- IKERLAN has developed and integrated power electronics and communication systems to convert a 200 kWh battery bank into a mobile charger capable of charging two vehicles simultaneously at a power of 300 kW.
- This system, in the form of an urban electric van, provides a sustainable solution to the current lack of ultra-fast charging infrastructure and power limitations in the public electricity grid.
The Basque technology centre IKERLAN has developed for Wattson Charge company a technology that allows electric vehicles with a range of 100 km to be recharged in less than 5 minutes, without overloading the electricity grid and without requiring a visit to an electric station. Ikerlan developed and integrated the power electronics and communication systems for the second generation of mobile chargers installed inside an urban electric van. Wattson Charge uses this van to provide on-site charging services to customers.
Wattson Charge is a Madrid-based company that has developed the first and only network of ultra-fast mobile chargers for electric vehicles in urban format in Spain. This sustainable solution addresses the lack of ultra-fast electric charging stations and the challenges of accessing adequate power in certain locations on the public electricity network in Spain.
The Basque technology centre and Wattson Charge presented a new system at IKERLAN's facilities in Galarreta. The prototypes were developed in the energy storage and electric mobility laboratories. This is an example of IKERLAN's technology transfer project to the market, which represents 54 % of its global turnover (15,8 million euros in 2023) and is its main area of activity, growing year after year.
"We have developed and integrated the power electronics and communication systems required to convert a 200 kWh battery bank into an ultra-fast mobile charger that provides a unique service to the electric vehicle network," explained Aitor Milo, senior researcher in IKERLAN's Energy Storage and Management team.
Wattson Charge's 300 kW charger is equipped with two hoses, allowing each van to charge two vehicles simultaneously. This optimises the service for commercial customers, including taxi, car rental, and last mile transport companies. Europcar, Enterprise, and Mutua Madrileña's Voltio are among the companies already benefiting from Wattson Charge's ultra-fast charging.
While a destination recharge can take 5 to 10 hours, ultrafast charging stations with up to 300 kW capacity can recharge a vehicle in just a few minutes. However, only 1 % of public chargers are ultrafast, which is critical for companies with commercial fleets that cannot afford to have their vehicles out of service for extended periods of time. Rubén Valiente, head of product and operations and co-founder of Wattson Charge, states that they bring the charger closer to the vehicle without the need for costly investments, installations or permits. This is appreciated by their customers as it provides convenience, speed and cost-effectiveness.
Boosting the deployment of electric mobility
The mobile charging network currently operating in Madrid supports the deployment of electric mobility within the framework of transport decarbonisation by addressing three of the challenges facing the sector: the speed of the charging process, the availability of ultra-fast charging points, and the complexity of the electricity grid to support demands with large power peaks.
“The electrification of transport poses a challenge when scaled up due to the current electrical infrastructures and energy demand. As the number of electric vehicles and the speed of recharging increase, the demand for power also increases, often exceeding the power installed in locations where ultra-fast chargers are required. Luis Mir, head of the Energy Storage and Power Electronics area at IKERLAN, explains that these off-grid batteries can charge the vehicle at 300 kW without overloading the electricity grid”.
IKERLAN has previously collaborated with Wattson Charge on electric vehicle home charging projects. In recent years, the technology centre has worked on several battery charger and energy storage system projects with companies including CESVIMAP MAPFRE, PREMIUM, VELTIUM, CEGASA and NUUK.
About IKERLAN
IKERLAN is a leading centre in technology transfer and in providing competitive value to industry. It offers integral solutions combining different technological domains in three main areas: digital technologies and artificial intelligence, embedded electronic systems and cybersecurity, and mechatronic and energy technologies. It currently has a team of 420 people and offices in Arrasate-Mondragón, Donostialdea and Bilbao. As a cooperative member of the MONDRAGON Corporation and the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), IKERLAN represents a sustainable, competitive business model in permanent transformation. In 2024 IKERLAN will be 50 years old and remains faithful to its founding objective: to develop technology to improve the innovation and competitiveness of the companies in its environment.
About Wattson Charge
Wattson Charge is the most powerful network of mobile and ultra-fast electric vehicle chargers on the market, available to users wherever and whenever they need them. Wattson Charge's goal is to offer an ultra-fast charging service as a solution to the urgent need to electrify transport in record time. Wattson Charge currently offers services to fleet operators, last mile operators, private transport such as VTC or taxi, car rental, car sharing and public organisations or institutions such as local councils.
IKERLAN, a Basque technology centre, has developed the second generation of chargers for Wattson Charge vehicles, which is the most powerful mobile network of chargers for electric vehicles in Spain.