Assessing the viability of level III electric vehicle rapid-charging stations

Abstract

This is an analysis of the feasibility of electric vehicle rapid-charging stations at power levels above 300 kW. Electric vehicle rapid-charging (reaching above 80% state-of-charge in less than 15 minutes) has been demonstrated, but concerns have been raised about the high levels of electrical power required to recharge a high-capacity battery in a short period of time. This economic analysis is based on an existing project run by MIT's Electric Vehicle Team, of building a 200-mile range battery electric sedan capable of recharging in 10 minutes. The recharging process for this vehicle requires a power source capable of delivering 350 kW; while this is possible in controlled laboratory environments, this thesis explores the viability of rapid-charging stations on the grid-scale and their capability of servicing the same volume of vehicles as seen by today's gas stations. At this volume, building a rapid-charging station is not only viable, but has the potential to become a lucrative business opportunity.