Methods for electric bus charging to increase battery life

摘要

The invention provides for an energy storage system that has a first plurality of battery cells that each are capable of a first C-rate. The plurality of battery cells can be charged at an equivalent rate on a kWh/minute basis as a second plurality of battery cells that each are capable of second C-rate, with the second C-rate being higher than the first C-rate. The first plurality of battery cells may have an energy storage capacity which is approximately twice the energy storage capacity for the second plurality of cells.

主权项

1. A method of charging an energy storage system of an electric bus at a charging station, the bus being configured to operate along a route and be charged at multiple charging events along the route, the method comprising:
electrically connecting the bus with the charging station for a first charging event of the multiple charging events; receiving, at a control system, information relating to charging, the information including at least (a) a current state of charge of the bus and (b) information related to the route of the bus; determining using the control system, based at least on the received information, an amount of energy needed by the bus until a second charging event, the second charging event being a charging event subsequent to the first charging event; and charging the energy storage system with the determined amount of energy at the first charging event, wherein the charging includes:
(i) providing a first amount of energy to the energy storage system, the first amount of energy being smaller than the determined amount of energy;(ii) discharging a second amount of energy from the energy storage system after providing the first amount of energy, the second amount of energy being smaller than the first amount of energy; and(iii) providing a third amount of energy to the energy storage system after the discharging, the third amount of energy being a remaining amount of energy needed to charge the energy storage system with the determined amount of energy; and electrically disconnecting the bus from the charging station after the first charging event.