TÜV SÜD and E.ON forging ahead in the development of electric charging stations
Starnberg - TÜV SÜD and E.ON will collaborate closely in future in the testing and advanced development of electromobility charging systems, with the primary objectives of developing safety standards and achieving rapid production-readiness for a broad range of user-friendly vehicle charging stations. This announcement was made by Dr Axel Stepken, President and CEO of TÜV SÜD, and Dr Dierk Paskert, Member of the Management Board of E.ON Energie AG, at the reopening ceremony for the modernized TÜV SÜD Service Centre at Starnberg on Friday 9 July. In addition to the opening of a direct-wired (conductive) electric vehicle charging station, test operation of a cordless inductive charging station will be launched.
In front of an audience of over 150 guests from the fields of business and politics, Dr Stepken and
Dr Paskert praised the collaboration as a successful example of intelligent networking of expertise. "For electromobility to achieve rapid success, knowledge from a variety of fields must be clustered to produce an optimum solution", stressed Dr Axel Stepken. In terms of the collaboration between the two companies, this means that by joining forces with TÜV SÜD, E.ON is bringing in an international leader in the field of certification and testing services. "The partnership with TÜV SÜD is an important element in our electromobility activities. We aim to supply electric vehicle drivers with custom charging solutions for their cars – for home garages, industrial premises or public parking spaces. With TÜV SÜD as our partner, we will develop a high level of safety standards for the systems", stated Dr Dierk Paskert. In turn, TÜV SÜD can use the Starnberg test operations, scheduled to last several months, as a source of valuable practical experience in the functioning, potential risks and necessary protection systems involved in inductive charging, and incorporate this experience into a criteria catalogue.
Charging stations of tomorrow
The main advantage of cordless induction technology is its user-friendly operation. Cordless charging requires no direct contact between the battery and the power source.
At the charging station presented at Starnberg, power is transmitted by means of a mat containing an induction coil. The receiver coil is located on the underside of the vehicle. The vehicle is positioned on the mat, which is approximately one and a half metres square, and identified via a wireless connection, after which charging automatically begins. The system eliminates the need for power points and power cables. Induction technology is an interesting option for home use thanks to its simple, flexible operation.
"Our one-year field tests in Munich have shown that most e-vehicle drivers recharge their vehicles in their own garages after taking their vehicle out on the road. Induction offers excellent options for safe, simple home charging", explains Ruth Werhahn, head of the Electromobility corporate initiative at E.ON.
Open technological issues will be clarified with the help of appropriately designed series of test procedures; these issues include electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), since cordless charging generates a powerful magnetic field. What happens to mobile phones when the vehicle is standing on the charging mat? Is charging immediately interrupted if a person or animal interposes itself between the vehicle and the charging mat? TÜV SÜD's experts will examine these questions in the coming months.
Guests at the new TÜV SÜD Service Centre at Starnberg were able to see for themselves how induction charging works at the charging station which has been set up at the centre for exclusive use by TÜV SÜD experts in practical testing over the next three months.
The direct-contact (conductive) charging station, however, is designed for public access and can be used free of charge by Starnberg's e-vehicle drivers. Power will be supplied by a variety of sources including a photovoltaic system on the roof of the new service centre, which will feed solar energy into the power grid. An e-charging station in the forecourt, safe state-of-the-art technology and a roof photovoltaic system: "With this eco-friendly equipment, the new TÜV SÜD Service Centre in Starnberg represents our vision of the TÜV SÜD testing station of the future", stated Viktor F. Metz, Managing Director of TÜV SÜD Auto Service GmbH, at the opening ceremony. TÜV SÜD has invested over 35,000 euros in the photovoltaic system for the charging stations alone.
165 square metres in area, the system will deliver 10,800 kWh per year, which on paper will "fuel" an annual 11,000 kilometres each for two e-vehicles.
"But the photovoltaic system is only one example. More and more of our customers are becoming energy generators in their own right and feeding "their" power into our grid. Because our aim is also to continue offering a safe and secure supply of power, we are continuing to advance our technology into a smart grid for transmitting data as well as power. This principle will enable us to offer products at prices that are aligned to energy supply; for example, the 'smart' electricity meters that can control washing-machines or dryers could also be used to reschedule e-vehicle charging to times of high wind and low demand, such as the night hours", explained E.ON Energie Management Board member Paskert.
Modern service centre with e-charging station and photovoltaic system
The new flagship station will naturally continue to offer vehicle roadworthiness testing and all other vehicle-related services as its primary area of operations. TÜV SÜD's experts carry out around 10,000 roadworthiness tests per year at the new, modern two-lane facility designed for transparent testing procedures, while a mobile team conducts a further 13,000 inspections at garages and car dealers around Starnberg. TÜV SÜD's future-oriented service centre also includes the option of taking driving licence theory tests on a PC, a service eagerly taken up by around 2,500 young customers in Starnberg every year.
Bundling core competencies
TÜV SÜD is already among the leading service providers throughout the entire electromobility value chain. Its focus is on all aspects of safety with respect to vehicles, infrastructure and initial and advanced training of garage and repair shop staff. Last year the company already moved to bundle its areas of expertise from all divisions to create the "e-mobility Innovation Project" headed by Stefan Rentsch. TÜV SÜD conducted the world's first dynamic crash tests for lithium-ion batteries at the end of last year, and is working intensively on the development of safety standards for electric vehicles, having performed the first roadworthiness tests on e-vehicles only a few weeks ago. And TÜV SÜD's expertise also makes the company a sought-after consultant in the world of politics. President and CEO Dr Axel Stepken added the expertise of his testing organization to the "National Electromobility Platform" which was founded at the Electric Vehicle Summit convened in May by the German Chancellor.
Note for editorial staff: Photos of the Starnberg event can be downloaded in camera-ready resolution from the "Current Press Photos" category at www.tuev-sued.de/pressefotos.
Further information at http://www.tuev-sued.de/ and www.eon-energie.com |