A variety of electric vehicle (EV) chargers were on display during Techno Frontier. Delta Electronics and Fuji Electric were showing large conductive-type quick chargers while a family of inductive chargers from 1 to 150kW was being shown by Showa Aircraft Company.
The 50kW Delta DC Quick Charger delivers an output voltage of 50-500Vdc from an input of 200Vac, 3-phase. The charging plug is CHAdeMO compliant, meeting the needs of the Japanese market. The charger includes network capability to integrate with back-end service systems for EV users that can provide access to real time charging station locations, vehicle charging status and billing information directly to handheld devices as well as to the onboard vehicle system.
The Delta EV charger includes RFID smart card authentication combined with charging circuit connectivity detection and an emergency stop button to limit the use of the charger to authorized individuals and provide a safe charging environment. A utility-grade power meter is part of the system packaged in an IP54-rated enclosure for operation over extended temperature and humidity ranges and all-weather conditions.
Fuji Electric offers both a 25kW and a 50kW EV quick charger. The Fuji Electric chargers are also CHAdeMO compliant and are offered in an IP33-rated enclosure. These chargers are an important part of Fuji Electric’s overall strategy of targeting products related to EV systems which are expected to experience rapid market growth beginning in 2012. Further, the company is working to establish the largest market share in Japan in medium- to high-speed chargers based on its expertise in industrial inverters and power supplies.
Finally, the Showa Inductive Power Supply (SIPS) family includes 5 EV chargers with typical efficiencies of 92%, except for the 150kW unit which is specified at 93% efficiency. The various models are rated for 1, 10, 30, 60 and 150kW. They are designed to transmit power over caps as wide as 120mm. Except for the 1530kW unit, these chargers are all "single coil" circular designs ranging from a diameter of 418mm for the 1kW unit up to 1,200mm for the 60kW design. The 150kW unit is rectangular and consists of two coils and measures 902mm X 1854mm. This is an inductive charging technology in contrast with other contact-less chargers that are based on resonant techniques. Showa is reportedly working with Nissan on an induction charging system for the company’s electric and hybrid-electric vehicles.
