DEC 04

Even as electric car technology hurtles forward, there are still challenges remaining as to how to integrate them into our society.  How to make battery charging readily available to urban and apartment-dwelling drivers has been one of those challenges, but Mitsubishi has designed a system that could take care of that, at least for Japanese drivers.

Along with the Japan Delivery System Corporation, the auto company has developed the i-Charger system.  i-Charger works a lot like the current package delivery system in that country:  users have their own unique PIN that allows them to retrieve packages from a main delivery box at an apartment complex.  The charging system will use the same JDS servers and system to charge tenants for the electricity they use from a central charging station located in an apartment parking lot or garage.

Users will log-in and juice up as needed and then the building supervisor will bill the tenants individually for their electricity use.  Building owners would have to invest in the i-Charger, but it may eventually be a big draw for tenants.

City and apartment-dwellers will make up a large chunk of the EV market, so it's important for car companies to start catering to them as soon as possible.  It looks like Mitsubishi is on the right track in Japan, especially considering the popularity of the iMiEV, but what about our automakers?  Ready to step up GM? Ford?

via Earth2Tech

Comments (8)

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written by darius, December 04, 2009

WOW what a solution! I would just add credit card slots to a few charging stations in front of the apartment complex and maybe add some type of charging card that would then invoice the owner. But that would be too easy of a solution I guess...

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written by Richard, December 04, 2009

I'm glad to see the efforts pushed for this particular kind of project. Though I hope it ends up successfully.

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DIY power collection?
written by Hu Fong, December 05, 2009

A problem with this solution is that the cost of the 'special' car electricity is at the mercy of the apartment block citizen council. They will probably see this as a way to screw additional money from the poor residents.

What is necessary is a means for the individual citizen to obtain power direct from the power lines in the street in order to charge their car. This can be done by Hi-Q inductors and dynamic reluctance field convertors mounted on the roof of the car. Typically they look like ski racks.

As long as you park close to underneath a power line then your car is charged FREE of charge. Drive to work in the morning, park underneath power lines and when you finish for the day, your car is there waiting with fully topped up batteries.

There are many Northern Provinces manufacturers who can produce these devices in commercial quantities.

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Too complicated
written by Carl Hage, December 06, 2009

Involving an apartment owner seems excessively complex. Why would an apartment building be different than an office parking lot? Why involve the apartment management? A credit card and PIN could be used and would work with the existing credit card infrastructure. It works fine to rent $1 videos at a kiosk-- why not a charger?

The company installing the chargers could bill via credit card, but the power company could operate the equipment and bill customers-- same as it already does. A customer could sign up for service associating a credit card number with the home utility bill, and charges could be added to the normal electric utility bill. Charger communication for billing can also be part of the smart-grid, stabilizing power fluctuations.

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Apartment Market
written by David, December 07, 2009

Interesting post. You mention that city dwellers and apartment users will make up a large chunk of the EV market. City dwellers make up the largest chunk of the car sharing market. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on why apartment dwellers will also make up a large chunk, and choose EV over car sharing, biking or public transit...

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Currently already available in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
written by Wouter, December 17, 2009

http://landingspagina.nuon.nl/...ce=vervoer

So you can already have this when you live in Amsterdam. Not just for one type of car, but for all plug-in (hybrid) viacles.

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rent in
written by WERy, July 04, 2010

Was recently in Ukraine, in the city of Kiev, there too students except hostels live in private apartments or rent a room.

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Spread around the World
written by Uttermost Mirrors, May 08, 2011

I hope it will reach here in our country! I'm hoping so much.

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