CHARGING STATION HAVING DYNAMIC CHARGING CURRENT DISTRIBUTION

Abstract

A charging station for charging a plurality of electric vehicles, in particular electric automobiles, comprising: a supply device, in particular for connection to an electricity supply grid for supplying the charging station with electric power, a plurality of charging terminals for charging in each case at least one electric vehicle, and each charging terminal comprises a supply input for drawing electric power from the supply device, a charging output with one or more charging connections for outputting a respective charging current for charging a respective connected electric vehicle, and at least one DC chopper arranged between the supply input and the charging output in order to generate a respective chopper current from the electric power of the supply device, or as an alternative at least one chopper terminal arranged between the supply input and the charging output in order to provide a chopper current generated outside the charging terminal by a DC chopper, in particular chopper current generated in the supply device, wherein in each case each charging current is formed from a chopper current or a plurality of chopper currents, and wherein the charging terminals are connected to one another at exchange connections via electrical exchange lines in order thereby to exchange chopper currents with one another.

Claims

1. A charging station for charging a plurality of electric vehicles, the charging station comprising: a supply device configured to couple to an electricity supply grid for supplying the charging station with electric power; and a plurality of charging terminals for charging, in each case, at least one electric vehicle, wherein each charging terminal comprises: a supply input configured to receive electric power from the supply device, a charging output with one or more charging connections for outputting a respective charging current in order to charge a respective connected electric vehicle, and at least one DC chopper arranged between the supply input and the charging output, the at least one DC chopper being configured to at least one of: generate a respective chopper current from the electric power or provide a chopper current generated outside the charging terminal by a DC chopper wherein each charging current is formed from a chopper current or a plurality of chopper currents, and wherein the plurality of charging terminals are connected to one another at exchange connections via electrical exchange lines to exchange chopper currents with one another.

2. The charging station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the charging station has at least one auxiliary current terminal for providing one or more additional chopper currents to at least one charging terminal, wherein the at least one auxiliary current terminal does not have a charging output, and each auxiliary current terminal comprises: a supply input corresponding to the supply input of a respective charging terminal for drawing electric power from the supply device, at least one exchange connection corresponding to the exchange connection of a charging terminal for transmitting chopper currents to at least one of the charging terminals, and at least one DC chopper arranged between the supply input and the at least one exchange connection and corresponding to the DC chopper of the charging terminal to generate a respective chopper current from the electric power of the supply device.

3. The charging station as claimed in claim 2, wherein the charging station has at least one supply terminal for receiving electric power from the supply device and for forwarding the electric power to the plurality of charging terminals, and wherein each supply terminal comprises: a main supply input connected to the supply device via a main supply line to draw electric power from the supply device, at least one supply output to forward the electric power to the plurality of charging terminals, and exchange connections corresponding to the exchange connections of the plurality of charging terminals and, if applicable, the at least one auxiliary current terminal are present at a first and a second connection area of the supply terminal to be connected at least one connection area, to a respective adjacent charging terminal and/or the at least one auxiliary current terminal to be able to route at least one chopper current through the supply terminal.

4. The charging station as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of charging terminals: have structurally identical supply inputs, such that in each case two of the supply inputs are connected to one another to forward respective electric supply current or a portion thereof from a supply input to an adjacent supply input such that each charging terminal receives supply current from an adjacent charging terminal, the at least one auxiliary current terminal, or the supply terminal, and the supply inputs and/or the exchange connections each have structurally identical connection means to interchangeably connect, in each case selectively, two of the charging terminals to one another.

5. The charging station as claimed in claim 2, wherein: each charging terminal has at least one controllable switch, wherein the switch is from the list comprising: an exchange switch electrically connected to a respective exchange connection to control the exchange of at least one chopper current via the exchange means with an adjacent charging terminal or an auxiliary current terminal, a charging switch electrically connected to a respective charging connection to control the output of a charging current to the charging connection, and a bridge switch electrically connected to two DC choppers or chopper terminals in a charging terminal, to control a superimposition of the chopper currents of the two DC choppers or chopper terminals.

6. The charging station as claimed in claim 5, comprising: a first connection area and a second connection area at each charging terminal, each first and second connection areas having a plurality, of exchange connections, a longitudinal line each configured to provide exchange connection of one of the connection areas to electrically connect the respective exchange connection of one connection area to a respective exchange connection of the other connection area such that, with m exchange connections of one connection area, m longitudinal lines that run electrically in parallel with one another, a charging connection is assigned to each DC chopper or chopper terminal, and a transverse line is provided for each DC chopper or each chopper terminal to connect the DC chopper or the chopper terminal to the charging connection, such that with n DC choppers or n chopper terminals, n transverse lines are provided, and wherein each longitudinal line is connected directly to at least one of the transverse lines via a connection node, and/or wherein exactly n−1 bridge switches are provided to electrically connect in each case two transverse lines, and/or wherein each transverse line to the charging switch has no further switching means, and/or wherein one longitudinal line more than transverse lines is provided in each charging terminal such that the following applies: m=n+1, wherein a longitudinal line in the charging terminal: is connected directly to two transverse lines via a respective connection node, with one of the bridge switches between the two connection nodes, or is connected to just one transverse line via a connection node, without having a bridge switch in the charging terminal.

7. The charging station as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one control unit wherein the at least one control unit is configured to control the plurality of charging terminals, the auxiliary current terminals, or both such that a charging current of a charging terminal is formed from one chopper current or a plurality of chopper currents, wherein the charging current is formed from chopper currents from one or more DC choppers or chopper terminals of the same charging terminal, from chopper currents from one or more DC choppers or chopper terminals of one or more other charging terminals, from chopper currents from one or more DC choppers and one or more chopper terminals of a plurality of charging terminals, or from a combination thereof.

8. The charging station as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the charging station is constructed such that it is able to be driven in by at least one control unit such that: at least one exchange switch of a charging terminal to which an electric vehicle to be charged is connected is able to be closed to thereby draw at least one chopper current from at least one adjacent charging terminal to thereby generate a charging current for the electric vehicle to be charged, and/or at least one bridge switch of the charging terminal to which the electric vehicle is connected is able to be closed to thereby combine a plurality of chopper currents from a plurality of DC choppers or chopper terminals arranged in the charging terminal in order to generate the charging current, and/or at least one exchange switch of at least one adjacent charging terminal or an adjacent auxiliary current terminal is able to be closed to thereby draw and combine at least one chopper current from the adjacent charging terminals or the adjacent auxiliary current terminals to generate the charging current, and/or at least one bridge switching means switch of at least one adjacent charging terminal is able to be closed in order to draw at least one chopper current from a plurality of DC choppers or chopper terminals arranged in the adjacent charging terminal via at least one exchange line to generate the charging current.

9. The charging station as claimed in claim 1, wherein: at least one exchange switching means and at least one bridge switching means are able configured to be interconnected such that: a chopper current of a DC chopper or chopper terminal of a first charging terminal or of a first auxiliary current terminal is able to flow via a first longitudinal line and the at least one exchange switching means into a second charging terminal, the chopper current in the second charging terminal may flow via a first connection node and a first transverse line to a second longitudinal line, and the chopper current may flow via a second connection node, the at least one bridge switching means and a third connection node to a second transverse line of the second charging terminal, in order to be combined to generate a charging current.

10. The charging station as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the charging station includes at least one control unit such that: the controllable switching means are able to be switched in such a way that a charging current is able to be formed from at least 3 chopper currents.

11. The charging station as claimed in claim 10, wherein: the at least one control unit is configured to control the generation of the charging currents, provided at a charging connection, depending on a control criterion selected from the list comprising: a type of electric vehicle connected to the charging connection, a storage state of the electric vehicle connected to the charging connection, a storage state-dependent current requirement of the connected electric vehicle, a current request of the connected electric vehicle, a charging amount specified by a user for charging the electric vehicle connected to the charging connection, and a number of available DC choppers and/or chopper terminals for generating or providing chopper currents to be combined in order to generate a charging current.

12. A method for charging a plurality of electric vehicles using a charging station, the method comprising: supplying the charging station with electric power via a supply device of the charging station; charging, in each case, at least one electric vehicle by way of one of a plurality of charging terminals of the charging station, wherein the charging comprising: removing electric power from the supply device at a supply input of the charging terminal, outputting a respective charging current for charging the connected electric vehicle at a charging output with one or more charging connections, wherein the electric vehicle is connected to one of the charging connections at which the charging current is output, wherein at least one DC chopper arranged between the supply input and the charging output generates a respective chopper current from electric power of the supply device, or at least one chopper terminal arranged between the supply input and the charging output in each case provides a chopper current generated outside the charging terminal by a respective DC chopper, wherein the charging current is formed from a chopper current or a plurality of chopper currents, and wherein the plurality charging terminals are connected to one another at exchange connections via electrical exchange lines.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising exchanging chopper currents between the plurality of charging terminals.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein: at least one exchange switch of a charging terminal to which an electric vehicle to be charged is connected is closed, and at least one chopper current is thereby drawn from at least one adjacent charging terminal, and a charging current is thus generated for the electric vehicle to be charged, and/or at least one bridge switch of the charging terminal to which the electric vehicle is connected is closed, and a plurality of chopper currents from a plurality of DC choppers or chopper terminals arranged in the charging terminal are thereby combined or superimposed in order to generate the charging current, and/or at least one exchange switch of at least one adjacent or further charging terminal and/or adjacent or further auxiliary current terminal is closed, and at least one chopper current is thereby drawn from adjacent or further charging terminals or auxiliary current terminals and combined or superimposed in order to generate the charging current and/or at least one bridge switch of at least one adjacent or further charging terminal is closed, and at least one chopper current from a plurality of DC choppers or chopper terminals arranged in the adjacent charging terminal is thereby drawn via at least one exchange line in order to generate the charging current.

15. The charging station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric vehicles is a plurality of electric automobiles.

16. The charging station as claimed in claim 2, comprising at least one chopper terminal arranged between the supply input and the at least one exchange connection and corresponding to the chopper terminal of the charging terminal to provide a chopper current generated outside the auxiliary current terminal by a DC chopper

17. The charging station as claimed in claim 4, wherein the structural connection means are plug connectors, wherein the two charging terminals are the at least one auxiliary current terminals and the supply terminal to one another such that all of the charging terminals connected to one another as a whole form a modular structure.

18. The charging station as claimed in claim 9, wherein the charging current is configured to be used to charge an the electric vehicle connected to the second transverse line.

19. The charging station as claimed in claim 16, wherein the DC chopper or the chopper terminal of the auxiliary current terminal is connected to all of the exchange connections of the auxiliary current terminal to provide the chopper current to all of the exchange lines.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0088] The present invention is now explained by way of example in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0089] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a charging station.

[0090] FIG. 2 shows a more detailed embodiment of a charging terminal, an auxiliary current terminal and a supply terminal.

[0091] FIG. 3 shows a graph with three different charging current profiles for three respective different vehicle classes.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of a charging station that is an alternative to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0093] FIG. 1 shows a charging station 100 that is connected to an electricity supply grid 102 via a grid connection point NAP. In order to be able to draw power for charging the electric vehicles from the supply grid 102, a supply device 104 is provided. The supply device 104 in this case comprises at least one transformer 106 and a rectifier unit 108 connected downstream of the transformer. The transformer 106 is in this case connected directly to the supply grid 102 via the grid connection point NAP and in the process transforms a first AC voltage, in particular the grid voltage, into a second AC voltage suitable for the rectifier unit 108. As a specific example, a medium-voltage transformer is illustrated in this respect in FIG. 1, which medium-voltage transformer transforms the grid voltage down from 20 kV to a 400 V AC voltage. The rectifier unit 108 that is shown in this case generates a DC voltage at a DC voltage output from the second AC voltage and is thus able to provide power that is drawn from the supply grid.

[0094] The supply device 104 is thus provided in particular for connection to an electricity supply grid 102 and for supplying the charging station with electric power.

[0095] The charging station 100 shown in FIG. 1 furthermore comprises five charging terminals 116, a supply terminal 114 and an auxiliary current terminal 118, which may also be referred to as terminals for simplification. A detailed description of said terminals follows in the description with regard to FIG. 2.

[0096] In one specific example, the terminals (114, 116, 118) of the charging station 100 are arranged next to one another at parking spaces P1 to P6. A plurality of electric vehicles are thus able to be charged, these being parked in the parking spaces P1-P6 for charging. The parking spaces are to be understood to be particularly illustrative and are not intended to limit the number of vehicles to be charged to six, but rather in principle 10 vehicles may also be charged at the charging station that is shown.

[0097] A supply terminal 114 is in this case provided in order to forward the power provided by the supply device 104 to the terminals in the form of a DC voltage. For this purpose, the supply terminal is electrically connected to the rectifier unit 108 via a main supply line 110. In order to establish the electrical connection to the main supply line 110, a main supply input 112 is installed on the supply terminal 114. Power is thus able to be drawn from the supply device 104 via the main supply input 112. The power thus drawn is then distributed to the other terminals (116, 118) via a plurality of supply lines 130. The supply terminal 114 is thus for receiving electric power from the supply device and for forwarding it to the charging terminals 116 and, if appropriate, auxiliary current terminals 118.

[0098] In addition to the supply terminal, the charging station 100 has a plurality of charging terminals 116 for charging at least one electric vehicle in each case. Each charging terminal in this case comprises a supply input 120 and a charging output 122. The supply input 120 is in this case configured so as to draw electric power from the supply device 104 by providing connections at the supply input 120 by way of which the terminals are able to be connected to one another at the supply inputs. FIG. 1 in this case shows for example that two charging terminals 116 are arranged on the left and three charging terminals and the auxiliary current terminal 118 are arranged on the right, with reference to the supply terminal 114. All of the terminals are in this case electrically coupled to one another at the respective supply inputs 120 via supply lines 130. In the example shown, there is therefore a respective section of the supply line 130 present between two adjacent terminals, such that there is no single, continuous long supply line, as is customary in the case of a busbar or a bus line. The charging terminals are able to draw the electric power forwarded by the supply terminal 114 directly via the supply lines 130. Depending on the arrangement of the terminals in the charging station, however, the charging terminals 116 and auxiliary current terminals 118 may also draw the forwarded power of the supply terminal 114 indirectly via another terminal. In this case, the supply inputs may then also be considered to be supply outputs for an adjacent terminal.

[0099] In addition to the supply input 120, a charging output 122 having one or more charging connections is additionally provided at each charging terminal 116, which charging connections are used to output a respective charging current for charging a respective connected electric vehicle. In FIG. 2, for example, two electric vehicles may be connected to the two charging outputs of in each case one of the five charging terminals 116.

[0100] At least one DC chopper 126 is in this case arranged in each of the charging terminals 116 between the supply input 120 and the charging output 122 in order to generate in each case one chopper current per chopper or DC-to-DC converter. The currents thus generated are then used to charge an electric vehicle connected to a charging output 122 of one of the charging terminals.

[0101] An auxiliary current terminal is provided in the charging station as a further terminal. This auxiliary current terminal serves to generate and provide an additional current for charging the electric vehicles. In this case, it has no charging connections at a charging output for charging an electric vehicle. An additional current is provided for example when a charging terminal is overloaded. This may in this case lead to excessive use at full load, for example, if a current requirement of an electric car exceeds the maximum current that a terminal is able to generate. One specific example is if a vehicle requires a charging current of 400 A and the charging terminal is however only able to provide a maximum of 100 A. The auxiliary current terminal is thus provided in order to generate one or more additional auxiliary currents, in particular chopper currents, in order to provide these to at least one charging terminal, wherein the auxiliary current terminal itself does not have a charging output.

[0102] It may be seen in particular from the charging station 100 shown in FIG. 1 that the charging outputs 122 of the charging terminals are connected to one another at exchange connections via electrical exchange lines 128, in order thereby to be able to exchange the generated chopper currents with one another. There is likewise provision for the supply terminal 114 and the auxiliary current terminal 118 also to be electrically coupled on the output side to the charging terminals 116 via the exchange lines 128. For example, an electric vehicle parked in parking space P1 may thus draw a charging current that was at least partially generated by a DC chopper from another charging terminal or an auxiliary current terminal.

[0103] FIG. 2 shows a more detailed embodiment of a charging terminal A, an auxiliary current terminal B and a supply terminal C which correspond to the charging terminals 116, the auxiliary current terminal 118 and the supply terminal 114, respectively, of FIG. 1.

[0104] Charging terminal A in this case has a supply input 200 and a charging output 202. In this case, two connection means 220 are arranged at the supply input 200, which connection means may be designed for example as plug connectors. Any other charging terminal, an auxiliary current terminal or a supply terminal may thus be connected to these connection means in order to connect the supply inputs of these terminals to one another.

[0105] In this case, each charging terminal A has two DC choppers 226 that are arranged in parallel with one another between the supply input 200 and the charging output 202, and each impress a chopper current I.sub.S1 or I.sub.S2 into a respective transverse line QL.sub.1 and QL.sub.2 arranged at the charging output. In this case, each DC chopper 226 is assigned exactly one charging connection 222 and one transverse line QL.sub.1 or QL.sub.2 for each DC chopper. Thus, with n DC choppers, n transverse lines are used to connect the DC chopper to the charging connection. With two DC choppers present in charging terminal A, the terminal is thus constructed from two transverse lines QL.sub.1, QL.sub.2 and two charging connections 222.

[0106] In addition, a first and a second connection area are indicated for charging terminal A by the arrows 204 and 206, each of which connection areas has a plurality, in particular the same number, of exchange connections 224. The terminals are able to be connected to these exchange connections via substantially parallel exchange lines 228, these being illustrated in dashed form in FIG. 2.

[0107] There is also provision for a longitudinal line LL.sub.1, LL.sub.2, LL.sub.3 within the terminal for each exchange connection of one of the connection areas in order to electrically connect the respective exchange connection 224 of one connection area 204, 206 to a respective exchange connection of the other connection area 206, 204, such that, with m exchange connections of one connection area, m longitudinal lines are provided. The longitudinal lines in this case in particular run electrically in parallel with one another. For this purpose, the specific design of charging terminal A has for example three exchange connections in the connection area 206, by way of which three longitudinal lines are provided. The longitudinal lines LL.sub.1, LL.sub.2 and LL.sub.3 in this case connect the two connection areas 204 and 206.

[0108] In order for a dynamic exchange of the generated chopper currents to be possible, each longitudinal line LL.sub.1, LL.sub.2, LL.sub.3 is directly connected to at least one of the transverse lines QL.sub.1, QL.sub.2 via a respective connection node.

[0109] In order for the charging currents I.sub.L1 or I.sub.L2 additionally to be able to be generated as desired at one of the charging outputs 222, a plurality of controllable switching means or switches that are able to be driven by a control unit are present in the charging terminal. In this case, each charging terminal may have a control unit itself, or a superordinate control unit may take over the driving of the controllable switching means. A mixed form of control units in each charging terminal and a superordinate control unit may likewise be implemented. This is however not illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0110] The three exchange switching means or switches A1, A2 and A3 are in this case illustrated in charging terminal A in FIG. 2 as controllable switching means, which exchange switching means are electrically connected to a respective exchange connection 224 in order to control the exchange of at least one chopper current with an adjacent charging terminal or auxiliary current terminal via the exchange means. A further controllable switching means is the bridge switching means or switch B1, which electrically connects two DC choppers in a charging terminal to one another, in the present case via the two transverse lines QL.sub.1 and QL.sub.2, in order to control superimposition of the chopper currents I.sub.S1 and I.sub.S2 of the two DC choppers 226. A respective charging switching means or switches C1 or C2 is likewise arranged on a charging connection 222 in order to control the outputting of the charging current, either I.sub.L1 or I.sub.L2.

[0111] Charging terminal A illustrated in FIG. 2 may accordingly form a charging current I.sub.L1 or I.sub.L2 from a chopper current I.sub.S1 or I.sub.S2 or a plurality of chopper currents and even draw or output further chopper currents via the exchange connections.

[0112] In comparison to charging terminal A, in auxiliary current terminal B, the DC chopper 226 is in this case connected to all of the exchange connections 224 in order to provide the chopper current I.sub.S3 on all of the exchange lines 228. The auxiliary current terminal is thus designed to output an additional current. However, in order for chopper currents also to be able to be output in a controlled manner, three exchange switching means A1, A2 and A3 are provided in the auxiliary current terminal, similarly to charging terminal A. These may also be used to forward chopper currents of adjacent terminals if for example the chopper 226 does not generate any current I.sub.S3 in the auxiliary current terminal.

[0113] In comparison to terminals A and B, supply terminal C has an additional main supply input 212 and two respective supply outputs 221, which are structurally identical to the supply inputs of terminals A and B. The supply outputs 221 are in this case used in order thereby to forward the power drawn from the supply device to the charging terminals and, if applicable, the at least one auxiliary current terminal, in particular in order to forward power to all of the charging terminals.

[0114] Similarly to terminals A and B, supply terminal C likewise also has exchange connections 224 in order to be connected, at least one connection area 208 or 210, to a respective adjacent charging terminal and/or auxiliary current terminal, if applicable, in order to be able to route at least one chopper current through the supply terminal.

[0115] The supply inputs/outputs and exchange connections of terminals A, B and C are in this case substantially structurally identical. A charging station may thus be constructed as desired in a modular manner from terminals A, B and/or C, like a kind of case.

[0116] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention has been described particularly for charging terminals and auxiliary current terminals, each having one or more DC choppers. This description and said advantages may likewise be transferred analogously to variants that each use one or more chopper terminals instead of one or more DC choppers. By way of example, instead of the two DC choppers 226 and 126, two chopper terminals may be provided in charging terminal A or 116, each of which chopper terminals receives a chopper current from the supply device 104 and provides it in the form of a chopper current I.sub.S1 or I.sub.S2. For this purpose, a DC chopper may be provided in the supply device 104 for each chopper terminal, as well as a connection line to the supply device 104 according to FIG. 1. One, several, or all of the charging terminals 116 may be provided with chopper terminals instead of with DC choppers 126. The same applies analogously to the auxiliary current terminal 118 or any other auxiliary current terminals.

[0117] FIG. 4 illustratively shows one embodiment of a charging station that is an alternative to FIG. 1. For improved clarity, the same reference signs are used for the same or similar elements. The charging station 400 of FIG. 4 differs from the charging station 100 of FIG. 1 in that the charging terminal 416 illustrated on the far right has two chopper terminals 427 instead of two DC choppers 126. The chopper terminals 427 each receive a chopper current via a respective individual line 410, which are each connected to a DC chopper 126 in the supply device 404. The chopper terminals 427 thus essentially provide only one respective chopper current that was generated by respectively one of the two DC choppers 126. The provision is also made here to transverse lines Q.sub.L1 or Q.sub.L2 whose further interconnection is described in more detail in FIG. 2. This is also applicable analogously here to the variant of FIG. 4. As an alternative, the two individual lines 410 may also be routed via the supply terminal 114 and then via supply inputs 120. FIG. 3 shows a graph with three different charging current profiles I.sub.1, I.sub.2 and I.sub.3 in percent for three respective different vehicle classes AM1, AM2 and AM3. The loading of the charging station is plotted on the ordinate in percent, wherein the charging terminal in this example is able to output a charging current of 100 A at 100% load, which corresponds to the maximum current of the vehicle class AM1. The time t is plotted on the abscissa in minutes.

[0118] In this case, the profile of the three current characteristic curves I.sub.1, I.sub.2 and I.sub.3 is very different, wherein each of the three characteristic curves corresponds to a current characteristic curve of a different vehicle class AM1, AM2 or AM3. It should be noted for the vehicle class AM3 that it requires a charging voltage that is about twice as high as the vehicle classes AM1 and AM2. The 400% charging current, which is initially plotted in FIG. 3 for the vehicle type AM3, thus corresponds to approximately 800% charging power with respect to the vehicle class AM1. Likewise, 80% SOC points of the state of charge, which indicate a state of charge of 80% with respect to a full charge, are reached at very different times. For example, the vehicle class AM1 could correspond to a small car class, the car class AM2 could correspond to a premium class and the class AM3 could correspond to a supercar class. Depending on the car class or vehicle type, the charging characteristic curves or current characteristic curves I.sub.1, I.sub.2 and I.sub.3 adopt a different profile. Two choppers may operate in parallel (double current) or in series (double voltage).

[0119] For the car class AM1, for example, a relatively constant charging current of 100 A is required for about 20 minutes, such that a charging terminal with a DC chopper is fully loaded at 100%. Here, a chopper that is able to deliver 100 A thus was already sufficient. In the case of a premium vehicle or a sports car, on the other hand, one charging terminal alone could not provide the charging current required to charge the vehicle types. In order that the DC choppers do not have to be dimensioned for a charging current of for example 400 A for the supercar, the proposed charging terminal is able to draw DC chopper currents via adjacent terminals in order also to be able to charge a supercar in the first charging area AO1. In the charging area AO2, the current requirement of the supercar then drops relatively quickly. DC choppers that are not required may then in turn be activated or switched off or switched over by the control unit depending on the current requirement of the vehicle—if these are no longer required.

[0120] With regard to the specific example of the supercar, the charging station could therefore charge the supercar in the first almost 7 minutes at up to 300% load simultaneously with seven or eight DC choppers at about 50 A each. This large number is necessary because the supercar mentioned by way of example requires a charging voltage that is twice as high, such that instead of about 100 A, only about 50 A is able to be supplied per DC chopper. Between 300% and 200%, only six or five DC choppers would then be required, from 200% only four or three DC choppers would still be required, and after 22.5 minutes only two or one DC chopper(s) are required in the operating area AO3 to fully charge the sports car.