Schneider Electric tests an intelligent charger solution for electric vehicles

The Group is supplying 135 chargers for the Strasbourg PHV trial conducted by EDF and Toyota

Strasbourg, France - Schneider Electric today presented the electric vehicle chargers it has supplied for the plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV) trial in Strasbourg, being conducted jointly by EDF and Toyota.

The 135 chargers provided by Schneider Electric are being installed in the parking lots of partner companies and at the homes of participating Strasbourg residents. The installation and maintenance of the charging infrastructure is being handled by Samep, a Strasbourg-based company specialized in the installation of energy management, access control and video surveillance equipment.



The Strasbourg PHV project represents a unique opportunity to test Schneider Electric’s chargers under real-life conditions. Each charger’s instrumentation will record details of its use, collecting key data that will provide further insight into customer needs and enable the development of even more effective solutions.

The infrastructure solution developed by Schneider Electric enables vehicle batteries to be charged safely, and optimizes the charging load according to the vehicle’s needs and the power available in the grid. Thanks to an inbuilt telecommunications system, the chargers can inform users of their availability and charging status and send a text message to the vehicle’s owner when the charging process is complete.

Compatible with smart grid technology, the chargers will eventually be able to identify and select the renewable energy sources available in the grid.

As the global specialist in energy management, Schneider Electric intends to play a major role in the imminent adoption of electric vehicles among the general driving public and is pooling all of its expertise to offer charging solutions that are easy to use, safe, available and effective.

For Schneider Electric, intelligent energy management represents the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective way to encourage the use of electric vehicles and reduce transportation’s environmental footprint. In addition to real-world trials like the Strasbourg PHV project, Schneider Electric is actively involved in a number of initiatives and discussion groups around the world, including the French-German Working Group on Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and the EV Plug Alliance, which seeks the rapid adoption of a European standard for electric vehicle plugs to ensure compatibility across the continent.

About Schneider Electric
As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data centres/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, and efficient, the company’s 100,000+ employees achieved sales of more than 15.8 billion euros in 2009, through an active commitment to help individuals and organisations “Make the most of their energy”.
www.schneider-electric.com