Tesla Motors Shows Off China's First Solar Supercharger

Tesla's Solar Supercharger in China

InsideEVs Is Always On The Scene

At Auto China 2014, Tesla Motors took the opportunity to showcase its first solar Supercharger in Beijing

"At the recent delivery ceremony of Tesla's first batch of Chinese orders in Beijing, two PV charging systems caught the eyes of the guests. The system was requested by Tesla Motors, and designed and manufactured by Hanergy Solar Group. Hanergy thin-film flexible PV system was Tesla's first choice for the first PV Supercharger station in China."

Though the solar Superchargers seen above are in Beijing, China, Tesla Motors opened a similar Supercharger site in Shanghai, China.
At the Model S delivery ceremony, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk commented:

"In the future, Tesla will work with partners to build supercharger network. The first charging station in Beijing was built in cooperation with Hanergy Solar Group. Tesla will continue to invest in the construction of superchargers in China, aiming to quickly expand the network."

As for those solar carports/Supercharger, Hanergy Solar Group states:

"Hanergy Solar Group will deliver two solar carports, each in Beijing and Jiading, Shanghai. The Beijing carport, a mobile carport designed to be assembled and transported, adopts Hanergy's GSE flexible thin-film solar modules. The Shanghai carport will be a fixed structure, and adopts Hanergy's MiaSole CIGS high-efficiency modules. The first phase of both carports has been completed."

But wait, there's more in the work.  Musk says that Tesla is already in the process of building 7 Supercharger networks in China, all of which will be solar-powered units with energy storage systems..  They'll be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  The first of those networks will be in Beijing and Shanghai.

Model S in China

Locations Of China's First Two Superchargers

Back to Hanergy's solar carports:

"The PV charging system by Hanergy Solar Group protects vehicles like ordinary carports while converting sunlight into electricity utilizing its designated rooftop. At the same time, the system charges the electric vehicle through its energy storage system. The system uses the CIGS thin-film PV technology, the most advanced in the world. With conversion rates peaking at 20.5%, this technology offers light weight, flexibility, excellent low-light performance and advanced packaging. More importantly, no fixed column is required, which significantly reduces the cost. The carport is mobile, beautiful, modern in appearance, and a perfectly integrated to city surroundings, providing convenient and fast charging services to electric car owners."

Lastly, Ms. Zhang Qingliang, Vice President of Hanergy Global Solar Power and Application Group, stated:

"We are pleased to be the one to provide Tesla the first batch of solar powered Supercharging stations in China. As a technology-driven company, Hanergy has been actively exploring ways to utilize its thin-film photovoltaic technology to provide solutions through technological innovation and cross industrial integration. We have been working with multiple domestic and foreign automobile manufacturers to integrate solar, and is also researching on energy storage, photovoltaic car roof and other solar-automobile applications."

China's dependence upon coal for electricity is what convinced Tesla Motors that all Superchargers in China will rely on the power of the Sun and be supplemented by energy storage systems.

Source: Inside EVs

EVTV Friday Show - March 21, 2014

- New CALB LiFePo4 battery lineup announced

- Bottom balancing of the Better Place battery pack

- We show the Hauber Siemens Twins dual AC motor

The very long process of Bottom Balancing, especially with this big 48 modules pack ...
But it is worth it and has to be performed only once
I did the same with 3 modules and it took me roughly a week ...



New CALB LiFePo4 battery lineup announced: A much smaller format and a great improvement in Energy Density !



Jack ordered two boats to convert to Electric: this one and the same as Anne Kloppenborg just built in Amsterdam


EVtv Europe: Anne Kloppenborg shows the 818 build latest step




Good new on the prop problem on the Delta: Now it really flies !



Jehu Garcia takes us to another Californian VW Show




A fully Electric airplane



EV West shipped back the twin Siemens AC Motors to EVtv

China’s Prime Minister Calls For Massive Roll-Out of EVs

Most EVs From China End Up in Fleets

With China finally squaring away all the details of its EV incentive program (up to $17,000 per EV purchase) and committing to an extension of the incentive program to beyond 2015, now comes word from China's Prime Minister that the government is going to begin a massive push to get EVs on the roads.

BYD 40-foot Pure-Electric Transit Bus

China has made similar statement in the past, but it seems that the Prime Minister is serious this time.
As RTCC reports , Premier Li Keqiang publicly stated:

"New energy vehicles, especially buses, can help to improve urban pollution and noise problems in cities; everyone should use it. The government should play an exemplary role. In the face of growing environmental pollution, we have to face these problems."

By everyone, Li Keqiang means everyone.  Government.  Public and private fleets.  Individuals.  And so on.  The only major issue is China's lack of public charging stations.  The lacking infrastructure has been, and still remains, a hindrance to EV adoption in China.



Source: RTCC & Inside EVs

BYD and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Complete Successful Pilot Test of BYD Electric Bus

BYD and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced the conclusion of a pilot test on a BYD 40-foot electric bus, held from Aug 25th to Oct 25th.

It took two months for the final report data to be summarized for distribution.

Kevin Ortiz MTA’s spokesman stated:
“The general purpose of the program was to evaluate how an electric bus could perform in New York City’s heavy traffic, whether the electric bus can meet the twin challenges of operating in the stop-and-go traffic of Manhattan while maintaining high levels of passenger comfort and operational performance”



Tests were carried out on several different routes throughout Manhattan, including M20, M42, M104, M98, M60 and Bx27 and the ebus covered total distance of 1,481 miles. Typical range was 140-155 miles and charging was done at night in 3-4 hours.

In the press release we read the following:
“The BYD all-electric bus “performed excellent” with an average battery consumption of 1.4 miles per % SOC, translating to over 140 miles per full charge in heavy traffic. The average speed of electric bus was ~4 miles per hour under Manhattan’s heavy traffic.”

“After two months of running, the electric bus’s average battery duration was 0.3 hours per % SOC, translating to 30 hours of operation per full charge, as opposed to other competitors that require en route recharging every 2-3 hours during peak-rate times. These uninterrupted operational hours are more meaningful in a busy city like New York, as routes and speeds travelled tend to be short in distance but long in duration.”

BYD states 30 hours of operation per full charge. However, we must remember that in the winter, with heat on, this time will drop significantly. Just 10 hours of using a 10 kW heater (we don’t know what is the heating power is in the ebus) would consume 100 kWh, which is one-third of the battery pack size and this does not include drivetrain consumption. But in moderate temperatures, 30 hours could be achievable.

Darryl Irick, President of MTA Bus and SVP, MTA NYC Transit’s Department of Buses remarked:
“This test continues the MTA’s commitment to examine newer, cleaner and more efficient bus propulsion technologies.”

The Chinese manufacturer listed some advantages of its electric buses:

BYD Electric buses provide several advantages over conventionally powered buses;

- Improved air quality and reduced green-house-gas (GHG) emissions.

- BYD buses that are connected to power-interfaces can dispatch power back to the grid (bi-directionally) in case of an emergency or for optimized grid utility.

- BYD buses do not have an internal combustion engine or transmission and many other conventional components, therefore much less has to be replaced or refurbished every year reducing maintenance costs (and labor) significantly.

- Regenerative braking recovers braking energy, recharges batteries and reduces normal brake-pad wear and maintenance.

- Expected operating-cost-per mile of an electric bus is ~$0.20 to $0.30, compared to $1.30 per mile on an equivalent diesel or natural-gas powered bus in New York.


Source : Inside EVs