Q&A - Mini E in Berlin powered by Vattenfall
As an energy provider, why is Vattenfall involved with developments in electro-mobility?
What is Vattenfall’s contribution to the co-operation project?
How do the charging columns operate?
How is payment arranged?
Where will Vattenfall be setting up the charging columns?
How many columns will be set up in Berlin?
Details about the Mini E-vehicles
How can you become a user in the pilot project?
What costs are incurred by the users?
How does Controlled Charging of the vehicles work?
How can it be ensured that the vehicle is charged up when the user wants to drive off?
Where does the current come from that is used to “fuel” the vehicle?
As an energy provider, why is Vattenfall involved with developments in electro-mobility?
Mobility is an essential precondition for the achievement of a satisfactory quality of life and general welfare. In particular, individual mobility in road transport enables citizens to achieve a high degree of flexibility in meeting their professional requirements and private needs. On the other hand, it also involves the familiar disadvantages: noise, fine dust, nitrogen oxide and CO2 emissions.
A great opportunity for achieving mobility and improving quality of life is provided by electric vehicles. Electric drive units achieve a high degree of efficiency and cause only minor noise development, as well as avoiding any local effects associated with the drive. This characteristic is not the least of the benefits which can improve the outlook for the general quality of life in the urban context.
The reduction of CO2 emissions from road traffic is a major focus in national and European climate and energy policy, and the automobile industry and energy providers alike are making their own contributions to achieving this goal.
Vattenfall is committed to a very special degree, and in the past has already gained experience in the use of electric vehicles and the manufacture of infrastructure components. This involves not only battery operation, but also hydrogen as an energy storage medium.
The Vattenfall concept for the development of electro-mobility consists of three key elements:
1. Vattenfall provides certified “green” electric current: According to information from the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Protection and Reactor Safety, with regard to CO2 this means that emissions from electric vehicles can be reduced to 5 g/km – in practical terms, there can be nothing better.
2. Vattenfall makes use of processes with which the yield from wind power can be exploited to best possible effect: Wind power will have a major part to play in Germany’s future electricity mix. The yield from the wind fluctuates very markedly, however, and does not always match up to the demand for current. If the stability of the mains network is threatened, wind power generators can be switched off. Accordingly, the charging of vehicle batteries should take place at times at which the availability of wind-generated energy is high and demand is low, and that often means at night. In other words, vehicle batteries become storage units for wind power.
3. Feeding the energy from the wind back into the network (vehicle-to-grid): Finally, the concept needs to be tested as to how the wind power stored in the vehicle batteries can be fed back into the mains electricity grid when demand is particularly high, for example as a rule at mid-day. As a result, the idea of vehicle-to-grid functions without restricting the users’ mobility. Vattenfall therefore regards the cooperation with the BMW Group as another step forwards – a joint investment in electro-mobility. The automobile industry and the energy sector alike are equally convinced that electric vehicles can make an effective and efficient contribution to reducing the emissions from road traffic.
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What is Vattenfall’s contribution to the co-operation project?
Vattenfall is establishing the charging infrastructure, in the form of car current boxes at home or at the workplace, and freely accessible car current stations in Berlin. This means that users can charge up their batteries not only at home or at work, but also when out shopping, for example, or when going to the theatre.
Vattenfall charging stations can be used by electric vehicles from different manufacturers, and regardless of the energy provider from whom the driver obtains the current. In other words, Vattenfall specifically support electro-mobility and the initiatives already in place.
With a system for intelligent grid management, thanks to what is known as Controlled Charging, Vattenfall is creating an opportunity for wind power to be exploited in the best possible way, with part capacities for vehicle batteries to be used in order to offset periods of strong winds and low demand. As well as this, Vattenfall is also committing to a cross-sector standardisation initiative, the aim of which is the creation of a standard for charging structures for electric vehicles.
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How do the charging columns operate?
Registered users receive an ID card, of a size comparable to an EC card, with which they can identify themselves at the charging column without the need for actual contact. A flap opens, behind which there are two sockets: One is a conventional earth-contact socket, such as are found in homes and offices and charge at 16 Amps; the second is for rapid charging, at 32 Amps.
The charging process starts when all the connections have been correctly plugged in and connected to the charging column flap. Users bring the cable with them. If the cable is pulled out of the column, the user needs to establish his or her identity again. This prevents unauthorised persons from being able to remove the cable. The user is instructed in exactly how “filling up” is done directly at the column, with the help of pictograms and text-based information on a display.
Mini E – Animation of the charging process (new window, in German)
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How is payment arranged?
To arrange payment for the charging process with the customer, Vattenfall acquires the customer identification at the charging points, as well as the beginning and end of the charging process, and the amount of energy drawn off. This data is then presented to the individual electricity provider for procurement of current and arrangement of payment. The project participants receive a detailed summary with the invoice, from which it can be seen how much current was charged, whereabouts, and when.
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Where will Vattenfall be setting up the charging columns?
The design and shape of the charging columns will allow for them to be set up in a simple manner in public areas. The focus is intended to be in the inner ring of the Berlin Urban Railway network, known as the S-Bahn, in other words inside the environment zone.
When selecting the locations, Vattenfall will be considering a number of aspects. One consideration is the waiting time needed: In order for users to be able to charge their batteries during everyday activities, preference will be given to locations such as shopping centres or leisure facilities. Locations chosen will, in particular, those places which are an attractive destination be for as many users as possible.
Another issue is regional coverage: The focus is the inner ring of the Berlin Urban Railway network, but as well as this selected sub-centres will be covered, such as Spandau, Tegel, Zehlendorf, Steglitz, Köpenick, Weissensee, etc. Accessibility is also a concern: The charging columns must be reached by users easily and conveniently on weekdays, right round the clock.
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How many columns will be set up in Berlin?
Vattenfall is planning to provide up to 50 charging stations at publicly accessible locations.
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Details about the Mini E-vehicles
The Mini E from BMW is a vehicle which provides an excellent combination of fun in driving and environmentally compatible mobility. Together with the “green” current provided by Vattenfall, both partners show that protecting the environment does not mean having to go without.
The Mini E is rated at 150 kW (204 hp), and governed to 152 km/h. The electric drive also allows for energy to be recovered by the braking procedure, which enables about 20 percent of the energy to be recovered, a particularly valuable feature in urban traffic. Depending on the style of driving and the weather conditions, the range is up to 250 km, which sets new standards in vehicles with purely battery-fed electric drives. The vehicle is exceptionally quiet and practically emission-free at local level.
www.miniusa.com (new window)
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How can you become a user in the pilot project?
For the pilot test with the Mini E, 40 users will be given the vehicle for six months. This will be followed by a change of user, and 40 other users will then test the vehicle for a further six months. The first wave of applications started in mid-February 2009, and the second will start about six months later.
These phases will last for four weeks in each case. Application is only possible on-line at: www.MINI.de. The aim is to establish the broadest possible cross-section of possible target groups.
Because this is a pilot project, however, a number of criteria need to be fulfilled; these include, for example, technical preconditions, since Vattenfall will be installing a car current box either at home or at the place of work.
www.mini.de (new window, in German)
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What costs are incurred by the users?
Because this constitutes participation in monitored scientific research, the charge for using the system, 650 Euro per month, will be reduced by 250 Euro to 400 Euro. The charge includes a comprehensive service package and insurance coverage, which means that the charges for use are below the price level for a conventional Mini.
This offer is made even more attractive by the perceptibly lower operating costs in comparison with the usual values, because the current required is clearly cheaper than petrol or diesel.
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How does Controlled Charging of the vehicles work?
An intelligent mains electricity technology is integrated into the charging stations at home or at the place of work. The network operator controls the charging depending on the grid load and the supply of wind power, by switching the current flow to the vehicle on and off by means of a radio signal.
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How can it be ensured that the vehicle is charged up when the user wants to drive off?
This is where the co-operation of the vehicle user comes in. By using an Internet portal, the user makes known the moment at which the vehicle must be ready for use with a fully charged battery. If there is no wind power available at that time, the charging process will be continued with energy from other renewable sources. This guarantees that the battery will be charged at the time required.
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Where does the current come from that is used to “fuel” the vehicle?
To accord with the requirements of climate protection, the energy for charging the vehicle is provided from renewable sources. Vattenfall is providing the electric vehicles involved in this project exclusively with eco-current. The origin of the power from wind and water power plants will be proved by certificates. CO2 emissions from the vehicle are in fact zero.
The same applies to pollutants such as NOx and fine dust (this last-mentioned consideration only applies to the vehicle drive system, not to the brake linings or tyre wear). Noise emission is reduced to the sound of the wind and the vehicle rolling along. And that is the best possible answer to the requirement for a zero-emission vehicle.
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