Getting ready for electric vehicle charging stations

Plug-in electric vehicles, i.e. vehicles that use electric motors as the prime means of power will begin to be mass-produced in 2011. The need for electric vehicle charging stations in industrial and commercial facilities is beginning and will grow as the number of plug-in electric vehicles, or PEVs grows. Power system engineers will face challenges when applying the electric vehicle charging stations to their facility power systems. As there are relatively few electric vehicle chargers in use today, the issues and application of this equipment has yet to be seen. The intent of this paper is to make the reader more familiar with electric vehicle charging stations by identifying and discussing the standards to which they are designed and built, and describing the common features and options now available.