From Complexity to Simplicity: Software for EV Charging Stations

Project in a Nutshell: The high cost of charging stations due to the need to use complex equipment was a problem that Promwad solved by order of their client. We developed software that will allow computing processes to be transferred from the hardware part of the charging station to the cloud. Now, the protocols required for the charging station operation are executed and processed on a server in the cloud infrastructure. This approach will eliminate complex and expensive equipment and make charging stations more affordable

Client & Challenge

Our client, a leading developer of charging station technologies for electric vehicles, plans to bring a cost-effective charging station solution to market.

Existing charging stations for electric vehicles are based on complex and expensive hardware platforms, which increases their cost. This leads to a negative market trend: a shortage of charging stations. Our client set a task to replace such a hardware platform with a more budget-friendly option while retaining all the functionality of the system.

Solution

The Promwad team in this project was responsible for the development of software that will allow the transfer of computing processes from the hardware part of the charging station to the cloud. Now, the protocols necessary for the charging station operation are executed and processed on a server in the cloud infrastructure:

OCPP for communication with the infrastructure;

TLS encryption protocol for data protection;

ISO 15118 (Plug & Charge protocol) to automate the charging process, seamless authorisation and payment when the car is connected to the charging station.

_{Traditional charging station architecture based on complex and expensive hardware}

Benefits of the solution:

Reduced cost of charging stations: the new architecture with computing in the cloud allows the replacement of expensive hardware platforms with affordable solutions based on a simple microcontroller and CAN interface.

Versatility: the new software can be integrated into any hardware solution, making it fully vendor-independent.

Security: transaction processing now takes place in the cloud rather than on the charging station board, reducing the risk of cyber-attacks.

Empowerment: the platform allows the customisation of functions to control the use of stations and the distribution of energy to users.

_{Charging station principle where all computational processes are transferred to the cloud}

One possible application of the new technology is to combine it with a smart plug. This would be a device that plugs into any unmanaged charging station and takes control of the charging process.

Business Value

As a result, our customer has a solution that makes charging stations more affordable and safer, while retaining all the functionality they need. The reduced cost of the hardware platform opens up opportunities for mass adoption in both home and public charging stations, and our software can already be adapted for new, vendor-independent smart solutions.

Reach Out

More of What We Do for EV Charging
EV Charging: explore the services we provide to develop hardware and software solutions for deploying electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Implementing OCPP for Charging Stations: a case study of OCPP software development for charging stations developed by Promwad for Proterra (USA).
OCPP Implementation: our study of the key features and benefits of the OCPP protocol.

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