ADAPTIVE CHARGING STATION FOR AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE
Systems and methods for adaptive charging of electric vehicles are disclosed. Systems can include a charging station configured to draw current from an electrical supply circuit, a current detector in communication with the charging station and configured to measure a current through the electrical supply circuit, and processing circuitry configured to determine a charging current available to an electric vehicle based at least in part on the current measured by the current detector. The charging current available may be adjusted during a continuous charging session based at least in part on the monitored current.
1 . An adaptive charging system for an electric vehicle comprising:
a charging station configured to draw current from an electrical supply circuit;
a current detector in communication with the charging station, the current detector configured to measure a current through the electrical supply circuit; and
processing circuitry configured to determine a charging current available to the vehicle at based at least in part on the current measured by the current detector.
2 . The charging system of claim 1 , further comprising communication circuitry configured to send information indicative of the available charging current to a vehicle coupled to the charging station.
3 . The charging system of claim 1 , wherein the current detector is further configured to measure the current through the electrical supply circuit repeatedly at regular intervals, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the available charging current based at least in part on a plurality of current measurements.
4 . The charging system of claim 2 , wherein the communication circuitry is configured to send information indicative of at least two different available charging currents to the vehicle coupled to the charging station during a continuous charging session.
5 . The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein the electrical supply circuit includes a main breaker having a rated current, and the maximum charging current available is less than the rated current.
6 . The electric vehicle charging station of claim 5 , wherein the maximum charging current available is offset from the rated current by a safety limit.
7 . The electric vehicle charging station of claim 5 , wherein the charging current available changes based at least in part on one or more currents measured by the current detector.
8 . The electric vehicle charging station of claim 5 , wherein the charging current available changes based at least in part on a time of day.
9 . A method of charging one or more electric vehicle batteries with a charging station coupled to an electrical supply circuit, the method comprising:
monitoring current through the electrical supply circuit;
determining an amount of current available to the vehicle based at least in part on the monitored current; and
limiting charging current to the vehicle based at least in part on the amount of current available.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising sending information indicative of the amount of current available to the vehicle.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein monitoring current includes monitoring with one or more current detectors.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the amount of current available changes during a continuous charging session.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the electrical supply circuit includes a main breaker having a rated current, and wherein the maximum amount of current available is less than the rated current.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein determining an amount of current available to the vehicle is based at least in part on the monitored current and the rated current.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein determining an amount of current available to the vehicle is based at least in part on the monitored current, the rated current, and a safety limit.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the amount of current available to the vehicle is based at least in part on one or more previously monitored currents.
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the amount of current available to the vehicle is based at least in part on the time of day.
18 . A method of charging one or more batteries of an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a first charging current to a vehicle from a vehicle charging station connected to an electrical supply circuit;
monitoring the current drawn by the electrical supply circuit; and
adjusting the first charging current based at least in part on the monitored current.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein adjusting the first charging current comprises sending a signal indicative of an allowable charging current to the vehicle.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first charging current is adjusted in response to a change in the current drawn by the electrical supply circuit.