Open-source projects shaping the future of EV charging

Open-source projects allow anyone to examine, modify or improve the respective code, offering significantly more flexibility than proprietary software. They are also gaining momentum by creating opportunities to enhance the future of electric vehicle (EV) charging. What are examples of the possibilities, and how could this progress affect electronics design engineers?

Start with determining the best EV charging locations. Many EV advocates assert that charging locations must be viable for professionals who spend long hours on the road in heavy-duty trucks. Although some managers have transitioned their fleets to electric vehicles, those switches can only exist as long-term, reliable options with the necessary infrastructure.

Take Amazon, for instance, which brought an open-source tool called Charging Location for Electric Trucks (CHALET) to Europe. People associated with the e-commerce company hope it will contribute to the region’s decarbonization strategies by supporting involved parties in deciding where to build future stations.

This data-driven tool allows users to enter specifics such as transit times, vehicle ranges, and battery statistics to generate ranked lists of the best places to put EV chargers. This innovation is part of a goal to invest more than €1 billion in five years to electrify and eliminate carbon emissions from Amazon’s European transportation network. In 2022, it began using fully electric 40-ton trucks in the European and U.K. markets. Thanks to CHALET, more businesses are expected to follow suit.

Figure 1 CHALET aims to help determine appropriate locations for charging stations. Source: Amazon

Once that happens, electronics design engineers should stay abreast of how to offer charging products that provide the reliability and fast speeds demanded by industry representatives. Those leaders will be much more likely to begin using EVs or expand their current usage if the foundational technologies can meet their stringent requirements.

Offering better EV charging visibility

Some consumers are warming up to owning electric vehicles, but they want assurances that the experience will be maximally convenient. Statistics indicate EVs comprised a 7.6% share of the U.S. market in 2023. However, some people interested in buying them worry about potential difficulties in finding charging points. Such challenges could become especially bothersome during road trips through unfamiliar areas.

So, a U.K. network operator has taken an open-source approach that other regions may adopt if it proves successful. The system uses an API that shows whether an area’s chargers are working or potentially dysfunctional due to power outages. Such information could help people plan their trips and avoid wasted time and disappointment caused by inoperable charging stations. Reduced frustration should make EV ownership more pleasant, encouraging people to make permanent changes.

One power supplier tested this open-source solution with EV users, and 94% of participants wanted to keep receiving the outage information once the trial concluded. That feedback resulted in the network operator creating an app with push notifications informing customers of planned or unplanned infrastructure disruptions and estimating restoration times.

This example shows why electronics design engineers should prioritize visibility and user-friendliness in their decisions. Most people appreciate visual features that confirm charging statuses. Still, it’s even better when they link with apps that show people the whole network and all available power points.

More consistency to charging protocols

One of the current challenges with some countries’ EV charging points is a lack of interoperability between the necessary communication protocols. However, representatives from the United States Joint Office of Energy and Transportation and the Linux Foundation believe open-source options could bring positive changes.

Figure 2 Open-source tools could significantly contribute to building a viable charging infrastructure. Source: Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

The entities will collaborate to develop and maintain independent, open-source tools that improve charging-related communications associated with vehicles and other EV industry components. This includes power grids and charging station payment apps. Those involved believe the efforts will improve interoperability and make charging a more reliable activity for EV owners.

This partnership could impact electronics design engineers because participants want to find solutions to facilitate better charging options for consumers and industrial users. They also aim to establish minimum standards that engineers and others can meet to streamline the development of highly effective real-world applications.

Although EVs are becoming more popular, people will be even more open to buying and using them if charging infrastructure is widely available, easy to use, and reliably functional. Here, open-source projects can support those goals and many others.

Ellie Gabel is a freelance writer as well as an associate editor at Revolutionized.

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