EV Connect, a California-based software-as-a-service company, announced its collaboration with the Indiana-based Battery Innovation Center (BIC) and Energy Systems Network (ESN). The collaboration aims to deploy Indiana’s first large-scale, Vehicle-to-Grid-capable charging system, supporting school bus fleet, HD truck, and other applications. EV Connect provides its innovative electric vehicle charging management solution and 500 kW bi-directional bus-scale superchargers from Rhombus. The extended test case will generate data on battery life, the number of available cycles, and understanding discharge rates. This assists companies in the EV ecosystem in determining how V2G will impact their products and systems.
Tim O’Hara, managing director at ESN, says the project will deliver data/lessons about a technology moving into the mainstream. He adds that the partnership with EV Connect is critical in generating real-world data. Testing battery conditions, communications protocols, and uncovering the unknowns is vital for the future of V2G, he says.
“With the capabilities provided by EV Connect as part of our lab and on-site infrastructure, the BIC will be able to validate from the battery pack through to the fully installed systems in the vehicle,” says Ben Wrightsman, president and CEO, BIC. “With the existing connection to the local ISO grid at our facility and direct collaboration with our utility provider and generator, combined, we have one of the few first of its kind platforms for advancing V2G into reality.”
ILLUMINATING THE EV LANDSCAPE
Bi-directional charging holds promise for wholesale energy markets as prospects around vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-load (such as construction sites), and vehicle-to-home grow. The technology, however, has not been widely deployed due to a lack of integration into wholesale energy markets. The lack of real-world data about battery performance over time and support from EV manufacturers has also hindered deployment. This project will illuminate the challenges and opportunities of V2G technology. It will also showcase impacts on operating characteristics and opportunities for the grid and business models around EV battery control. Further, the program’s data will guide Midwest utilities and the BIC in developing programs/policies for grid-interactive EV battery programs. The program will benefit utilities from monetization to EV batteries integration as part of the Distributed Energy Resources (DER) mix.
“EV Connect is built on innovation within the electric transportation sector, so we are excited to launch this groundbreaking collaboration with the Battery Innovation Center,” says Ram Ambatipudi, co-founder and VP of business development and utility engagement at EV Connect. “By setting up an in-depth battery and V2G testing program, we can contribute to the body of science and research of V2G technology and understand how to secure communications with grid-edge assets that can best support V2G and DERMS as they start attaching to the electric grid.”
Find out more, visit www.evconnect.com.
