Heavy goods traffic is of central importance for the energy transition and the achievement of climate targets. The aim is to increase the proportion of low-emission or zero-emission means of transport. For this, we need advanced charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles.
Passenger and freight transport is facing profound change. Within the EU, trucks account for around a quarter of road transport emissions, equivalent to 6 percent of allCO2 emissions. They are generated by the approximately 6.6 million trucks that are in operation for us every day. They transport 76.7 percent of all freight on land. If the climate targets are to be met by 2030,CO2 emissions from heavy goods traffic must be significantly reduced. This is possible by means of a wave of electrification, as is already in full swing in passenger transport. The changeover is more difficult for long-distance and heavy-duty traffic. Currently, there are hardly any battery-powered electric transport vehicles in use in long-distance transport throughout Switzerland. e-truck also seem less attractive in continuous or shift operation. This is justified by the limited battery capacity as well as the limited charging power. High-performance charging infrastructure is therefore required for a transformation in the respective segments. This is different from the infrastructure for passenger cars. With a charging system in the megawatt range, charging times can be significantly reduced. This can increase the competitiveness of battery-electric commercial vehicles. They would also be able to open up new logistics scenarios in continuous and shift operations. It is important to bear in mind that truck loading can lead to significant load peaks. Here, it is important to prevent negative effects on the power grid.
A megawatt-class charging station is currently being developed at Designwerk in Winterthur. The partnership pilot and demonstration project is designed to make electric trucks suitable for long-distance travel and relieve the strain on grids. The technical basis is a new charging standard for heavy commercial vehicles. The scientific monitoring of these technical developments is supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) as well as by renowned industry and university partners.
The battery buffers as well as power electronics and associated electrical and electronic hardware are installed in a container and protected from external influences. The charging container contains battery packs with a discharge capacity of 2.1 megawatts and a storage capacity of 1,800 kilowatt hours. In addition to the high-performance plug-in system according to the MCS standard, the charging station can optionally provide backward compatibility with a 350 kilowatt charging point. A handling manipulator is designed for carrying and moving the high power plug on the water cooled high power cable. It allows effortless manual operation of the plug.
With its Pilot and Demonstration Program (P+D Program), the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) promotes the development and testing of new technologies, solutions and approaches in the field of economical and efficient energy use, energy transmission and storage, and the use of renewable energies. The P+D program positions itself at the interface between research and market and aims to increase the maturity of new technologies in order to ultimately bring them to market.
Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN) e. V. CHAdeMO Association Europe Electrosuisse Swisscleantech iBAT Association
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Designwerk Technologies AG
Vivien Olivier Dettwiler Member of the Executive Board Tel.
+41 44 515 48 58 dettwiler@designwerk.com
Wyssmann LLC
Fabian Wyssmann Managing owner Tel.
+41 62 530 48 00 fabian@wyssmann.llc
Loading and unloading of the container is done by crane. The equipment must be transported by a low-flying aircraft (3m container height). Transport according to ADR is necessary (the equipment requires a UN 38.3 test).
Yes, this is possible and recommended. The connection is made on the AC side. A direct DC connection is not planned. The internal buffer is controlled by a third-party energy management system (EMS).
On the one hand, the status can be seen on the display. Access by means of a third-party energy management system (EMS) is also possible. A monitoring system for data access is also planned as an option. In it, charging power, AC input data, battery charge level (SoC), interface information and EMS data shall be visualized.
The system is integrated via OCPP 1.6j.
Yes, but the voltage range of the 350 kilowatt CCS connector was designed for trucks, buses, ships and aircraft. This is 500 – 900 volts and is therefore too high for certain passenger cars. An extension of the charging voltage from 300 – 900 volts would be feasible as a special version.
The plant is designed in such a way that all traction batteries of the Designwerk Group which were installed in Designwerk e-truck (including former Futuricum models) and are at the end of their first life (70-80 percent SoH) can find a second life as buffer storage. If second life batteries are not yet accumulating in the fleet, the system can be mini-loaded and equipped with new batteries.
Conformity with calibration law is not yet ensured within the scope of the demonstration project. In the case of series production, however, work would be done on functionality.
The demonstration systems will be used by Galliker Transport AG and Käppeli Logistik in 2023. Murg Flums Energie provides test operation in terms of grid integration.
Researchers at the Center for Energy Storage at the Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH are investigating how the modular second-life storage system should be constructed technically and what operating time can be expected. They are also looking into the question of what influence fast charging has on the battery of the e-truck. The University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland (OST) provides the measurement technology, evaluations as well as the documentation within the test operation. At the system level, it provides support in the area of cooling and ensuring that the system is grid-compatible.
With the Megawatt Charging System (MCS), the so-called Charging Interface Initiative e. V. (CharIN) is standardizing a standard for megawatt charges. As a globally active non-profit organization, CharIN unites automobile manufacturers, charging technology manufacturers, component manufacturers, energy producers, grid operators and many other players in e-mobility. Their goal is to ensure the interoperability of charging technology so that vehicles, chargers and (software) systems function smoothly. The MCS is the key enabling technology for charging commercial vehicles with a standardized connector system. The MCS has up to six times higher currents and up to ten times higher power than CCS. In particular, the standard addresses the necessary charging communication, electrical safety and hardware implementation.
