatically”.
- Smart charging: this solution enables to program a recharging schedule that is negotiated between the terminal and the vehicle and optimised according to their technical constraints, the needs and requirements of the driver and the network electrical constraints.
Plug & charge preconditions :
- a service contract installed in the electric vehicle
- an electric vehicle and a PnC-compatible terminal
- interoperability so that any vehicle can be recharged at any charging station
Discover the main partners of the initiative:
- PFA (Plateforme Française de l’Automobile)
- AFIREV (Association Française pour l’Itinérance de la Recharge Electrique)
- AVERE (Association nationale pour le développement de la mobilité électrique)
- VEDECOM Institute (research and innovation on the mobilities of the future),
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