Electromobility Key to the mobility transition: Charging and energy management intelligently combined

Related Vendor

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

The transition from vehicles with internal combustion engines to electric cars is essential for climate protection. However, the electrification of transport brings challenges that can slow down the mobility transition. In particular, the simultaneous use of several charging stations leads to higher electricity demand, which puts more strain on the networks. Lack of capacity can also reduce charging speeds, and peak loads drive up costs for charging infrastructure operators.

Charging processes for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles can be efficiently managed and distributed over time because electric cars are usually charged during longer idle times—for example, at home, at work, or while shopping. This allows for an optimized use of the charging infrastructure that is both cost-efficient and grid-friendly. Intelligent energy management systems (EMS) play a central role here, as they specifically control the load and redistribute the available energy.

Cloud-based load management for cost-efficient energy distribution

In addition to traditional hardware-based EMS, cloud-based systems are a cost-effective, secure, and popular alternative: Cloud solutions are particularly interesting for medium to large charging infrastructures because they can be extended to installations with up to several hundred charging points without additional wiring. By using fallback values stored in the system, the EMS remains functional even if the internet connection is interrupted by reverting to predefined power limits.

It is also a great advantage if the EMS can be integrated into the platform for charging management. A comprehensive platform with a single dashboard enables efficient control while reducing administrative effort. An example of this is the reev Balancer, a cloud-based EMS that extends the reev charging software with energy management functionality. Operators of charging infrastructures can control and manage their charging stations with the charging software. The reev Balancer as a supplement avoids consumption peaks throughout the day and uses the available power as cost-efficiently as possible.

Static and dynamic load management

In energy management, a distinction is made between static and dynamic load management. Both systems redistribute the load intelligently to prevent unbalanced loads or overloads. The difference lies in the leeway available for load distribution. In static load management, the power intended for the charging infrastructure is determined in advance. This is then evenly distributed across the charging points.

Dynamic load management, on the other hand, is more flexible and uses the available load more efficiently. A hardware component is also needed on-site for cloud-based EMS: An energy meter continuously measures the building's power consumption. In the case of the reev Balancer, an IoT gateway subsequently transmits the measurement data to the cloud so that the system can calculate the power currently available for the charging infrastructure. Since the system monitors the power supply in real-time, more power can be allocated to the charging infrastructure when the building load is low.

Technology behind energy management

Energy management is based on phase-accurate load management. Buildings with multiple charging points usually have a central main distribution board (MDB), which supplies several sub-distribution boards (SDB). These sub-distribution boards can, in turn, have additional SDBs connected. This is a typical concept for expanding charging infrastructures.

Each sub-distribution has set capacity limits that must not be exceeded. The EMS takes these into account to avoid overloading the various distributions. The power consumption of the charging infrastructure must be distributed not only across the distributions but also evenly across the three phases of the three-phase current. If the three phases within a three-phase system are not evenly loaded, this is referred to as unbalanced loads, which can stress the neutral conductor and lead to damage to the network infrastructure.

This plays an important role, especially for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) and some battery electric vehicles (BEV) that draw their power single-phase or two-phase. This automatically causes some imbalance. Depending on the network structure and the number of charging points connected, there are various challenges.

• If the neutral conductor has to compensate for the unequal current of the phases, high charging power can lead to thermal damage or network failures.

• In addition, the different loading of the phases leads to voltage drops, which can damage electronic devices in the building and the charging infrastructure.

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  Date: 08.12.2025

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• Moreover, an unequal load distribution can cause protective devices such as circuit breakers to trip erroneously.

All these disturbances can impair the charging operation in the short or long term. EMS prevent these problems by intelligently redistributing the load.

Full charge ahead: prioritizing user groups

E-car owners have different needs that an EMS can accommodate. Individual charging points, users, or user groups can be prioritized to distribute charging power according to requirements. An example is giving preference to a vehicle that quickly needs to be used for fieldwork. Even when the power grid is overloaded and distribution network operators intervene under §14a EnWG, the EMS allows for targeted power redistribution. At the same time, prioritized vehicles continue to charge at full speed.

A widespread use of EMS not only reduces the load on power grids but also prevents the need for power throttling. Intelligent energy management systems are therefore a key to meeting the increasing demands of charging infrastructure and driving the mobility transition.

Integrative concept for the future

The combination of charging and energy management creates high flexibility that supports the expansion of charging infrastructure. Intelligent load distribution ensures stable operation, relieves power grids, and reduces costs. These systems are essential to meet the increasing demand for charging infrastructure and to shape the mobility transition sustainably. (se)

*Dr. Moritz Bohland is Head of Business Operations at reev.