○ Gyeonggi Research Institute presents a standardization plan for electric bus charging infrastructure, expected to improve compatibility and smart charging
○ Integrated and smart charging control function can be strengthened by mandatory application of protocol (communication protocol) OCPP 1.6
○ Improve management and operation efficiency through real-time monitoring and visualization of charging infrastructure
In Gyeonggi-do, about 2,000 electric buses are in operation as eco-friendly public transportation for the convenience of residents. With the expansion of the supply of electric buses, there were opinions that problems such as limitations in technology due to rapid demand for charging infrastructure and limitations in responding to user demands were raised.
The Gyeonggi Research Institute conducted a survey on the status of electric bus chargers and charging management systems, purchase criteria, satisfaction, importance, and standardization measures among 2023 bus transportation companies in Gyeonggi-do that are users of electric buses for three weeks in July 7. It was announced on the 3th that a report titled ‘Let’s charge and manage eco-friendly electric buses smartly’ was published.
According to the report, 26 electric buses in Gyeonggi Province are in operation in 2,039 cities, including Suwon and Yongin (53.2% are domestic electric bus manufacturers), and a total of 1,005 electric bus chargers are being supplied by 11 companies. Satisfaction with Gyeonggi-do's electric bus charger (75.9% positive) and charging management system (65.2% positive) was evaluated as positive overall.
What is considered when purchasing electric bus charging infrastructure is the maintenance system (28.6%) for chargers, the awareness and reliability of the supplier (18.3%), and price and incidental costs (18.3%). For the charging management system, operation and communication compatibility. (22.8%), maintenance system (19.5%), and smart charging function and cost reduction (16.3%).
The top priority for improvement in chargers was smart charging efficiency and technology. Functional satisfaction was found to be about basic functions, and importance was about follow-up management. The influence of satisfaction was found to be compatibility with the charging management system, smart charging efficiency, charging information collection items, and The content was highly analyzed.
The top priority for improvement in the charging management system was the convenience of menu composition, satisfaction with functionality, and the after-sales service (A/S) period. The influence on satisfaction with the charging management system was the reputation of the product and the supplier. Costs for awareness, installation, and operation were analyzed to be high.
In addition, the level of standardization and technology such as protocols (communication protocols) is still in its infancy, and compatibility between different models and smart charging efficiency were pointed out as problems.
Accordingly, the researcher developed a plan to standardize electric bus charging infrastructure in Gyeonggi-do by ▲ constructing an integrated control system that connects chargers and charging management systems ▲ enabling charging and management of electric buses with a single charging management system regardless of vehicle, garage, and charging infrastructure manufacturer. Expanding the scope of integrated control ▲Establishing a smart charging strategy such as sequential charging of electric buses and recognizing season, time, and vehicle information ▲Providing real-time monitoring and visualization of charging infrastructure, etc., and expanding administrator authority to improve the efficiency of management and operation, improving convenience , provision of history data, etc.
Kim Jeom-san, head of the Planning and Coordination Division at Gyeonggi Research Institute, said, “The sustainability and completeness of the electric bus charging infrastructure standard model can be improved if the interest and role of the central government and local governments are strengthened and a cooperation model between stakeholders is established.” He added, “Gyeonggi-do is charging electric buses. “We are working to apply and advance infrastructure standardization, and active support is needed in the areas of integrated control, smart charging control, and general control,” he said. In addition, he emphasized, “Gyeonggi-do and cities and counties need to update and distribute the standard model of Gyeonggi-do’s electric bus charging infrastructure every year and promote the establishment of a cooperation model including business operators for technology application.”