Overview
The EASYBAT project was about electric cars and switchable batteries. Standardized automobile components and interfaces were developed within the framework of this project. This enabled European automobile and battery manufacturers to easily integrate battery switching technology into their electric car platform.
The Battery is the Car: new traction battery packs make the fully electric plug-in vehicles more and more capable. Their share of the price of the car is set to become even more dominant. Factors driving this include the strident demand for better car range. Battery packs increasingly incorporate electronics for safety and power conversion. The integration of these new complex battery packs presents major challenges especially considering the current lack of standards.
EASYBAT's main mission was to address these integration challenges by defining new concepts for the smart insertion of batteries and by developing in particular generic interfaces for electric vehicles. This research worked towards enabling smooth battery integration and swaps. The creation of the EASYBAT integration system for electric vehicles was also set as a goal of the project.
The EASYBAT project approach was to:
- develop generic interfaces to improve interoperability between the battery system modules and the vehicle on board-systems and
- develop new components for an easy safe location and quick integration of the battery in the vehicle; at each stage of the project, the EASYBAT partners will assess the feasibility of the overall battery swapping concept considering costs, logistics, and environmental aspects.
Based on these parameters, the EASYBAT system performance was to be compared to alternative solutions for electric vehicles.
The EASYBAT consortium included a major electric vehicle services provider,one of the top global OEMs, a leading automotive supplier, research institutes covering fields of expertise such as safety security,interfaces and communication protocols, electric vehicles' electrical architecture, and standardization within the IEC/ISO.
The EASYBAT partners were to offer solutions enabling cost effective, environmental friendly switchable battery packs that contribute to unleashing the electric vehicles potential for a wider use.
The EASYBAT project was divided in specified work packages which were all assigned to a determined party within the project team for execution. Steps necessary for the completion of the work packages are defined.
The EASYBAT project consistsed of 9 work packages:
Work Package 1: System Requirements & Use-cases Definition
Work Package 2: Economics Environmental Impact and Feasibility Benchmark Study
Work Package 3: System Architecture Design
Work Package 4: Generic Battery Interfaces Definition and Development
Work Package 5: Battery Packaging, Vehicle Integration Models and Safety Aspects
Work Package 6:Battery Operation Cycle Management and Communication with the Vehicle and Battery Swap Mechanism
Work Package 7:Integration, Validation and Field Testing
Work Package 8:Dissemination, Standardization and Exploitation of Results
Work Package 9:Management
Funding
Results
Vehicle – in the EASYBAT context, 'vehicle' refers to full electric vehicle (EV), with a switchable battery (as opposed to hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrids, range extension or fixed battery electric vehicles).
The electric car is becoming inevitable. Nearly every major automaker has an active program to develop and introduce EVs, ultimately providing the consumer a broad range of options. These electric vehicles will be distinctive in more respects than their zero tailpipe emissions. EVs inherently provide instant torque, delivering smooth, seamless acceleration. EVs also offer ultra-quiet operation. And since these cars typically have half the moving parts of their gas combustion engine counterparts, lower maintenance costs are expected.
EVs are giving automakers new freedom for innovative designs since the engine, exhaust and complex gearing systems are replaced by simple gearboxes, electric motors and solid state batteries. Flat or ‘pancake’ batteries under the floor of a car allow the cars to have a lower centre of gravity, improving handling and increasing interior packaging flexibility.
In addition to the performance benefits, an easily accessible location simplifies manufacturing and will reduce maintenance costs.
All this means that in the coming decade, EVs will be at the centre of mainstream personal transportation.
Electric vehicles suffer from short driving range performance. By switching the battery of the electric vehicle, its range can be virtually limitless.
Battery Switch Station (BSS) – In order for EVs to provide a "no compromise" solution, they need to deliver the same freedom to go anywhere that drivers of combustion engine cars enjoy today. Long battery recharge times are a matter of physics. Even as batteries and charging infrastructure improve, using EVs for long journeys will require a way to quickly and reliably extend the range provided by a battery.
The battery switch station provides this solution using an ingenious robotic system to switch new batteries for depleted ones, cool and charge the batteries in inventory, and manage the complex logistics to ensure that each EV gets a fully-charged battery each time the vehicle arrives at a station.
At the battery switch station, drivers enter a lane and the station takes over from there. The car proceeds along a conveyor while the automated switch platform below the vehicle aligns under the battery, washes the underbody, initiates the battery
Strategy targets
Innovating for the future: technology and behaviour:
- Promoting more sustainable development