ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING TO REDUCE UTILITY COST

• US 20170190256A1
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proterra Operating Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Proterra AG
• Inventors: McGRATH, Seamus T., ALLEN, JUSTIN, ERTEL, KEVIN
• Granted Patent: US 11,214,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/18 using bow-type collectors in contact with trolley wire
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/42 for collecting current from individual contact pieces connected to the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/10 characterised by the energy transfer between the charging station and the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A method for controlling the charging of one or more electric vehicles at one or more charging stations in a geographic locality includes determining if the charging event of an electric vehicle of the one or more electric vehicles increases a demand billing rate. The demand billing rate may be a cost per unit of energy in the locality. The method also includes charging the electric vehicle at the charging event such that the demand billing rate is not increased.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the charging of one or more electric vehicles at one or more charging stations in a geographic locality, wherein each electric vehicle of the one or more electric vehicles is configured to be charged at a charging station of the one or more charging stations at a charging event, the method comprising:

determining if the charging event of an electric vehicle of the one or more electric vehicles increases a demand billing rate, wherein the demand billing rate is a cost per unit of energy and accounts for a demand charge for energy consumed by the charging station; and

charging the electric vehicle at the charging event such that the demand billing rate is not increased.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the charging event increases the demand billing rate includes:

determining a maximum amount of energy (E_MAX) that can be consumed by the one or more charging stations within a reference time period used to calculate the demand billing rate; and

checking if providing a default amount of energy to the electric vehicle during the charging event will cause the amount of energy consumed by the one or more charging stations within the reference time period to exceed E_MAX, wherein the default amount of energy is the amount of energy to be provided to the electric vehicle based on a predetermined charging scheme.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the charging event increases the demand billing rate includes predicting whether a subsequent charging event will increase the demand billing rate.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein charging the electric vehicle such that the demand billing rate is not increased includes providing the default amount of energy to the electric vehicle if the checking indicates that providing the default amount of energy will not cause the amount of energy consumed by the one or more charging stations within the reference time period to exceed E_MAX.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein charging the electric vehicle such that the demand billing rate is not increased includes providing an amount of energy less than the default amount of energy to the electric vehicle if the checking step indicates that providing the default amount of energy will cause the amount of energy consumed by the one or more charging stations within the reference time period to exceed E_MAX.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing an amount of energy less than the default amount of energy includes providing a minimum amount of energy needed by the electric vehicle to reach its next prescheduled charging event.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the amount of energy less than the default amount of energy includes decreasing the rate of charging during the charging event.

8. A method for charging an electric bus at a charging station, comprising:

electrically coupling the bus at the charging station to begin a charging event;

determining a maximum amount of energy (E_MAX) that can be consumed by the charging station in a reference time period without increasing a demand billing rate, wherein the demand billing rate is a cost per unit of energy and accounts for a demand charge for energy consumed by the charging station;

determining a total amount of energy already consumed (E_USED) by the charging station in the reference time period;

estimating an amount of energy needed (E_NEED) by the bus during the charging event;

determining if E_NEED exceeds (E_MAX−

E_USED); and

if E_NEED does not exceed (E_MAX−

E_USED), providing an amount of energy equal to E_NEED to the bus.

9. The method of claim 8, further including, if E_NEED exceeds (E_MAX−

E_USED), determining a minimum amount of energy (E_MIN) needed by the bus until its next prescheduled charging event, and determining if E_MIN exceeds (E_MAX−

E_USED).

10. The method of claim 9, further including, if E_MIN does not exceed (E_MAX−

E_USED), providing an amount of energy equal to E_MIN to the bus.

11. The method of claim 10, further including, if E_MIN exceeds (E_MAX−

E_USED), providing an amount of energy equal to (E_MAX−

E_USED) to the bus within the reference time period.

12. The method of claim 11, further including providing an amount of energy equal to (E_NEED−

(E_MAX−

E_USED)) to the bus after the reference time period.

13. The method of claim 10, further including, if E_MIN exceeds (E_MAX−

E_USED), determining an amount of energy (E′

_MIN) needed by the bus to travel to its next prescheduled charging event with at least one energy consuming system of the bus deactivated, and determining if E′

_MIN exceeds (E_MAX−

E_USED).

14. The method of claim 13, further including:

if E′

_MIN does not exceed (E_MAX−

E_USED), providing an amount of energy equal to E′

_MIN to the bus; and

if E′

_MIN exceeds (E_MAX−

E_USED), providing an amount of energy equal to (E_MAX−

E_USED) to the bus within the reference time period.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the reference time period is a time period used to calculate a demand billing rate for energy.

16. A charging station for an electric vehicle, comprising:

a charging head configured to electrically couple with and charge an electric vehicle during a charging event; and

a control system configured to;

determine if the charging event will increase a demand billing rate, wherein the demand billing rate is a cost charged per unit of energy and accounts for a demand charge for energy consumed by the charging station; and

charge the electric vehicle at the charging event such that the demand billing rate is not increased.

17. The charging station of claim 16, wherein the control system is further configured to:

determine a maximum amount of energy (E_MAX) that can be consumed by the charging station within a 15-minute reference time period used to calculate the demand billing rate; and

check if providing a default amount of energy to the electric vehicle during the charging event will cause the amount of energy consumed by the charging station within the reference time period to exceed E_MAX, wherein the default amount of energy is the amount of energy to be provided to the electric vehicle based on a predetermined charging scheme.

18. The charging station of claim 17, wherein the control system is further configured to provide the default amount of energy to the electric vehicle if the checking step indicates that providing the default amount of energy will not cause the amount of energy consumed by the charging station within the reference time period to exceed E_MAX.

19. The charging station of claim 18, wherein the control system is further configured to provide an amount of energy less than the default amount of energy to the electric vehicle if the checking step indicates that providing the default amount of energy will cause the amount of energy consumed by the charging station within the reference time period to exceed E_MAX.

20. The charging station of claim 16, wherein the charging head is configured to automatically descend and engage with electrodes positioned on a roof of the electric vehicle to charge an electric vehicle.