North-East of England based Turbo Power Systems Ltd (TPS) have announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership with Ricardo Energy & Environment, Western Power Distribution and Electricity North West, for the demonstration of a novel, smart DC network of rapid Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers as part of a funded program from the UK energy market regulator, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), called DC Share.
This project comes as part of the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy which sets out the importance of accelerating the shift to Low Carbon Transport with one of its key aims being to “Develop one of the best EV charging networks in the world” alongside the policy of ending the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel engine cars and vans by 2040.
Currently there are approximately 200,000 EV’s on the roads which equates to approximately 0.5% of vehicles in the UK; in order to meet the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy targets it is essential that the EV charging infrastructure across the UK is heavily invested in to make the targets achievable. Provision of accessible rapid charging facilities is key to the consumer uptake of an EV; users must be able to charge their EVs in a manner that is at least as convenient as current refuelling methods.
Nigel Jakeman, Engineering and Business Development Director at TPS comments,
“Providing a network for low carbon transport is one of the most pressing issues we face as an industry at this time. As a forward-thinking technology innovator, we have an obligation to contribute to the success of the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy target and so we are delighted to be working on this ground-breaking programme alongside our partners.
“The current focus for companies operating within both the energy and the automotive industry is understanding how we make owning an EV more attractive to the consumer. By implementing rapid EV charging stations, we are minimising the day-to-day impact this transition will potentially have on drivers. Charging an EV at a rapid charge point will be just like pulling up to a petrol station, by drawing latent capacity across multiple sub-stations the driver will be able to charge their EV within minutes. We truly believe that this technology will change the perception of owning an EV for the better.”
TPS will supply their innovative Silicon Carbide based Smart Grid Tied Inverters (SGTI), which will be connected to multiple sub-stations, enabling power balancing between sub-stations to generate the additional capacity needed to power the rapid EV chargers. In addition, TPS will also develop unique 50kW and 100kW rapid chargers that can connect to the DC network as part of DC Share.
Visit our dedicated Electric Vehicle page to find out more about the pioneering innovation happening in North East England
Posted in: Automotive and Advanced Manufacturing, General