The grid upgrade can cost millions for a DC fast charging station.

The inverter to make the DC power can cost 100,000.

Why not skip all this and have a diesel engine coupled to a 400V DC generator, thereby skipping the inverter and grid upgrade?

I think this would be cheaper, and lower capex and operational costs. Not to mention, most streets have natural gas lines which could power the diesel engines with a cheap and clean burning fuel. Natural Gas is very cheap around 4c/kwh. A 20% efficient generator, would yield 16c/kwh.

  • nerox3@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    There is a nice video by Bjorn Nyland where he interviews a company (Elywhere) making a semi portable fast charger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTCyjm6TSOU

    It convinced me that there can be a good business case for this. Instead of a diesel generator it uses batteries to install fast chargers in locations where the grid connection is weak. The batteries can be charged slowly at off peak prices then dump that power into cars whenever someone comes along.