ISO 15118-20 functionality available in the controller software vSECClib.CCS

Features based on this standard, such as bidirectional charging, are now available in the software library for vehicle communication vSECClib.CCS.

The ISO standard 15118 describes the communication between the vehicle and the charging station. A new achievement of ISO 15118-20 is that for the first time there is a complete description for all currently known charging technologies. This opens up great potential, especially for bidirectional and inductive charging. The extension of the vSECClib.CCS library including bidirectional charging, dynamic control mode and multiplex communication is now available. Companies can offer their customers new and market-relevant features rapidly: For example, bidirectional charging, which is the feeding of energy from the vehicle to the private or even public power grid to balance demand and supply peaks and generate financial revenue at the same time.

The two Vector control units vSECC and vSECC.single Board will also be benefiting from the update. The roll-out of the software onto the control units can take place from the third quarter of 2022 via a software update over the Internet. If the power electronics of the charging station and the vehicle are also bidirectional-capable, the charging station is thus already operational.

Further optimisations in vSECClib.CCS relate to so-called grid-friendly charging. The Dynamic Control Mode allows the charging station to take over complete control of the charging process. This allows the charging station controller, and not as before only the electric vehicle, to control the power profile. The controllers can now change the energy transfer parameters during the charging process. In the previous ISO version (-2), the vehicle could take a charging break at any time. Since this leads to a conflict in bidirectional charging when the infrastructure wants to discharge, in Dynamic Control Mode only the charging station can demand a pause in the charging process.

The vSECClib.CCS also features an extension in the parallelisation of messages through multiplex communication. This keeps the expensive DC contactors between the vehicle battery and power electronics closed during the renegotiation of charging parameters and reduces wear and tear. Moreover, response times to changes in the environment, such as for peak load shaving, are shortened.

By the fast implementation of ISO 15118-20, Vector is contributing to the expansion of standardised charging communication. Developers of charging infrastructure are equipped for a future-proof development of charging stations with vSECClib.