electric vehicle

Abstract

Electric vehicle with an electric drive unit (14), a traction battery (12) with an internal DC / DC converter or battery interconnection element, which can be charged externally with at least two different charging voltages by the DC / DC converter and / or the interconnection element, and a charging interface (38) for charging the traction battery (12), which is arranged in an area of ​​a body opening (34), wherein the body opening (34) can be closed by a closing element (32), characterized in that the charging interface (38) has an actuating element (50) for setting the charging voltage and a display device (52) for displaying the set charging voltage, wherein the traction battery (12) can be charged exclusively with a standard charging voltage and a selectable charging voltage, wherein the standard charging voltage is generally preset and the selectable charging voltage can be selected by actuating the actuating element (50), wherein the standard charging voltage is lower than the selectable charging voltage.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electric vehicle with an electric drive unit, a traction battery with an internal DC / DC converter or battery interconnection element, which can be charged externally with at least two different charging voltages by the DC / DC converter and / or the interconnection element, and a charging interface for charging the traction battery, which is arranged in an area of ​​a body opening, wherein the body opening can be closed by a closing element.

[0002] High-voltage traction batteries in electric vehicles, i.e., vehicles powered by either a supplementary or exclusively electric motor, have different technical charging voltage levels, such as 400 V or 800 V, depending on the manufacturer and model. In electric vehicles where high drive power and the shortest possible charging time for the traction battery are desired, traction batteries with a charging voltage of, for example, 800 V are used. DE 10 2017 010 998 A1 and DE 10 2015 101 187 A1, for example, disclose an electric vehicle in which the traction battery of the electric vehicle can be charged with two different charging voltages, namely 400 V and 800 V. Furthermore, DE 10 2013 216 289 A1, DE 43 44 368 C1 and EP 3 587 169 A1 reveal a setting option for a charging parameter on an external part of an electric vehicle.

[0003] Many high-voltage charging stations, however, offer a lower maximum charging voltage, for example, a nominal 400 V, including most charging stations in China. Due to existing communication protocols that define the communication between the charging station's charging controller and the vehicle's charging controller, initiating a charging process for an electric vehicle with a charging voltage of, for example, 800 V is difficult or even impossible at a charging station with a lower maximum charging voltage of, for example, 400 V.

[0004] During charging, a charging cable's charging plug is inserted into a charging port on the electric vehicle, which is accessible through an opening in the vehicle's body. This opening is closed by a locking mechanism, such as a charging flap, while the electric vehicle is in motion.

[0005] After the vehicle's charging interface is electrically connected to the charging plug, the electric vehicle typically registers itself with the charging station's charging control unit via its charging controller, in this example with a high charging voltage of, for example, 800 V. If the charging voltage requested by the electric vehicle exceeds the maximum charging station charging voltage of, for example, 400 V, the charging station's charging control unit rejects a charging process.

[0006] As a result, the 800 V traction battery of an electric vehicle can only be charged at charging stations that have a high charging voltage of 800 V, thus matching the charging voltage required by the electric vehicle. Consequently, the network of charging stations for electric vehicles with a traction battery that requires a high charging voltage, such as 800 V, is relatively limited.

[0007] From the subsequently published DE 10 2020 119 974 A1 it is known that it is possible to switch between two charging voltages via an actuating element which is located at a charging interface or in the vehicle interior or is implemented in the form of an app application on a mobile device.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the invention is to create an electric vehicle whose traction battery can be charged at different charging stations with different charging station charging voltages.

[0009] This problem is solved according to the invention by an electric vehicle according to claim 1.

[0010] Because the charging interface includes an operating element for adjusting the charging voltage, a simple and cost-effective means can be provided to set the charging voltage requested by the electric vehicle from the charging station. This allows the traction battery to be charged at different charging stations with varying charging voltages. Before a charging process is started, i.e., before a charging plug is inserted into the charging interface and the electric vehicle is connected to the charging station, a person inserting the plug can set the charging voltage requested by the electric vehicle from the charging station. Setting the requested charging voltage prevents the electric vehicle from requesting a higher charging voltage from the charging station than is generally permitted by the charging station's charging controller.By positioning the operating element at the charging interface, the person inserting the charging plug into the charging interface can easily adjust or change the charging voltage to the appropriate charging voltage for the charging station just before inserting the plug, without having to go back into the vehicle interior or to another location to adjust the charging voltage.

[0011] The traction battery can only be charged with a standard charging voltage and a selectable charging voltage. The standard charging voltage is always preset, while the selectable charging voltage can be chosen by pressing the operating element. For example, the standard charging voltage can be defined as a charging voltage offered at most charging stations. An alternative charging voltage offered at a few charging stations is defined as the selectable charging voltage. This means that in most cases, the traction battery is charged with the standard charging voltage, and the operating element does not need to be pressed. In exceptional cases, the operating element must be pressed to charge the traction battery. This simplifies the charging process.

[0012] The standard charging voltage is lower than the selectable charging voltage. This allows the traction battery to be charged at any available charging station using the lower charging voltage. If a charging station allows a higher charging voltage, the actuating element can be activated, thus enabling faster charging of the traction battery. In a preferred embodiment, the standard charging voltage is 400 V and the selectable charging voltage is 800 V.

[0013] The charging interface features a display device to show the set charging voltage. This ensures that the currently set charging voltage requested by the electric vehicle is visible at all times.

[0014] Preferably, the charging interface comprises a charging cradle element to which an electrical connection device is attached, with the actuating element being located on the charging cradle element. This ensures that the actuating element is covered when the locking element is closed and inaccessible to unauthorized persons. When the traction battery is being charged, the locking element must be opened and the charging plug of the charging cable inserted into the charging interface. Before inserting the charging plug, the person inserting the plug sets the charging voltage to be requested from the charging station by actuating the actuating element, so that the electric vehicle requests a charging voltage compatible with the charging station and a charging process is possible.

[0015] Preferably, the operating element is a single button which can be pressed to select the desired charging voltage. This allows for a simple switch from the standard charging voltage to the selected charging voltage.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, a second actuating element is provided, which is integrated into a touch display located in the vehicle interior. This allows a person, in particular the driver, to also adjust the charging voltage by actuating the second actuating element. For example, when charging the traction battery using an automatically docking charging robot, the required charging voltage can be set without the person having to leave the electric vehicle.

[0017] This design of the electric vehicle allows the traction battery to be charged at different charging stations, whereby the charging voltage required by the charging station can be set in a simple and cost-effective way.

[0018] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. The Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows an electric vehicle and a charging station, and the Fig. Figure 2 shows a section of the electric vehicle from Fig. 1.

[0019] The Fig. Figure 1 shows an electric vehicle 10 with a traction battery 12 and an electric drive unit 14. The electric drive unit 14 is located in the front of the electric vehicle 10 and drives the front wheels of the electric vehicle 10. The electric drive unit 14 is electrically connected to the traction battery 12 via a control unit 16, with the traction battery 12 supplying the electric drive unit 14 with electrical energy during driving.

[0020] The Fig. Figure 1 also shows a charging station 20, which serves to charge the traction battery 12. The charging station 20 is electrically connected to the electric vehicle 10 via a charging cable 22, the charging cable 22 having a charging station-side charging plug 24 for connection to the charging station 20 and a vehicle-side charging plug 26 for connection to the electric vehicle 10. The charging station-side charging plug 24 can also be permanently fixed to the charging station 20. The vehicle-side charging plug 26 is connected to a [missing information] during the charging process. Fig. The charging interface 38 of the electric vehicle 10 shown in the diagram is coupled.

[0021] To connect the vehicle's charging plug 26 to the charging interface 38, a body opening 34 is provided on a body component 30 of the electric vehicle 10. The vehicle's charging plug 26 is inserted through this opening to be plugged into the charging interface 38 located inside the electric vehicle 10, i.e., behind the body component 30. The body opening 34 is open only during the charging process. When the electric vehicle 10 is in operation, the body opening 34 is closed and locked by a locking element 32, in particular a charging flap.

[0022] The charging interface 38 has a charging recess element 31, which is attached in the body opening 34. An electrical connection device 39 is attached to the charging recess element 31, which has an AC connection 40 and a DC connection 42. The electrical connection device 39 is designed in this case such that a CCS charging plug can be inserted. Likewise, the electrical connection device 39 can also be designed differently, i.e., for other types of charging plugs.

[0023] The charging process typically proceeds as follows: after the vehicle's charging plug 26 is electrically connected to the charging interface 38, the electric vehicle 10 registers with the charging station's charging controller 20 via its charging controller, which is integrated into the control unit 16, and requests a predefined charging voltage. If the charging voltage requested by the electric vehicle 10 exceeds the maximum charging station charging voltage, the charging station's charging controller rejects the charging process. Such a rejection of the charging process occurs particularly with electric vehicles 10 that require a high charging voltage for fast charging. An electric vehicle 10 that can only request a high charging voltage for fast charging the traction battery 12 can therefore only be charged at a limited number of charging stations 20.

[0024] According to the invention, an actuating element 50 is provided at the charging interface 38, in particular at the charging cradle element 31. This actuating element is connected to the control unit 16 and allows the charging voltage requested by the electric vehicle 10 during the charging process to be changed or adjusted. The actuating element 50 is designed as a button. Alternatively, the actuating element 50 could also be designed as a rotary knob or a switch. Additionally, a second actuating element for adjusting the charging voltage can be provided, which is located in the vehicle interior, in particular integrated into a touch display.

[0025] By actuating the operating element 50, several different, predefined charging voltages can be set, for example, by means of a rotary knob. Otherwise, and in the present case, a standard charging voltage, in particular 400 V, is generally preset, whereby by actuating the operating element 50, which is designed as a knob, a single selectable charging voltage, in particular 800 V, can be set for the upcoming charging process. In order to charge the traction battery with the high selectable charging voltage, i.e., fast charge it, a person must actively actuate the operating element 50 before plugging in the vehicle's charging plug 26, thereby selecting the selectable charging voltage for this one charging process. After the charging process, the standard charging voltage is set again, and the operating element 50 would have to be actuated again before plugging in the charging plug 26 for the next fast charging process with a charging voltage of 800 V.

[0026] By setting the required charging voltage, the traction battery 12 can be charged at a variety of charging stations 20. The standard charging voltage is chosen to be low enough to prevent the charging process from being blocked at most charging stations 20 due to an excessively high requested charging voltage from the electric vehicle 10. Once charging the traction battery 12 at a charging station 20 with a high charging voltage is possible, the actuating element 50 can be manually operated by a person, allowing the traction battery 12 to be charged in a relatively short time.

[0027] Furthermore, a display device 52 is arranged on the charging trough element 31. The display device 52 has two lights 54, 56, which illuminate depending on whether a standard charging voltage or a second charging voltage is set.

[0028] By designing the electric vehicle 10 in this way, the traction battery 12 can be charged at different charging stations 20, whereby the charging voltage to be requested from the charging station 20 can be set in a simple and cost-effective manner.

[0029] Other design embodiments besides those described are also possible and fall within the scope of protection of the main claim. In particular, the actuating element 50 or the electrical connection device 39 could be designed differently. Furthermore, the charging voltage values ​​could be selected differently.

Claims

[1] Electric vehicle with an electric drive unit (14), a traction battery (12) with an internal DC / DC converter or battery interconnection element, which can be charged externally with at least two different charging voltages by the DC / DC converter and / or the interconnection element, and a charging interface (38) for charging the traction battery (12), which is arranged in an area of ​​a body opening (34), wherein the body opening (34) can be closed by a closing element (32), characterized by , that the charging interface (38) has an actuating element (50) for setting the charging voltage and a display device (52) for displaying the set charging voltage, wherein the traction battery (12) can be charged exclusively with a standard charging voltage and a selectable charging voltage, wherein the standard charging voltage is generally preset and the selectable charging voltage can be selected by actuating the actuating element (50), wherein the standard charging voltage is lower than the selectable charging voltage. [2] Electric vehicle according to claim 1, characterized by , that the charging interface (38) has a charging trough element (31) to which an electrical connection device (39) is attached, wherein the actuating element (50) is arranged on the charging trough element (31). [3] Electric vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the standard charging voltage is 400 V and the selectable charging voltage is 800 V. [4] Electric vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the actuating element (50) is a single button which can be pressed to select the charging voltage. [5] Electric vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that a second actuation element is provided, which is integrated into a touch display located in the vehicle interior.

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