Automotive manufacturer and supplier of software tools and components for electronic system, Vector has announced supplementing its ECU lineup by adding a controller for charging via pantographs.
The company states this solution will benefit developers of electric commercial vehicles such as buses allowing the vehicles quick and efficient charging through electrical collector, known as pantographs.
“The Vector controller VC-EVCC-P (Electric Vehicle Communication Controller for Pantograph charging) is a generic charging controller for 24-volt electrical systems. This makes it usable in all kinds of commercial vehicles,” Vector said in its statement.
The generic charging controller supports roof-mounted pantographs as well as loading according to the OppCharge standard through inverted pantographs. Communication with an existing charging infrastructure is easily possible.
The inverted pantograph which is being used increasingly, the pantograph is located at the charge point from where it establishes a connection to the electric vehicle, e.g., a bus.
According to the company, wireless communication with the charging infrastructure, which is needed for charging processes when inverted pantographs are used, is implemented as an accessory: the CAN WiFi Gateway. It enables WiFi communication based on IEEE 802.11a/n in the 5 GHz band. Its radio license permits use of the CAN WiFi Gateway within European member states.
Further, the controller’s CAN channel with the standardized SAE J1939 protocol for the commercial vehicle market assures a quick connection.
The charging controller is well suited for prototypes and evaluation purposes and is qualified for production use and can be installed in vehicles directly.
