In the face of environmental challenges and energy mix needs, electric vehicles and charging stations have become a major problem. Although charging infrastructure has been developed to support the advent of electric vehicles, users regularly encounter access difficulties. How can new technologies, especially IoT networks, help build the mobility of the future?
The market for electric and rechargeable vehicles is still evolving
The global market for electric vehicles and charging stations is growing, both in terms of sales and technological development. Electric vehicles should account for 90% of the market share by 2040, a trend justified in particular by new European standards with a ban on the sale of new thermoelectric vehicles by 2035. However, compared to other European countries, France is experiencing delays in the deployment of charging stations. At the end of 2021, there were an average of 44 charging stations per 100,000 inhabitants in France, compared to 699 per 100,000 inhabitants in the Netherlands. France has not yet achieved its goal of deploying 100,000 charging stations on its territory by the end of 2021, and currently there are about 58,000 stations, of which 10% are fast charging stations.
Why this delay? Among the issues that may raise concern among individuals are the affordability of fast charging, high electricity prices, and the costly and complex installation of charging stations. Furthermore, this creates an additional burden on the home’s electrical network, or requires a vote of the Commonwealth General Assembly so that the car park is pre-arranged for the installation of the stations.
Individuals are not the only ones affected by these elements. Local authorities are subject to strict budgeting frameworks and trade-offs that can slow the rapid proliferation of fee infrastructures, which are expensive, but often required and necessary. 20% of the “electromagnets” do not have a parking space at home to recharge their car. So they have to juggle public stations, which may be out of service or occupied by thermal vehicles, sometimes with bills swinging from one actor to the next. Therefore, the development of charging infrastructure within cities and businesses is essential to improve the network and allow the development of electric mobility.
IoT advantage in the mobility market
The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to transform the mobility market by profoundly changing the way data is collected, but also by allowing users to be connected and processes automated. The Internet of Things consists of a network of physical objects that, through the use of embedded sensors, actuators, and other devices, will collect and transmit information about network activity in real time. Thus, vehicles and infrastructures become connected, making it possible to improve load distribution but also to offer new services to users, both for individuals and for managing the company’s electric vehicle fleets. Qovoltis, for example, offers to connect terminals in private homes with automatic charging to take advantage of the best rates between off-peak and off-peak hours. Another illustration, thanks to Chargemap’s IoT solution, users can easily locate nearby charging stations and filter them according to their needs. Through these uses, the Internet of Things takes on its full value.
To do this, connected objects communicate over wireless cellular networks. LTE-M and NB-IoT are cellular networks built for connected things, ideal for mobile uses. If 4G or 5G makes it possible to transmit large data streams at high speed, the advantages of LTE-M and NB-IoT lie elsewhere. Technologies known as LPWA or Wide low energy area LTE-M and NB-IoT have extended wireless signal coverage that allows them to connect mobile objects over long ranges, even if they are in hard-to-reach areas, such as underground car parks. These networks also have the advantage of being very energy efficient and boost Power sobriety with up to 10 years of battery life, key to supporting a more sustainable commute.
If France’s delay is mentioned, the European Union (EU) has nevertheless set an ambitious goal in the deployment of electric charging stations: 1 million stations should be operational by 2025. European countries are already working towards developing their infrastructure and achieving this goal, and this at a frantic pace. So that vehicles can always access their data despite crossing borders, data roaming (roaming) is a must today. These agreements between French and foreign operators changing to their own mobile network already allow vehicles to access their data in several countries.
Vehicle to Network (V2G), a solution for future mobility
Going forward, energy companies and auto manufacturers have demonstrated that it is technically possible and economically profitable to reverse the relationship between the grid and electric vehicle batteries when necessary. In fact, electric vehicles are used for an average of one hour per day, the rest of the time they are pre-available to provide services to the electricity grid. This technology that is able to turn cars into energy storage units and charging stations into power converters is called ” vehicle to network (V2G).
By 2025, according to Drive, ” vehicle to network It will be especially useful in cases of voltage from the electrical network and / or in case of bad weather. This technology is more interesting because renewable energies, which will represent the majority of tomorrow’s energy mix, are intermittent sources. Energy storage and utilization within vehicles will make it possible to resolve off-peak phases and improve the predictability of available energy. By relying specifically on LTE-M connectivity and NB-IoT, the ” vehicle to network It can supply a whole family in the event of a power outage.
The development of multimodal mobility and so-called “green” mobility is experiencing a strong boost. Brakes and obstacles are gradually being lifted and new innovations are taking shape. Infrastructures are evolving for more optimal management. The energy aspects of these new green modes of transport have been redesigned to meet the demands of the current energy mix. Thus, the Internet of Things plays an essential role in this equation of the future, to build the connected city of tomorrow.
Tribune by Bernardo Cabrera, Director Objenious by Bouygues Telecom IoT BU
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