Standardized communication interface for LEV charging

IEC has released two technical specifications (IEC 61851-3-4 and IEC 61851-3-5) describing a CANopen-based communication interface between the battery of a light electric vehicle (LEV), including pedelecs, and a charging station.

CANopen is an internationally standardized application layer (EN 50325-4) developed by the nonprofit CiA (CAN in Automation) association. It is based on Controller Area Network (CAN), the dominating network technology in passenger cars.

The IEC documents are based on the CiA 454 application profile series, which has been developed in cooperation with the nonprofit Energybus association. The standardized communication interface enables a manufacturer-independent charging of pedelecs and e-bikes. This is important for public LEV charging, especially in cities and tourist regions. IEC 61851-3-4 specifies the basics including the physical layer (cabling and connectors). IEC 61851-3-5 provides the charging data details to be exchanged between charger and battery. The CiA 454 profile specifies additional interfaces for LEV equipment (e.g. drive unit) and can also be applied to other energy management applications.