TIPA EV
Electric vehicles (EVs) come in two main types: Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs). The charging requirements for each differ, with HEVs needing less power due to their smaller battery capacities, and they typically cannot be fast charged. On the other hand, BEVs can be charged using a standard mains plug and can reach up to 80% charge in about 20 minutes via supercharging.
This proposal focuses on BEV charging, as HEV charging is covered within this context due to their lower power requirements and smaller battery capacities.
Charging Technology Overview
BEVs are powered by batteries that use Direct Current (DC). Although it is possible to charge a BEV with DC power directly, bypassing the built-in inverter, Alternating Current (AC) is more commonly used. AC power is converted to DC by the vehicle's internal inverter. In this proposal, we will focus on solar power and inverters as part of the charging infrastructure. As Tesla is the most widely used BEV globally, a standard Tesla Model 3 will be used as the example in this use case.
Use Case Example
A Tesla Model 3 with a 300-mile range and an 80kW battery, driven 12,000 miles annually, would require approximately 2.6kW of solar power to charge the vehicle using conventional flat solar panels. Installing such a system on a domestic roof would typically cost £5,500, and it would only charge one vehicle. However, if additional solar capacity is installed, more cars could be charged. Over the lifetime of the vehicle, this setup would prevent the emission of approximately 38 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, according to the International Energy Agency. Source: IEA Comparative Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of BEV and ICE Vehicles.
A larger system, such as a 7.8kW solar array, could charge three cars and would require around 55.6 square metres of roof space if using the largest available solar panel, which is rated at 700W. The installation cost for this would be approximately £16,500 and would necessitate both roof and parking space access.
TIPA Solar Solution
TIPA Solar is a 3D solar technology that generates up to 80% more energy than traditional flat solar panels. It can be retrofitted to street lamps, mobile phone towers, or any pole-like structure. A typical street lamp post, standing 4.24m tall, allows for a 2.0m installation height from the ground, leaving an aesthetic 0.5m clearance from the top. With this configuration, one pole could host up to 2.4kW of TIPA Solar power using the base model, and up to 7.2kW using the TIPA Rosette (currently in development).
Assuming the base TIPA model is used, one pole could charge one vehicle using curbside charging. By installing solar panels on three poles, three cars could be charged without the need for roof space, orientation concerns, or other limitations typically associated with flat solar panels.