We must act today to build the EV infrastructure of tomorrow

This World EV Day it’s time to celebrate the unsung hero of the EV revolution, says Tom Mennell

A Schneider low-voltage assembly

This year’s World EV Day provides a great opportunity for us to celebrate our progress when it comes to e-mobility. Over the years electric vehicles have risen as a key tool in society’s quest to become carbon neutral. In fact, a recent prediction by the International Energy Agency, estimated that sales of electric and hybrid vehicles will reach 17 million this year. This is an increase of over 20% from 2023.

However, just last week, Volvo announced it has abandoned its target to sell only fully electric cars by 2030 ‘amid a global slowdown in growth for battery-powered vehicles’. Also cited was a lack of available charging infrastructure, highlighting a barrier that is threatening to halt the EV revolution.

We must act today to build out the infrastructure needed to support our ambitions when it comes to a greener automotive future. This includes increasing the availability of chargers throughout the UK, especially in public spaces. We need reliable, efficient charging and in order to achieve this – especially outside the home – a new approach to electricity management – which prioritises outdoor low-voltage assemblies - is needed.

Enabling wider adoption

For electric car charger supplies to be controlled and safeguarded, low-voltage assemblies are essential. Since the majority of EV charging stations will be located in public areas, outdoor low-voltage assemblies may be more advantageous than traditional indoor assemblies. One benefit that they offer is that they require less space as they don't need to be placed inside buildings or have extra enclosures or housings. As a result, the assembly can be placed considerably closer to the chargers.

In addition to this, installation can be conducted much faster because the assembly is delivered as a single unit. This usually also means that both initial and lifetime cost of the product are reduced. Because outdoor assemblies can be located much closer to the point of load, the length and size of cable runs can be substantially reduced.  As shorter cable runs result in lower losses, operational costs can also be significantly lowered.

However, when it comes to EVs, the charging application is much more demanding than it usually is for low-voltage assemblies. This can present some unique challenges.

Overcoming the challenges on the road to EV adoption

A major obstacle with EV charging stations is that conventional electrical systems aren't made to manage many circuits running at maximum capacity at the same time. For EV charging stations, this feature is essential, especially during summertime high demand with high temperatures. Higher-rated components that can withstand high temperatures and constant load are required to address this, guaranteeing the system's dependability and safety even during prolonged usage.

Another critical issue is ensuring safe earth leakage protection. Most EV chargers require a residual current device (RCD) to protect against electric shocks, as mandated by safety standards. However, EV chargers produce small direct currents (DC) that can interfere with standard RCDs. The solution is to use Type B RCDs, which are better at handling these small DC currents, ensuring reliable protection for users.

Additionally, safeguarding against electrical malfunctions is crucial, especially in the event of an electricity supply fault, like a broken open protected neutral (PEN) wire. These errors increase the possibility of electric shock and equipment damage. Accidents can be avoided by installing technologies that identify these flaws and isolate the problematic area of the network automatically. For example, certain products on the market offer complete safety by cutting off the power supply in the event of such malfunctions.

Reducing downtime in EV charging stations is also essential for maintaining service dependability and customer happiness. The operation of these stations can be considerably improved by putting in place remote monitoring and control systems. These solutions minimise downtime and increase overall efficiency by providing remote service restoration and problem diagnosis. An incredibly helpful feature given the new law, The Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, which mandates that networks with fast charging stations maintain an average of 99% availability annually.

By addressing these challenges with thoughtful design and advanced technology, EV charging stations can be made reliable, safe, and efficient. All of which will contribute to less range-anxiety and stress for EV users, as well as helping to encourage more drivers to make the switch.

Preparing for a greener future

Outdoor low-voltage assemblies are the unsung hero of the EV revolution. They are essential to the safe and effective delivery of electricity to EV chargers. Without them, we wouldn’t be going anywhere. Using a well-designed assembly will result in faster installation times and lower costs. These assemblies are the key to meeting the unique demands of EV charging applications both today and in the future.

Tom Mennell is technical standards manager, Power Systems UK&I at Schneider Electric