This plug and play solution enables accurate billing of electric vehicle (EV) charging and reduces time to market for new faster chargers.
The EV markets in the US and Canada are growing steadily and LEM, a company specializing in electrical metering technology, believes that its UL-certified DCBM (Direct Current Billing Meter) will help accelerate the development of an extensive infrastructure of cargo in North America.
The two-way DCBM represents a significant step forward in supporting the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers in North America as it will enable manufacturers of electric vehicle (ECVE) charging stations to accelerate their certification based on DC meter requirements. according to the CTEP/NTEP certification (Certified Test and Evaluation Professional/National Type Evaluation Program). The DCBM will simplify the process of validating its own charging stations by UL certified manufacturers and, for added peace of mind, they will undergo a new review every quarter.
The new meter, which is capable of monitoring current, voltage, temperature, and energy, has been designed with data security, electromobility, digitization, and flexibility in mind, and is a UL-recognized component for the US. and Canada. The DCBM 400/600 meets UL 61010 and UL 810 standards with its certification in the FTRZ category for EV applications. To achieve this certification, the meter had to pass reinforced insulation tests and temperature tests for all its components and sub-assemblies, protection tests against electric shocks, durability of work tests, temperature limit tests of equipment and resistance. against heat and fire risk.
In California, where there is a long-term transportation strategy that involves reducing CO emissions2 and greenhouse gases, it has been recognized that a comprehensive and reliable refueling infrastructure is essential to meet the goal of promoting the use of low-emission hybrid electric vehicles and zero-emission battery electric vehicles.
To do this, EV users need an experience similar to that of a gas station, so vehicle charging times must be reduced to a few minutes. Direct current fast charging (DCFC) makes this possible by converting AC to DC
out of the VE. This avoids the use of an on-board charger (OBC) and makes it possible to supply up to 350kW of power directly to the vehicle's battery pack.
However, although this method increases the charging power, the conversion stage generates power losses whose cost is not borne by the owner of the EV. That's why knowing exactly how much power has been delivered to a vehicle after converting AC to DC is critical for accurate and transparent billing.
The DCBM 400/600, ideal for DCFC stations from 25kW to 400kW, allows precise cost management and integrates billing data subscribed according to the OCMF (Open Charge Metering Format) protocol. The new meter not only provides true billing but also secure communications and easy connectivity to cloud services. The DCBM 400/600, which is based on a simple plug & play concept in order to facilitate and speed up its integration, even when adapting existing charging stations, has a mobile measurement element to be compatible with any type of station architecture. of load.
Other features of the meter are its ability to communicate via Ethernet, its compatibility with the HTTP/REST protocol, and its synchronization using the NTP protocol (Network Time Protocol), which also simplifies integration into many types of ECVE. The bidirectional energy meter is compatible with V2G (vehicle-to-grid) and V2X (vehicle-to-everything) standards. Finally, the robust design of the DCBM 400/600 offers accuracy at temperatures from -40°C to +85°C and its housing has IP20 protection.
Claude Champion, Managing Director of LEM USA Inc., noted: “The EV markets in the US and Canada are growing steadily but this growth could be held back by insufficient access to fast DC charging stations. LEM understands exactly the needs of the sector and has worked closely with ECVE manufacturers and installers in developing solutions such as the DCBM 400/600. We stand ready to help make a zero carbon future possible in North America.”
