Germany is renowned all around the world for its top-of-the-line automobiles. Suessen-based electric mobility company Eight builds on the cachet, recently presenting a new small-scale solar charging station for electric vehicles at the BMW Welt in Munich.
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Dubbed the Point.One S, the solar charging station is designed to quickly charge one electric car. The Point.One S takes after the original Point.One solar fast charger, which powers up to four vehicles. This downsized version is intended for personal home use or for small-to-medium enterprises that have limited electric vehicles at their disposal.
Currently, the Point.One S is placed at the BMW exhibition space near Olympiapark, a tourist area that sees heavy foot and vehicular traffic. It is a prime area that will guarantee significant attention for the solar-powered charging station.
Eight designed the prototype to resemble the eye-catching architecture of the BMW Welt. The company used its parametric digital product planning and sustainable manufacturing process to produce the unique curvaceous shape of the station.
The start-up, however, does not manufacture the charging technology used in the station. Instead, international energy and automation firm ABB provides the chargers – just as it is supplying the chargers in the planned EV charging network in the Netherlands.
Eight and ABB are partners in the federal government initiative between Bavaria and Saxony to promote e-mobility. The project is called Elektromobilität Verbindet (or “Electromobility Connects”) and includes other expert partners such as the BMW Group, passenger and logistics company Deutsche Bahn, electricity and gas firm RWE, the University of Bamberg, the German Armed Forces University of Munich and the Dresden Technical University.
Together, these different stakeholders are all part of the prototype launch. The e-mobility initiative counts the Point.One S as part of its efforts granting funds for the research and development of this future-forward transport.
Reportedly, the national government of Germany has spent a total of $1.9 billion in subsidising R&D in electric mobility. This is because German Chancellor Angela Merkel previously declared plans to have one million electric vehicles on the nation’s roads by 2020.
Recently though, Merkel opposed the EU plan to cut down carbon emissions from fuel-powered cars to be sold in 2020.
Germany is one of 15 countries belonging to the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI), a multi-government policy group focused on the introduction and adoption of electric transport worldwide.
So far, according to a recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the country only has a cumulated registration of 5,555 electric vehicles in 2012, or three per cent of the global EV stock.
With the launch of Point.One S, electric mobility will become more appealing and accessible to the general public, encouraging them to switch over to emissions-free mobility, said Eight.
Christoph Roessner, managing director of the start-up, explained: “The Point.One solar charging station will provide a ground-breaking interface between people, their vehicles and renewable energy sources. Its design and ease of use allow us to see and experience the potential of sustainable mobility, overcome hurdles along the way and stoke peoples’ enthusiasm for electric mobility.”
Currently, the Point.One S prototype utilises ABB’s DC-fast-charging technology based on the new International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard 61851-23 and the Combined Charging System (CCS). This acquires clean energy or carbon dioxide-free electricity from solar modules on the station’s roof, which then charges the batteries of a plugged electric car. If there is none, the solar energy is simply transferred to the power grid.
According to Eight, the ABB DC fast charger can charge a pilot version of the BMW i3 electric car from a nearly empty battery to almost 80 per cent capacity in less than 30 minutes. The electricity boost extends the car’s range by 130 kilometres.
The e-mobility start-up is now in the works with the University for Design of Schwaebisch Gmeund to integrate an intelligent user interface to the charging station, complete with an interactive desktop. This terminal will allow users to be identified and charging options to be selected. The system will also show relevant information like trip details.
Another feature Eight is looking into is an intuitive lighting design that will have LEDs change colour and brightness according to a user’s interaction with the station. For example, a certain colour shines or a sign indicates whether the station is booked or vacant.
Eight targets to have the Point.One S ready by end of the year.
