JomCharge operator EV Connection (EVC) and Gentari have announced updates to DC electric vehicle chargers fitted with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) technology. The changes are poised to improve the charging experience at these stations – which use the system to circumvent an insufficient electrical supply – as surging EV sales lead to an increase in demand.
A BESS allows DC fast chargers to be installed in areas without the required electrical supply, such as highway R&Rs and lay-bys, as the battery can be trickle charged when not in use. The energy stored is then used to charge EVs that come to the chargers at up to 200 kW, at least until the battery is depleted – in which case the chargers are rendered unusable.
While such an arrangement was feasible back when EV sales were limited, the sudden jump in the number of such vehicles on the road has caused problems, particularly during festive seasons or long weekends. It doesn’t take much to fully deplete the BESS – the chargers at Behrang Southbound Lay-by, for example, are juiced by a 300 kWh battery, which would be completely drained if six EVs with an average battery capacity of 50 kWh are charged back to back.
The new updates announced by EVC are designed to mitigate this issue. Firstly, the JomCharge app will now show a battery level icon when selecting a BESS-equipped charging station, allowing users to better plan their charging stops. Such chargers will also now impose a 80% state of charge (SoC) limit for each EV, allowing more cars to use the said chargers before the BESS is depleted.
Last but certainly not least is the ability to halt BESS recharging and channel all electricity from the battery, grid and solar panels to a single charger once the BESS runs low or is depleted. This allows that charger to continue topping up an EV at a lower rate of 50 kW, with the other chargers being turned off. The charging station will resume charging the BESS once it is no longer in use.
The updates are currently undergoing beta testing and will be limited to the Behrang Southbound and Northbound Lay-bys, expanding to other BESS-equipped stations once the testing phase is completed. Additional signages will also be installed to highlight chargers that utilise BESS.
GALLERY: JomCharge Behrang Northbound Lay-by DC fast charger
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