On-Demand EV Charging via Vehicle-to-Vehicle Energy Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure faces inefficiencies due to limited battery range and peak demand challenges, necessitating innovative solutions for flexible and efficient energy distribution.
Innovation Solution
An on-demand power system allowing electric vehicles to charge each other using various energy sources, including solar panels and the grid, with a central system facilitating transactions and payment, enabling users to share energy during peak demand times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If electric vehicles use heavy batteries to increase range and power, then battery capacity and power density improve, but vehicle weight increases and charging infrastructure requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple energy sources (solar panels, grid charging, and vehicle-to-vehicle charging) into a hybrid energy system. This allows the vehicle to accumulate energy from diverse sources, effectively increasing battery capacity without requiring a single large heavy battery, thus resolving the contradiction between battery capacity and vehicle weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging system is designed to perform multiple functions: it can charge from solar panels, from the grid, or from other vehicles. This multi-functional approach allows the system to adapt to different charging scenarios, reducing the need for oversized batteries while maintaining range flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional charging stations are deployed to provide power, then charging availability improves, but peak demand pressure on public utilities worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements vehicle-to-vehicle charging where vehicles that have excess energy (charged from solar or grid during off-peak hours) can directly charge other vehicles. This peer-to-peer energy sharing reduces the need for centralized charging infrastructure during peak demand periods, allowing the system to serve itself and reducing strain on public utilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system encourages charging during off-peak hours when energy is cheaper and more abundant, storing energy in vehicle batteries for later use. This preliminary charging action during low-demand periods reduces the need for peak demand charging, thereby improving charging availability while reducing peak demand pressure on the grid.
3Ease of manufacture
If solar panels are used to generate energy, then energy independence and cost-effectiveness improve, but energy generation consistency and reliability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines solar energy generation with grid charging and vehicle-to-vehicle energy sharing to create a hybrid energy system. This diversification of energy sources compensates for the intermittency of solar power, ensuring that vehicles can reliably charge even when solar generation is inconsistent, thus improving overall system reliability while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system alleviates peak demand pressures on public utilities, reduces the need for expensive battery backup systems, and provides a convenient, cost-effective energy source for electric vehicles, while offering users a return on energy resale.
Implementation Method 1
The source may be a solar panel attached to the vehicle
Data Source
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AI summary
An on-demand power service provides electrical vehicle charging. Requesting the on-demand power service may include determining a current location of a computing device, determining an amount of power requested by a user of the computing device, and locating a plurality of mobile charging stations within a predefined geographic distance from the current location of the computing device. The method further includes receiving a price associated with each respective mobile charging station among the plurality of mobile charging stations, and providing on a display of the computing device, selectable options to purchase on-demand power from a mobile charging station among the plurality of mobile charging stations.