In previous posts we have given insights of the Distributed Charging Architecture - consisting of a powerblock and dispensers. This article looks specifically at the dispenser — what it is, why it is disruptive, and how EcoG is involved in its development.
The dispenser unveiled
What is the dispenser and why is it so important? Dispensers are the systems facing towards the EV driver and interfacing to the electric vehicle. They take over the communication with the electric vehicle, switch through the DC supply provided by the Powerblock to e-vehicles and are a key element for delivering a frictionless user experience. They not only convey the available energy capacity of the charging point and our battery's absorption capability but also monitor battery temperature conditions and estimate charging duration in close interaction with the electric vehicle. Additionally, these units provide information to the users and support the processing of payment, providing a comprehensive charging experience.
An overview of typical dispenser components is illustrated below:
Versatile and specialized sub-system
As the dispenser does not contain power electronics, this sub-system can be a lean design without specific requirements especially on cooling or electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) which reduces complexity and space requirements significantly compared to stand alone chargers. Instead the focus can stay on the core functionalities of a dispenser, enabling wider freedom for customization into the given environment (e.g. retailer, highway, parking garage, fleet depot) and focus on user experience.
Something many different use cases have in common is the limited available space to fit a charger - a first sweet spot for the compact dispenser. In retail locations, where customers spend around 30-40 minutes, numerous easy accessible parking spaces with medium and adaptable charging speeds are preferred, fitting seamlessly into existing lots and the length of stay of customers. Dispensers need to be compact and not necessarily require liquid cooled cables for ultra-fast charging. For highway charging hubs, the emphasis lies on high speed charging, simple accessibility, parking and drive-through, reservations and ordered queuing - driving a different design of the dispensers. Fleet depots necessitate ease of maneuverability for vans or trucks, leading to dispensers designed as cables hanging from rooftops. These diverse scenarios underscore the crucial need for a higher flexibility to meet distinct requirements across different settings.
A strategic simplistic design ensures optimal utilization of resources, a factor vital for enhancing overall system efficiency as dispensers serve various needs, requiring adaptability in shape and function.
Delivering EV interoperability and simple UX
The dispenser holds several pivotal functions like: communication with the electric vehicle by ensuring maximum interoperability with any EV on the road, offering a seamless user experience with simple cable handling and user flows for starting, paying and stopping a session, status indicators to show progress of ongoing session or an active reservation, interacting with the central powerblock and optimizing load based on EV demand and available DC supply.
To achieve smooth operations and up-to-date functionality, online connectivity for Over-The-Air (OTA) updates is crucial.
EcoG Dispenser Starter Kit: A living implementation
How is EcoG involved in it? Beyond its offer of a universal operating system for dispensers, EcoG offers an efficient path to launching your own dispensers product series by providing a reference design for the dispenser — the EcoG Dispenser Starter Kit.
This comprehensive kit provides a reference architecture for the dispenser and is reducing complexity in dispenser development and enables a fast series production. The Starter Kit, illustrated in the accompanying photo, serves as a guide for manufacturers, allowing them to explore, customize, and accelerate the development of their very own dispenser with a shortened time2market and cost reduction.
Furthermore manufacturers can focus on features that drive a better customer experience, for example allocated RFID / payment terminals, larger display screens, and LED indicators or on the other extreme can choose an industrial robust, simple to use and minimal UI with buttons and LEDs.
Collaboration and Market Approach
The success of dispenser development is intrinsically tied to collaboration. We strongly believe in an ecosystem approach to advance and scale DC charging development and production. Through strategic partnerships with industry leaders, EcoG has paved the way for cooperative efforts, expediting dispenser development with a proven methodology already successful in the segment of stand-alone chargers.
Check out more blog posts in this series here: https://get.ecog.io/ecog-distributed-charging-architecture
About EcoG
EcoG is a global IP and tech company working on the rapid expansion of sustainable charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. With its charge controllers, reference designs and software, it enables companies to get products & services to market quickly and scale profitably.
EcoG is already the market leader in Europe with more than 15% market share and a strong footprint in the Indian and North American markets. Overall, EcoG grew four times faster than the market last year. Industrial giants such as Siemens or one of the world’s largest service station equipment suppliers are among its customers. The company continues to grow in 2024 and as a next step invests 14,4M$ in its North American HQ in the USA.
