Fast charging station for electric cars inaugurated

From now on, electric cars can be charged quickly with direct current in Oberhausen: as part of the innovative As part of the EU project ELIPTIC (electrification of public transport in cities), two bus charging stations (220 kW) and three car fast charging stations (50 kW) were set up in the Oberhausen-Sterkrade district. The existing direct voltage infrastructure of the tram is used both for the electrification of local public transport and for charging private cars. "Since October 2015 we have been practicing fast charging of two purely electrically operated buses with success. From now on, electric cars that are technically designed for this purpose can also be charged quickly with electricity from the tram's catenary. The P + R facility at Sterkrade station is an ideal location for this, ”says Werner Overkamp, ​​Managing Director of STOAG. "In cooperation with evo and with the support of the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr and the EU, this project could be implemented."  

And Bernd Homberg, technical director of evo, adds: “I am pleased that we can use something that is available, such as the electricity from the overhead line, to promote environmentally friendly mobility. Using synergy effects through direct voltage infrastructure - such projects are needed by private transport. The Oberhausen model is extremely efficient and also very innovative. " 

Electromobility on the upswing

The proportion of purely electric vehicles in Oberhausen is still low. According to the vehicle registration office, 18 vehicles with E-license plates are currently registered in Oberhausen. Nationwide, electric vehicles account for 0,5% of all new car registrations. Although the growth rate for new registrations rose significantly in the past month, only around 2017 purely electric cars were registered nationwide in the first half of 44.000, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority. Electromobility is difficult to get started in Germany. Mayor Daniel Schranz also sees a lot of potential here: "At the moment, electromobility is being pushed forward politically again: from the subsidy for electric cars and electric buses to the new charging station ordinance, which enables contract-free charging, to the proposals for several hundred fast charging stations on Europe's transport axes and Germany Build motorway service areas. An optimal charging infrastructure is one of the prerequisites for making the purchase of electric vehicles more attractive so that the traffic turnaround succeeds on site. We are on the right track in Oberhausen. "  

Car charging in 30 minutes

The charging points are designed for CCS plugs (Combined Charging System). This system was introduced in the EU as the standard for fast charging with direct current. E-vehicles from VW and BMW, for example, are equipped with the appropriate technology for fast charging and the right plugs. 

Since the direct current connections are connected directly to the connections of the vehicle battery, very high charging currents can be transmitted with little loss. This enables e-car batteries - depending on the capacity - to be charged to 30 percent in just 80 minutes. In contrast, charging a conventional electric car battery from a socket in your own garage takes seven to eight hours, depending on its capacity. 

In the EU as well as in Germany there is - besides different plugs - no uniform payment or billing option. However, since charging should be as simple and easy as possible, electricity at these evo charging stations is free of charge during the test phase. 

Information on technology

The energy for the tram network is taken from the 10 kV power supply network in large rectifier stations, the so-called substations. In these rectifier stations, the supply voltage of 750 V for the Oberhausen tram network is generated and made available to the trams in the entire traction network on the contact wire. The substations are usually only loaded when trams are in their vicinity. So there are still enough power reserves that can be used for electromobility. 

With direct current charging, the electricity from the charging station is fed directly into the vehicle. The three charging stations are DC / DC converters that are also connected to the 750-volt DC contact line of the tram line passing by. The battery management system in the electric car communicates with the charging stations, adjusts the current strength accordingly and switches the charger off automatically when the battery is full. The maximum charging power is 50 kW.