EV Charge Rate Comparison for Smart Charging Savings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charge control systems for electric vehicles lack accuracy in electricity rate savings, making it difficult for users to understand the benefits of smart charging and promoting energy efficiency, especially when battery temperature adjustments affect charge amounts.
Innovation Solution
A charge control system that includes a state detection unit, charge amount calculation unit, electricity rate table acquisition unit, discharge amount estimation, electricity rate calculation, and notification unit to compare electricity rates for immediate and timer charging, providing users with accurate savings information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If smart charge service is implemented to save electricity rates, then energy efficiency is improved, but accuracy of electricity rate information decreases making it difficult for users to understand savings
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations of electricity rate savings before charging begins. The notification unit provides users with advance information about expected savings based on the charged amount and electricity rate differences, allowing users to understand the benefits before committing to the smart charge service.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by notifying users of the actual electricity rate savings after charging is completed. The notification unit provides both estimated savings before charging and actual savings after charging, creating a closed-loop information system that improves transparency and user understanding of the smart charge service benefits.
2Reliability
If battery temperature is adjusted or pre-air-conditioning is performed while vehicle is stopped, then battery performance is maintained, but charge amount changes making saving effect difficult to understand
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the electricity rate calculation into distinct components: charging cost, battery temperature adjustment cost, and pre-air-conditioning cost. By separately calculating and presenting these components, the system maintains battery performance requirements while providing clear information about the specific savings achieved from smart charging versus auxiliary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by providing differentiated information about different types of electricity consumption. Instead of presenting a single aggregated charge amount, the notification unit provides localized information about charging-specific savings versus auxiliary function consumption, allowing users to understand the specific benefits of smart charging independent of battery maintenance activities.
3Device complexity
If charge amount is calculated without considering discharge amount for battery temperature adjustment, then calculation is simple, but accuracy of electricity rate information decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary estimation of the discharge amount required for battery temperature adjustment before calculating the final charge amount. By anticipating the auxiliary power consumption needs, the system can provide more accurate electricity rate information while maintaining a relatively simple calculation framework that builds on basic charge amount determination.
Data Source
AI summary
A charge control system includes a state detection unit, an electricity rate calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the charge amount, the electricity rate table, and the discharge amount, a first electricity rate with respect to a charge and discharge amount from a first time to a next vehicle use time when charge is started, and calculate a second electricity rate with respect to a charge and discharge amount from a second time to the next vehicle use time when charge is started, the first time being a time after the state detection unit detects that charge is available, the second time being different from the first time, an electricity rate comparison unit configured to compare the first electricity rate with the second electricity rate, and a notification unit configured to notify of a comparison result provided by the electricity rate comparison unit.