A system and method for managing vehicle charging stations such that when at least two of a plurality of electric vehicle charging stations (also known as electric vehicle service equipment, or EVSE) occupied with vehicles awaiting a charge, the present system manages the charging of individual vehicles in cases where the aggregated demand for charging exceeds the capacity of the circuits supplying the plurality of EVSE. By cycling so that only a few of the vehicles are charging at a time, the demand on the circuits is kept below a predetermined limit. In cases where a load shedding event is in progress, the limit can be further reduced. In cases where the cost of electricity is varying dynamically, the system considers a driver's explicit charging requirements (if any) and preferences for opportunistic charging when the price of electricity is not too high.

An electric vehicle charger includes a power supply and a controller. The power supply is for supplying electric power over a charging connection to an electric vehicle. The charging connection employs charging conductors to supply electric power from the power supply to the electric vehicle for charging. The power supply is adapted to send data to and receive data from the electric vehicle over the charging conductors according to a power-line communications protocol. The controller coupled to the power supply to control supply of electric power to the electric vehicle, The controller is adapted to, prior to initiating supply of electric power by the power supply to the electric vehicle for charging, communicate with the electric vehicle to identify a payment method associated with the electric vehicle and with the payment network to authorize the payment method for payment for electric power supplied to the electric vehicle for charging.

A computer-implemented method for increasing safety during charging of a vehicle battery of a vehicle by a charging station, the method comprising the steps of calculating a forecast value for a maximum safe charging current by the controller of the vehicle based on sensor data generated by sensors of the vehicle and adjusting the charging current provided by the charging station in response to the forecast value of a maximum safe charging current.

The present disclosure relates to systems, devices, and methods for analyzing health of vehicle batteries. Vehicle batteries tend to degrade over time. The described systems, devices, and methods quantify this degradation (or quantify remaining health of the battery) by comparing average energy used to charge or discharge the battery by a charge level unit to a nominal quantity of energy used to charge or discharge a battery in optimal health by a charge level unit. Charge data for previous charge events of the vehicle battery can be used in the calculation, and can be filtered by identifying qualified charge events based on at least one of a number of metrics. Usage data for previous usage events of the vehicle battery can be used in the calculation, and can be filtered by identifying qualified usage events or subgroups of usage event based on at least one of a number of metrics.

The present disclosure generally relates to a recreational vehicle (RV) pedestal, system, network, and mobile software application. Pedestals may integrate power sources of different power levels for different vehicle load requirements. Pedestals may combine power, electronics, communications connections, and water sources in the same device. The pedestals may be networked so that users may access a mobile application to reserve, pay for, and review pedestals and the RV park.

The present disclosure relates to systems, devices, and methods for analyzing health of vehicle batteries. Vehicle batteries tend to degrade over time. The described systems, devices, and methods quantify this degradation (or quantify remaining health of the battery) by comparing average energy used to charge or discharge the battery by a charge level unit to a nominal quantity of energy used to charge or discharge a battery in optimal health by a charge level unit. Charge data for previous charge events of the vehicle battery can be used in the calculation, and can be filtered by identifying qualified charge events based on at least one of a number of metrics. Usage data for previous usage events of the vehicle battery can be used in the calculation, and can be filtered by identifying qualified usage events or subgroups of usage event based on at least one of a number of metrics.

Systems and methods for charging electric vehicles and for quantitative and qualitative load balancing of electrical demand are provided.

A method and apparatus (100) are provided for charging a vehicle battery (108). The apparatus (100) includes a controller (102) designed to influence a charging process of the vehicle battery (108). The apparatus (100) further has a switching device (104) to transmit a signal to the controller (102) in response to operation of the switching device (104) by a user. The controller (102) is designed to influence the vehicle battery (108) before the charging process in response to receiving the signal depending on at least one desired state for the charging process.

A robot system includes a track that extends along an axis between a first location and a second location. The track includes a pair of rails and a power transmitter and a radiating cable each extending along the track. A carriage is configured to convey a robot arm along the track. The carriage includes a plurality of wheels configured to roll along the pair of rails, a motor configured to drive at least one of the wheels along one of the rails, a power collector configured to translate along the power transmitter while maintaining contact with the power transmitter so as to conduct electrical power from the power transmitter to the motor, and a transceiver configured to receive and send electronic information from and to the radiating cable.

The present disclosure relates to methods and associated systems for operating a battery exchange station. The present method includes (1) receiving a ratio associated with a plurality of vehicles served by the battery exchange station; and (2) based on the ratio, storing different sets of information in memories associated with the batteries respectively, in accordance with received ratio.