Green Crossover Project in Japan Showcases Li-ion Stationary Storage for EV Charging; EnerDel Providing Packs for Vehicles and Stationary Storage
Itochu Corporation, Mazda, Family Mart, EnerDel and 11 other partners have launched a 3-year project in Tsukuba City, Japan—the “Green Crossover Project”—designed to showcase a real-world integration of the smart grid, stationary lithium-ion grid storage, electric vehicles, rapid recharging and renewable energy technologies. (Earlier post.)
The project will serve as an exhibition of an advanced direct current rapid recharge system, as well as a secondary use model for in-vehicle batteries. Three Mazda Demios (sold outside of Japan as the Mazda2), have been converted to a battery electric drive powered by EnerDel Li-ion battery packs. The project uses a 24-kilowatt-hour fixed storage
EnerDel battery pack, originally designed for the THINK City electric vehicle.
Family Mart convenience stores will be equipped for car-sharing of the EVs, along with solar power generating systems, highspeed recharging stations, a billing mechanism using a non-contract IC-imbedded smart card, terminals for remote battery monitoring of charging, discharging, wear data, and the stationary battery array used to move energy to and from the electric grid.
The combination of on-site battery storage with rapid re-charging allows for the use of direct current throughout the system, sharply reducing the amount of time needed to charge a
vehicle. It also allows drivers to recharge the car without drawing power from the grid, an
advantage at peak load times.
Separately, the Nikkei had reported that JFE Engineering Corp. has developed a rapid charging system also using Li-ion storage that can recharge an EV’s pack halfway in three minutes, given the required software changes and equipment adjustments to the car.
Other Green Crossover partners include Tokyo R&D Co., Ltd, which did the EV modifications; THINK, which provided parts; Kyuki Inc., which provided the rapid chargers; Japan Eco System Co. Ltd, which provided the photovoltaic systems; and Wind Car, Inc., which is providing the car sharing operation.
The advisory committee for the project includes Tsukuba City; Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; Japan Automobile Research Institute, and Japan Research Institute Ltd.
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