Design of carbon-friendly E-scooter charging hub powered by PV system with

extended battery life

Awais, Muhammad; Abdelalim, Abdelrahman M.; Farrag, Mohamed E.; Ashok, B.; Naidu,
Rani C.; Muthu, Rajesh K.
Published in:
2022 7th International Conference on Environment Friendly Energies and Applications (EFEA)

DOI:
10.1109/EFEA56675.2022.10063834

Publication date:
2023

Document Version
Author accepted manuscript

Link to publication in ResearchOnline

Citation for published version (Harvard):

Awais, M, Abdelalim, AM, Farrag, ME, Ashok, B, Naidu, RC & Muthu, RK 2023, Design of carbon-friendly E-
scooter charging hub powered by PV system with extended battery life. in 2022 7th International Conference on
Environment Friendly Energies and Applications (EFEA)., 10063834, IEEE, 7th International Conference on
Environment Friendly Energies and Applications, Moka, Mauritius, 14/12/22.
[Link]

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 Design of Carbon-Friendly E-scooter Charging Hub
Powered by PV System with Extended Battery Life
Muhammad Awais1, Abdelrahman M. Abdelalim1, Mohamed E. Farrag1, B. Ashok2, Rani C. Naidu2,
Rajesh K. Muthu2
1
School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, UK
2
School of Mechanical Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore-632014, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract—Renewable energy is being more widely used, the solar systems is analyzed, and is compared to the
and its usage in transportation is becoming a need to minimize charging load. However, the backup battery system draws
pollution. India produces a large number of scooters, and the stored energy of the current system. The charging station
manufacturers are interested in producing electric scooters modeling findings are displayed as waveforms, which are
and emphasizing the need for charging stations along roads so
that e-scooters can travel longer distances. The design of an e-
then explained to help us understand how the model works.
scooter charging hub based on PV renewable energy systems is II. PROJECT POTENTIAL INCUBATION
presented in this paper. A detailed simulation model with
results is provided to analyze the station's efficient In India, over 150,000 motorcycles and e-scooters were
performance. Four chargers of different ratings are designed sold in 2019, representing a 21% growth over the preceding
on a charging station, and a backup system with a large five years. And by the end of 2025, the numbers are
backup battery is connected to the circuit to provide energy on predicted to reach 1,080,500, with a compound annual
rainy or cloudy days as well as at night. Finally, a comparison growth rate of almost 58% for the five-year period.
is given to show the impacts of charging schemes impacting the Furthermore, sales to individual consumers are expected to
overall e-scooter battery life span. reach one billion dollars by end of this period, with a
compound annual growth rate of 64%. Because of its vast
Keywords—e-scooters, battery, charging station, renewable population, India produces a lot of carbon and is the third-
energy largest emitter of CO2 from fossil fuels. According to
previous reports, India has the largest number of cities in the
I. INTRODUCTION world that emit enormous amounts of pollutants and
contaminate the environment. Out of thirty cities throughout
Private and public transportation contributes significantly the world, India has twenty-one polluting cities, as reported
to environmental pollution, and electric vehicles are rapidly by IQAir in 2019 [6].
becoming the most essential mode of transportation for
achieving a cleaner environment. Many countries are To combat pollution caused by autos, the government is
producing electric cars and scooters that are powered by taking strong measures and expressing its interest in growing
various forms of energy. This study focuses on the Indian the EV business. People in the country are also expressing an
market for electric scooters, which are powered by renewable interest in riding e-scooters to help clean up the environment.
energy PV systems. The electric vehicle industry is growing Lithium-Ion batteries are being manufactured at a rapid rate
in many countries, and electric scooters are becoming in India, and the 48V battery is the most popular kind used in
increasingly ubiquitous on the roads. However, there are electric scooters, and its market share is expected to be quite
various obstacles in operating electric traffic over long high up to 85%. This research has a number of goals that will
distances, which might be avoided by installing charging be accomplished at the end and some of them are explained
stations on roads and supporting traffic in covering long below.
distances without losing battery charge, since charging • Choose a reliable battery to obtain the optimum
stations help them in the most effective way [1-5]. battery characteristics for e-scooter functioning, and
Electric scooter market (ESM) growth in Asia is after a thorough examination of the distance covered
predicted to be 30% from 2022 to 2029, with a net price of in a single full charge of the battery, market prices,
and availability, a 48V and 24Ah capacity is chosen.
$625 billion by the end of the period [6]. As investment in
this area increases, battery prices continue to fall, assisting in • Choosing the appropriate number of solar panels to
generate the required power is also a challenge.
the expansion of the e-scooter industry. Government policies
• Select a backup battery with the necessary
aimed at reducing pollution, people's desire to contribute to a
characteristics.
cleaner environment, and billionaires' and businessmen's
• Design chargers with the same 48V voltage but
investments are all contributing to the growth of the electric
different current values depending on how quickly the
scooter market. Covid-19 has had an impact on growth in battery needs to be charged.
recent years, with growth being slower than in previous • Determine the battery's discharge current, which will
years. Due to lower battery prices, an increase in the number power an electric scooter's motor.
of rides, and government measures to promote e-mobility, • Finally, calculate the battery's average lifespan to
ESM growth is expected to be significant throughout the determine how long it will last.
projected period. These were all the study objectives, however, there are
The charging station model is created using MATLAB other long-term achievements to reach, and some of them are
simulation, which illustrates the whole function of the station included below.
and assists in understanding the expected life of the battery • The primary goal of the research is to make a
utilized in this study. The amount of electricity generated by pollution-free environment.
 • Increase the viability of current electric scooters by capacity of 24Ah is selected for use in this project's e-
installing charging stations based on solar scooters.
panels along their routes.
• Save money and extend the range of distance TABLE II. ELECTRIC SCOOTERS’ BATTERIES CHARACTERISTICS [8]
covered by scooters.
NO Battery Model Nominal Nominal Prices Prices
• Provide advice to governments on how to change Capacity Voltage Rupees Pounds
existing policies to favor renewable energy. (₹) ( £)
First, choose the battery type and e-scooter power range 1 LiFePo4 30 Ah 72 V ₹ 32,000 £325.43
before designing the charging station. In the present market Battery Pack
of electric scooters driven by grid electricity, there are many 2 Lithium Ion 25 Ah 59.2 V ₹ 21,000 £213.56
varieties of e-scooters that cover varied distances and may be Battery Pack
recognized/distinguished/identified based on their covered
3 LiFePo4 30 Ah 48 V ₹ 21,000 £213.56
distances, price, and required power.
Battery Pack
As shown in Table I, the price is given in British Pounds
and is derived mostly from the Indian Rupee market. These 4 Lithium Ion 30 Ah 48 V ₹ 21,000 £213.56
bikes cover distances ranging from 56 to 90 km [7]. Battery Pack
However, one thing to keep in mind is that all of the 5 Lithium Ion 28 Ah 48 V ₹ 20,500 £208.48
aforementioned e-scooters run on grid electricity. Because Battery Pack
this station uses solar PV systems, the cost of installing them 6 LiFePo4 28 Ah 60.8 V ₹ 25,000 £254.24
on the station has an impact on the project's value. So, after Battery Pack
comparing various types of e-scooters and keeping prices in
7 LiFePo4 24 Ah 48 V ₹ 18,500 £188.14
mind, as well as comparing them to a reliable range of
Battery Pack
distance covered, it is proven that the 1.20 KWh electric
scooter can cover an efficient distance, as well as having a
low price and being recharged with less power than others. III. MODELLING OF THE CHARGING STATION
Furthermore, while several experiments have been conducted The battery used by the charging station has voltage and
in the past to operate an electric scooter with a 400-watt capacity of 48V and 24Ah respectively, thus it can be
motor, the chosen scooter has much power and is easily charged in 4 hours using a charger of 48V and 6A. A battery
accessible in the market. Several electric scooter batteries are can be charged in two hours with a 12A charger. A 24
also examined in terms of cost and capacity. Ampere charger, on the other hand, can charge a battery in
one hour. Furthermore, if a 48A charger is used, a battery
TABLE I. ELECTRIC SCOOTERS’ CHARACTERISTICS [7] can be charged in half an hour. On one charging station,
Model Range/Charge Power Prices Prices these four chargers are used. This charging station can be
NO of e- of e-scooters Ratings Rupees Pounds expanded by adding extra charging points, such as one set of
scooters (KWh) (₹) ( £) four chargers with one current rating and four sets with four
1 Bajaj 90 km 2.98 ₹142,600 £1452.28
Chetak KWh
different charging ratings. The time is calculated for a 100%
battery charge, but the battery can only be discharged up to
2 Ampere 85 km 1.15 ₹68,000 £692.53
Magnus (60V,
80% in this study, therefore the time is reduced even more.
STD 28Ah) The ratings of the chargers and their charging times are
3 Pure 62 km 1.10 ₹52,000 £529.58 shown in Table III when the battery is charged and
EV KWh discharged up to 80%.
e Trance
4 Okinawa 58 km 1.24 ₹56,400 £574.39
TABLE III. TYPES OF CHARGERS
R30 KWh
5 Ampere 65 km 1.10 ₹57,000 £580.50 No Charger Type Charging Time
Reo KWh 3 Hours & 12 Minutes
1 6A
6 Ben ling 62 km 1.30 ₹58,000 £590.69
India KWh 1 hour & 36 Minutes
2 12A
Icon
7 Hero 57 km 1.25 ₹55,000 £560.13 48 Minutes
3 24A
Electric KWh
Flash 24 Minutes
4 48A
8 Okinawa 56 km 1.24 ₹59,900 £610.04
Lite KWh
A MATLAB model consists of several independent
As shown in Table II, different types of batteries are systems, each having its own set of controllers and batteries.
discussed, along with their nominal voltage, capacity, and This model has a complete set of 4 chargers in the charging
price in both British pounds and Indian rupees. The essential station as depicted in Fig. 1. The maximum power point,
power for the aforesaid e-scooter may simply be taken from often known as MPPT, is tracked using the P&O technique.
a 48V battery with a capacity of 24Ah. This is the most The approach to demonstrate the MPPT algorithm is
widely accessible battery in India and the most reliable figure depicted in the diagram [8].
for riding an e-scooter. Following the aforementioned Once the maximum power from the PV system is
thorough study and complete analysis, a 48V battery with a attained, a controller is used to keep the current at 6A. The
backup battery system is introduced to store power and B. Slow Charger
provide energy to the system during the charging process The 6-ampere charger shown in Fig. 4, is a slow charger
when the power generation is low. All of the chargers with that is often used to obtain power because of its long life,
distinct currents are displayed in the model schematic below. which is explained in the next section. The current and
voltage of this charger are controlled to a specified value.
This charger begins to operate immediately once the
simulation begins to run. When this charger is turned on, the
excess power is used to charge the backup battery because
charging a single battery at 6A does not require much power.

Fig. 1. Modelling of Complete Charging Station

All of the chargers, including the backup battery system,

are connected to the PV system. At the point of connecting,
all connections are parallel.
Fig. 4. Modelling of 6 Amp Charger
A. Backup Battery and Scopes
C. Fast Charger
The voltage of the backup battery is compared to 72V
and maintained with the application of a controller, as shown This is a 12A charger that takes less than two hours to
in Fig. 2. This battery keeps the charger currents constant fully charge the battery. This charger turns on after the first
while the solar power decreases or increases in different charger has been turned on for a while. When this charger
weather situations. Scopes are also displayed in Fig. 3, which switches on, the amount of energy used to charge the backup
are used in this model to generate different waveforms, as battery starts to drop.
well as mathematical blocks.
D. Rapid Charger
This charger is very fast providing 24A current, taking
less than an hour to fully charge the battery. This charger,
like the others, minimizes the amount of energy used to
charge the backup battery.

E. Super-fast Charger
This charger is exceptionally fast, supplying 48 amps of
current to the batteries in just a few minutes. The charging
current to the charging battery changes to a positive sign
when this charger is turned on, showing that power is being
delivered to the system. In less than half an hour, this charger
can fully charge the battery. All of the chargers are designed
Fig. 2. Modelling of Backup Battery System
in the same approach as the 6A charger, with the exception
of the comparing of charge current levels, which are 6A,
12A, 24A, and 48A.

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The circuit's efficiency, charging techniques, current and
voltage levels, and power distribution between the solar and
backup battery systems are all analyzed using the MATLAB
model. This model has the credibility to charge the batteries
under all weather conditions. This model has the potential to
charge the batteries in all kinds of weather. When the
sunlight and temperature change the amount of irradiance on
different days and times, backup mechanism powers the
batteries. The reliability of the design system is demonstrated
in a variety of approaches. Many studies have been
conducted on different types of batteries to determine their
Fig. 3. Mathematical Calculation and Scopes efficiency [9]. But in this research, we are checking the
operation of a whole charging station using lithium-ion
batteries.
A. The Sun Shines Brightly and Temperature is Normal
When the sun shines clearly and the temperature is
normal (Irradiance of 1000W/m2, and 25°C temperature),
this technique is used to provide data that can be compared to
different irradiance and temperature ratings. The simulation
results of four chargers, backup battery and solar panel
power are shown in Fig. 5, 6 and 7, respectively. Similarly, Fig. 10. Currents of 4 Chargers
Fig. 8 and 9 show the total current and total power of
chargers over time.

Fig. 11. Backup Battery Power

Fig. 5. Currents of 4 Chargers

Fig. 12. Solar System Power

Fig. 6. Backup Battery Power
C. When the Sky is Cloudy and Normal Temperature
Because if the weather is bad, it's pouring, and there are
clouds in the sky (500W/m2 and 25°C), it's necessary to test
the model with decreased irradiance while maintaining the
same temperature. In this situation, Fig. 13 shows current
ratings of chargers while Fig. 14 and 15 show backup battery
and solar power respectively, and any deviations are detected
by comparing the variables in the current level of irradiance
Fig. 7. Solar System Power to the prior level of irradiance.

Fig. 8. Total Current of Chargers Fig. 13. Currents of 4 Chargers

Fig. 9. Total Power of Chargers

Fig. 14. Backup Battery Power
The basic irradiance and temperature values are used to
show all of the charging station characteristics as waveforms,
enabling us to observe how the sun and temperature effect
each parameter.

B. When There is Little Sunshine and Normal Temperature

If there is not enough sunshine and the temperature stays
the same (750W/m2 and 25°C), currents of chargers, backup
battery and solar power are examined in Fig. 10, 11 and 12, Fig. 15. Solar System Power
respectively with respect to previous amount of sunlight.
D. When Sunlight is Normal and Temperature Rises V. ESTIMATION OF BATTERY LIFE
In this example, the weather remains the same, but the Delays in charging at regular intervals enhance battery
temperature rises (1000W/m2 and 40°C), with a different life [10]. Temperature and charging or discharging current
temperature value and the same level of irradiance to get are also the major factors that cause battery life to degrade
different results. Similarly, the currents of 4 chargers and over time. The discharge current is kept constant at 12A
solar power are shown in Fig. 16 and 17. since e-scooters can run on the road. This varies with the
speed of the bike, but it is maintained constant in this
example for simplicity. On the other side, the charging
current is monitored to see how it affects battery life and
what value should be used to increase battery life. As a
consequence, a Matlab model is shown in Fig. 18 to obtain
various outcomes.

Fig. 16. Currents of 4 Chargers

Fig. 17. Solar System Power Fig. 18. Modelling for Prediction of Battery Life
Four examples are included to show how the charging Temperature and discharge current were tested at 25°C
station operates in different weather conditions and to and 12A. The battery is only allowed to be depleted to a
compare the outcomes of the trials. depth of 20% and no less. The battery is now charged with a
6A current, as shown in Fig. 19, and the results are analyzed
E. Discussion to see how it impacts battery life over time as the number of
The results are derived through a comparison of cycles grows until the battery life begins to decline.
numerous charger characteristics in various weather Fig. 19. Charging and Discharging Cycle at 6A and 12A Respectively
conditions in order to gain a thorough understanding of
charging station performance. Here are some findings
concerning the results of the examples provided above as
waveforms.
• In the graphs where power is generated by the PV
system, it provides full power at 1000W/m2 in the
given conditions. Solar power falls at 750W/m2 and
much more at 500W/m2 as the solar system's
irradiance diminishes, and it also decreases when the This is a combination of currents in which a discharging
temperature rises from 25°C to 40°C. current is used to drain the battery, and then a charging
• The extra power is applied to charge the backup current is supplied to charge it up to 100% when it hits 20%.
battery when the batteries only require a little And examine the time it takes for the battery's capacity to
amount of energy to charge. It must be noted that drop to zero and maximum age (equivalent full cycles), as
when solar power declines, backup battery power is shown in Fig. 20 and 21, respectively. Other battery
used to supply additional power to the charging measures, such as voltage and state of charge (SOC), show a
batteries. similar trend.
Fig. 20. Decrease in Maximum Capacity (Ah) of Battery
• The total current and power used by all chargers are
the same in all cases and are unaffected by the
weather.
• Thus, this has been proved that sunlight has no effect
on the charger's voltage or current because the
backup battery system gives the required power and
also receives additional power from the PV system,
as explained above. It can also have an effect if the
PV system does not generate electricity for a long
time but can function normally for a short time until
the backup battery gives power.
 The best charger for boosting battery life, according to
the findings, is a 6A charger, which is also the most often
used. Other chargers with higher currents are avoided
when charging is required for a long period of time, and they
are only used when significant charging is required in a short
period of time.

VI. CONCLUSION
In Asia and India, the e-scooter sector is growing
rapidly. As a result, Matlab/Simulation is being used to
Fig. 21. Increase in Number of Cycles of Battery Over Time
develop the charging station's hub. To begin, the battery
If the battery is charged and discharged using the attributes are established by comparing the e-scooters and
conditions listed above, such as charging and discharging batteries of various companies, and the model's operation,
current and temperature, it will take more than a year for the which includes solar panels, converters, and a backup battery
battery to decrease battery capacity to zero and achieve 2000 system, is extensively described. Four distinct types of
cycles. Although it is impossible to cover all cycles in a short chargers are listed as compatible with a single charging
period of time, this is a good example to learn how life station. Second, the circuit's effectiveness in delivering the
declines. Now observe the results by increasing the battery required power to the batteries while preserving their voltage
charging current to 12A, as shown in Fig. 22. and current is supported by simulation results. Finally, a
model in Matlab was created to estimate battery life, and
varied results were obtained. When the results of various
charging currents are compared, it is clear that the slow
charger is the greatest option for extending the battery's life.
In the future study, it will also be necessary to determine the
battery's practical life by operating it for two or three hours
every day for five years.
Fig. 22. Charging and Discharging Cycle at Same Value of 12A
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