Meralco, the country’s foremost electricity distribution utility, has recently launched a charging station prototype—the Meralco eVehicle Power Station—as a forerunner in the development of electric vehicles (EV).
The station serves as a signal to EV stakeholders that Meralco is preparing to support the industry’s requirements. It also stipulates a test bed for their business case premises and technical competencies in providing various charging innovations. Meralco also aims to contribute in the advent of renewable technology and smart grid integration by exploring different innovations for the quincentennial year of the country’s discovery in 2021.
“We want to be instrumental in building the complete ecosystem for the expected influx of electric vehicles in the country. Meralco will assist in making the electric vehicle charging technology available to interested partner companies and priority sectors like public transport operators. Meralco will be ready when the market for eVehicles becomes ripe and stakeholders start adopting the technology. Meralco will be there to meet the demands and requirements for this environment friendly initiative,” says Alfredo S. Panlilio, SVP and Head of Customer Retail Services and Corporate Communications of Meralco.
User-friendly design and mass transit
Catering to the practical needs of future customers, the EV charging station features Meralco-designed charging equipment, primarily providing regular charging technology. Specific targets are electric mass transportation vehicles, such as eTrike and eJeep, who would recharge on a retail basis. Meralco’s equipment can provide partial (sachet) charging at an economic price point.
The charging equipment recognizes when the battery’s status is fully charged and cuts off charging. An LCD display also shows the rate and total kWH consumed along with the equivalent peso amount.
Vouching for the feasibility of the charging equipment are the e-shuttles used by employees around the Meralco compound.
Care for the Environment and Further Developments
To enhance the EV charging station even on the testing stage, they connected one of the EV charging equipment to a renewable source of energy, harnessing the power of both solar and wind energy. This allows for a zero carbon emission vehicle, a testament to Meralco’s pursuit for clean and alternative sources of power to its consumers.
Other enhancements Meralco is currently exploring are the CHAdeMO interface and communication protocol and the Combo Connector for fast charging technology, through a partnership with the University of the Philippines Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UP-EEEI).
“We will be ready if the market is there, and customers demand this service. I would therefore say, welcome to the future,” Oscar Reyes, President and CEO of Meralco concludes.