EV Charging Speed Tier Selection for Time-Cost Tradeoffs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Operators of electric vehicles often fail to realize time and cost savings available from varying charging speed levels at charging stations, leading to unnecessary increased time and expense due to unawareness of different pricing schemes and charging speeds.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that determines available pricing schemes associated with different charging speed tiers, presenting these to the operator through a user interface, allowing selection of a desired state of charge and automatically adjusting the charging speed based on operator preference, thereby optimizing charging time and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If operators charge at maximum charging speed regardless of pricing, then charging time is minimized, but charging cost increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts charging speed based on real-time pricing schemes and operator preferences. The charging station transitions from static maximum speed charging to dynamic speed adjustment, selecting optimal charging tiers that balance time and cost based on current pricing conditions and user selections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the charging parameter (charging speed) based on pricing schemes and operator preferences. By presenting multiple pricing schemes with different charging speed tiers, the system enables parameter adjustment to optimize the trade-off between charging time and cost.
2Ease of operation
If operators are unaware of different pricing schemes, then simplicity is maintained, but decision-making quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback to operators by presenting pricing scheme user interfaces that display available pricing schemes, expected charging times, and costs. This feedback loop enables informed decision-making while maintaining ease of operation through automated selection based on user preferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The pricing scheme user interface acts as an intermediary between the charging station's multiple pricing schemes and the operator. It translates complex pricing information into understandable presentations and enables operators to make informed selections without directly managing the complexity of multiple charging tiers.
3Device complexity
If charging speed is fixed regardless of pricing, then system complexity is reduced, but charging efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments charging into multiple speed tiers, each associated with different pricing schemes. This segmentation allows the charging process to be divided into discrete levels (e.g., fast charging, standard charging, economy charging), enabling flexible selection based on pricing and preferences while maintaining manageable system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging station is designed with multi-functionality to support multiple charging speed tiers and pricing schemes. This universal design allows the same infrastructure to serve different charging needs and pricing models, improving overall charging efficiency without requiring separate systems for each charging mode.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for adjusting an electric vehicle charging speed that include determining that an electric vehicle arrives at a charging station and determining a plurality of pricing schemes that are respectively associated with a plurality of charging speed tiers that pertain to respective charging speeds to charge the electric vehicle by the charging station. The system and method also include presenting a pricing scheme user interface that enables an operator of the electric vehicle to select a desired state of charge to charge a battery of the electric vehicle. The system and method further include actuating charging by the charging station at an operator preferred charging speed tier that is respectively associated with a particular charging speed tier of the plurality of charging speed tiers based on a selection of the particular charging speed tier by the operator through the pricing scheme user interface.