The Electric Car Revolution is Here
By Lynda Nolen, Bishop & Associates Inc.

Are you familiar with the acronyms BEV, EREV, EV, HEV, ICE, PHEV, or PHV? Do you know what they all have in common? If not, 2010 may be the year to bone up on your acronyms.

BEV, EREV, EV, HEV, ICE, PHEV, and PHV are all acronyms used to describe the various automobile engines. The one we are probably most familiar with is ICE, or Internal Combustion Engine, the heart of the common car. Designed and first applied practically in the 1800s, variations of the ICE have allowed cars to become the primary mode of transportation for the majority of the world. ICEs in automobiles can be powered by diesel (very common in Europe), and hydrogen, methane, propane, or, as Americans are most familiar with, gasoline. As its name indicates, an ICE burns its fuel inside the engine. There are two different types of ICEs, the two-stroke and the four-stroke. The two-stroke is generally found on small handheld tools, such as chainsaws, weed-eaters, lawnmowers, and on power sport equipment like outboard motors or small mopeds or scooters. It requires a mixture of oil and gas. The four-stroke engine, which is the most common engine found in automobiles, uses a combination of air and fuel to drive the pistons, which powers the crankshaft, which turns the wheels.

On to the unknown. Most of us are familiar with EV, the acronym for electric vehicle, or any vehicle that gets at least some of its power to move from electrical energy, but what about the others? As shown below, all of these acronyms are used to describe a variation of the electric vehicle.

BEV – Battery Electric Vehicle
This type of vehicle draws energy from a battery to power its electric motor. The battery packs can be rechargeable via a wall socket or other source of electricity, like a solar panel.

HEV – Hybrid Electric Vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle incorporates a gas-fueled ICE engine with an electric motor powered by batteries. It is important to note that there are a variety of hybrid electric vehicles, some offering more hybridization then others.

PHEV – Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Similar to a HEV that incorporates both a gas-fueled engine with electric vehicle options, a PHEV incorporates components of a HEV with an EV. A PHEV uses electricity for short trips, usually under 40 or so miles roundtrip, and gas for long-distance traveling.

PHV – Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle
Similar to a PHEV, a PHV is a plug-in hybrid vehicle that uses electricity supplied by charged batteries for short jaunts, but can switch to gasoline for long-distance traveling

EREV – Extended Range Electric Vehicle
Also similar to both the hybrid and the plug-in hybrid vehicle, an EREV has an all-electric drive train that allows it to travel a limited distance on battery power, but it also has a gasoline engine that provides power to a generator that recharges the batteries while driving. Once the batteries have hit a certain charge level, the electric motor kicks back in.

In 2009 the top-selling vehicle, representing almost nine percent of all vehicles sold in Japan, was Toyota’s HEV Prius. Consumers are ready to accept a reliable, cost-conscious vehicle that doesn’t rely primarily on gasoline or diesel, and countries worldwide understand the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Although numerous attempts have been made to introduce alternatives to gas engines in the past, a variety of obstacles always prohibited widespread adoption. These obstacles included cost, vehicle availability, charge coupler standardization, availability of local and remote charging locations, or, as some have called it, the ability to overcome range anxiety and the availability of repair and maintenance facilities.

Cost
To offset the initially high cost of electric and electric hybrid vehicles, governments around the world have offered numerous incentives. In the United States, a $7,500 federal tax credit is available. In Japan, a government electric vehicle purchase subsidy reduces the cost. The United Kingdom’s new plan, offers financial incentives of up to £5,000 (about $7,750) to drivers and companies that buy electric vehicles. China was supposed to announce new incentive plans in January, but postponed the announcement until July. Cost-conscious consumers can access an abundance of information detailing the overall cost of operating a traditional car vs. an electric or electric hybrid.

In addition to incentives directed specifically at the consumer, federal, state, and local governments have also offered incentives to manufacturers of electric vehicles, components, and platforms. In the U.S., companies like Delphi Automotive Systems, LLC was granted $89.3 million to expand their manufacturing for existing electric drive power electronics components for both passenger and commercial vehicles. Remy Inc. was granted $60.2 million to establish a standardized platform of hybrid electric motors and controls. UQM Technologies Inc., who manufactures electric propulsion systems, received a $45 million grant to expand their manufacturing capabilities.

France, which offers an incentive to buyers of around $7,000, recently agreed to provide Renault with a $140 million loan to upgrade existing French plants, and has also, through the French state-owned strategic fund, agreed to invest another $175 million in the building of a battery production facility. Israel, seen as a major market for EVs because of the average worker’s short commute time and the close proximity of all major cities to one another, is reducing the automotive tax from 78 percent to 10 percent for electric vehicles.

Standardization
One of the most significant breakthroughs in electric vehicle manufacturing has been the standardization of plugs and sockets. On January 14, 2010, the SAE Motor Vehicle Council finally approved and released the “J1772-Electric Vehicle and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Conductive Charge Coupler” standard. This standard, developed in conjunction with major car manufacturers and suppliers, utility suppliers, and charging equipment manufacturers, spells out the physical and electrical characteristics of the connector and the vehicle electrical inlet, as well as the communication protocol and the performance requirements. Broken down into three different levels, this first release covers AC charging levels 1 (110/120 volts, 15 amp, single-phase) and Level 2 (220/240 volts, 80 amp, single-phase). Level 3, which will cover DC charging, is still being finalized.

Similar to the competing international standard, IEC 62196-2-1, the J1772 has five contacts: two power contacts, two control contacts for pilot and connection switch (proximity detection), and a ground contact. Once plugged in, the charge plug does not transfer power until the vehicle tells it to via the control pilot contact and the connection switch, or the proximity detection pin prevents the vehicle from being driven away with the plug still attached.

FCI, who has collaborated with REMA, a German manufacturer of industrial electrical interconnects, currently offers the J1772 Level 1 and II, as well as the IEC 62196-2-1. Luc Maillet, product marketing manager for high power and lamp connectors at FCI Motorized Vehicle Division, said, “By offering a product that meets both specifications, we can promote FCI automotive connectors in both continents.” Maillet describes FCI’s relationship with REMA as a 50–50 relationship. Both companies are sharing in the development and tooling of the connector family. Manufacturing is occurring at REMA’s facility in Germany and FCI is capitalizing on their strong automotive market presence and distribution programs in North America and Europe to market the product. Maillet said that the Level 1 product is geared towards North American domestic charging applications, using a NEMA 15 or 20 amp outlet, like those found in homes, while the Level 2 is geared toward charging stations and more sophisticated charging equipment.

The connector is rated for 10,000 mating cycles.  When one assumes one mating cycle per day, this calculates to a life span of over 27 years. It has a temperature rating of -40°C to +85°C and an IP67 sealing rating for plug/socket connection and socket flap protection. One feature unique to the FCI connector is freezing protection. According to Maillet, “the freezing protection is possible thanks to the plastic bridge of the hook of the charge plug. There is no direct contact with the external environment. Other existing solutions on the market do not offer this characteristic, meaning under -40°C the plug can be stuck to the inlet primarily due to the hook being stuck on the inlet.”

Local and Remote Charging
With J1772 the new standard, suppliers of all supporting infrastructure systems now have a connector on which to build their systems. Delphi recently announced a plan to work with ClipperCreek, a developer of electric vehicle charge stations and technology, to develop, manufacture, and sell level 1 charging systems for all electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

According to Randy Sumner, director, global hybrid vehicle development, “the portable Charge Coupler Cordset will be targeted to all EV and PHEV automakers, giving them the option to provide a charging system in the trunk of every plug-in vehicle on the road.”The UL-listed charging systems consists of four components: ClipperCreek’s Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) system, 25 feet of EVJE (thermoplastic-elastomer-insulated conductors and jacket) cable, UL grid standard 15 amp plug connector, and a universal J1772 plug connector with added features that include pushbutton-controlled flashlight and latch for a safe and secure connection.

ClipperCreek is not the only EVSE manufacturer hoping to capture a portion of the local and remote charging system business. Others include Coulomb Technologies and Phoenix-based Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec). Utility companies and car manufacturers are focusing on “smart charging stations,” designed to ease some of the pressures EVs may place on electric-power grids. Development of solar charging stations is also underway, with companies like Toyota already displaying units, as well as wind-powered EV charging stations.

In addition to J1772-compliant connectors, both FCI and Delphi also offer additional connectors and systems designed specifically for the electric vehicle and charger market. FCI’s APEX 280 connector system, developed specifically for HEVs, is designed to handle both low- and high-voltage applications, and provides an interface between the car inlet and charger. Delphi’s Battery Service Disconnect, which uses the Power Pack 2000 terminal family, provides a manual disconnect of the entire high voltage system, allowing repair/service to the hybrid system.

Availability of Cars and Service
Every major car manufacturer is developing an EV line of vehicles, and many companies that are not so familiar have joined the field. A few have even entered the highly competitive automotive market with the sole purpose of supplying electric vehicles.

One such supplier is CODA Automotive. Headquartered in Southern California, CODA Automotive is hoping that their unique approach of pairing American designed and manufactured electric drive trains and battery system electronics with Chinese developed rechargeable lithium-ion cells will allow them to produce a “safe and affordable all-electric car.” One of their partners in this venture is Delphi, who will not only be supplying the direct current to direct current (DC/DC) converter manufactured in their Kokomo, Indiana facility, but also 10 high-power, high-voltage wiring harnesses and two power distribution boxes, as well as the multi-service antenna system. 

It doesn’t appear that finding a place to have your vehicle serviced will be a problem. Service will obviously be available from the dealer, and many governments looking to provide jobs for hundreds of out of work electricians and automotive repair technicians have set up training seminars using grant or stimulus money to educate these workers in EV technology. With more locations available for service, as well as more qualified repair technicians, the myth that repair costs for electric vehicles are substantially higher than for gasoline-powered vehicles has been busted. In fact, recent studies found only a one to three percent difference between the cost of repairing a hybrid model of a major car manufacturer and a gasoline model.

Even though today’s vehicles are overcoming the many obstacles that have prevented widespread adoption of EVs in the past, analysts remain mixed on their projections for the future. Some are estimating that by 2016, automobiles powered strictly by gas will drop from a current market share of 90 percent to around 73 percent, and that by 2020, this figure will be under 70 percent. In this scenario, HEVs and PHEVs will increase their market share to around 15 percent, with EVs and vehicles fueled by natural gas, hydrogen, or other energy sources making up the balance. Others are not quite so optimistic and feel that high-tech advancements in gas powered engines will impede the adoption rate of EVs, and that advancement in other areas, like natural gas powered vehicles, will also have an effect. Either way, one thing is for sure: This time around, the EV is not going to go away quietly.

Lynda Nolen Product Specialist, Bishop & Associates Inc. Lynda Nolen has been in the interconnect industry for over 30 years. She has worked in sales, sales management, marketing, and product management for such companies as TRW Electronics Components Group, Sunbelt Components, Cinch Connectors, Arrow Electronics, PEI Genesis, and Delphi Interconnect. Nolen has extensive experience in competitive cross-referencing, drawing, web and catalog review, new product introduction programs, harness and connector assembly programs, account management, and customer service programs. Lynda received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island in 1979, and has completed various electrical engineering courses.