Siemens and BMW join forces to introduce flexible rapid charging
Mon 24 October 2011
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Siemens and BMW have announced a collaborative project to develop a fast charging system which will make it possible to use the same charging socket for electric cars on either direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) in the future.
Currently electric vehicles need two different charging sockets along with the associated power electronic systems, but the BMW and Siemens partnership, called “Drive eCharged”, claims that their approach will mean harmonising the communication between the vehicle and charging point. The AC and DC charging connectors will fit to the same socket in the car which will in turn facilitate additional functions, such as smart charging.
In September the companies tested the charging system using a BMW ActiveE vehicle and have said the system should act as the standard in the future. They have also teamed up to put in place 32 public charging stations and 36 home charging stations in Munich to further test the technology.
Battery charging times and the "range anxiety" associated by some car buyers with battery-powered cars are widely reported as the greatest impediments to the broader adoption of electric vehicles.
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