Siemens has introduced a new sustainable electric vehicle charging concept structure designed for electrified fleets and large-scale high-demand charging applications. The new VersiCharge XL concept aims to quickly and efficiently power new or existing parking lots and building structures using its proprietary, sustainable, low-carbon building materials through the use of modular, scalable designs developed in collaboration with Nexii Building Solutions (Nexii).
Similar to a modern gas station, the solution was developed at the end of 2021 and then installed in just three days at Siemens' R&D center, eMobility, and the North American Electrical Products headquarters.
Rapidly developed and patented in conjunction with green building technology company Nexii, this innovative product is the industry's first EV charging system to include all the necessary electrical infrastructure components that power EV chargers in above-ground, enclosed and low-carbon structures. Above-ground design reduces damage to existing parking lots and reduces on-site construction waste and environmental impact by eliminating costly, time-consuming and extensive municipal works.
"As the demand for EV infrastructure continues to grow in the U.S. and beyond, we recognize the real need for rapid deployment, scalability, ease of maintenance, and reliability," said John DeBoer, Siemens' Head of Electric Vehicles North America. "I'm proud of the work this team has done in Georgia, which is recognized as a growing national hub for electrified transportation innovation. The group is continuing to develop and deploy infrastructure that will enable our country to adopt electric vehicles on a large scale. Technologies like this system prove that a nationwide electric vehicle network is not out of reach, and Siemens is helping to make that happen. ”
The VersiCharge XL concept leverages proven power distribution technologies used indoors in locations such as data centers and industrial facilities and elevates them to weather-resistant outdoor enclosures above ground level. With its scalability and versatility, the concept is designed to charge a large number of electric vehicles in outdoor environments using Level 2 or 3 EV chargers, from small office parking lots to logistics centers on the last mile, as well as stadium parking lots.
The prototype was created using Nexii's building material, Nexiite, which has comparable performance to concrete and contains significantly less carbon as a vertical structure to support the Siemens Sentron Busway system, which is connected to power EV chargers. Busway distribution equipment is manufactured at the Siemens Manufacturing Center for 540 people in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
"Buildings and transportation are the two biggest sources of carbon emissions driving climate change today," said Stephen Sidwell, co-founder and CEO of Nexii. "The merger of Siemens and Nexii demonstrates the ability to quickly conceive and develop solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. We're excited to launch this original prototype of eV Charger and look forward to working together to achieve more innovation." ”