Schneider Electric Supplies Electric Vehicle Chargers For Strasbourg Trial

Schneider Electric, an energy management company, has supplied 135 chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV) trial in Strasbourg, being conducted jointly by EDF and Toyota.

The chargers provided by Schneider Electric are being installed in the parking lots of partner companies and at the homes of participating Strasbourg residents.

The installation and maintenance of the charging infrastructure is being handled by Samep, a Strasbourg-based company engaged in the installation of energy management, access control and video surveillance equipment.

The Strasbourg PHV project will test Schneider Electric’s chargers under real-life conditions. Each charger’s instrumentation will record details of its use, collecting key data that will provide further insight into customer needs and enable the development of effective systems, the company said.

The infrastructure system developed by Schneider Electric enables vehicle batteries to be charged according to the vehicle’s needs and the power available in the grid.

Through the inbuilt telecommunications system, the chargers can inform users of their availability and charging status and send a text message to the vehicle’s owner when the charging process is complete.

Compatible with smart grid technology, the chargers will eventually be able to identify and select the renewable energy sources available in the grid, according to the company.

Schneider Electric added that it intends to contribute to the imminent adoption of EVs among the general driving public and is pooling all of its knowledge to offer charging systems that are easy to use, safe, available and effective.

Apart from trials like the Strasbourg PHV project, Schneider Electric is involved in a number of initiatives and discussion groups around the world, including the French-German Working Group on EV Infrastructure and the EV Plug Alliance, which seeks the rapid adoption of a European standard for EV plugs to ensure compatibility across the continent.