Electric vehicle charging in multi-family homes: RVE’s energy management solution

The RVE Solution, a comprehensive one

RVE has developed a comprehensive solution to facilitate the charging of electric vehicles in multi-unit dwellings, tailored to each party involved, which enables energy to be monitored, controlled, measured and billed in the context of dedicated parking spaces.

The RVE solution is designed to meet the charging needs of all types of installations, and to maximize the use of a building’s energy during off-peak periods so as to promote responsible and optimal charging of electric vehicles.

It comprises three product ranges:

The DCC charge controller

Where electricity meters are accessible, the DCC-9 and DCC-11 charge controller models can protect the feeder of a dwelling’s panel so as not to exceed 80% of the dwelling’s available capacity.

This solution is compatible with electrical panels from 60A to 200A and charging stations from 20A to 60A.

According to the guide to multi-unit charging produced by Hydro Quebec, this is the preferred solution for powering electric vehicles when the dwellings’ electricity meters are accessible.

The DCC-9-BOX

To make a building future-proof, it is possible to install only the DCC-9-BOX, a splitter box specifically designed to make a multi-unit residential building fully ready for electric vehicles at lower cost. It enables the connection of the main power supply and the power supply of the EV charger without affecting the load calculation, while reducing the initial installation cost. The electronic component (DCC-9-PCB) can be installed later, once there is an electric vehicle in need of a full charge at home.

Check the DCC-9-BOX spec sheet to learn more about technical aspects, and see a real-life DCC-9 and DCC-9-BOX installation in this case study of a rental property in Terrebonne.

The HUB, an EV energy management system

In multi-unit dwellings, the electricity meters are supplied by transformers or by the main electrical service panel, whose capacity has not initially been planned to supply an electric vehicle charging infrastructure for 100% of the dwellings simultaneously.

This is why we are adding a new product to our offering, the HUB by RVE, which is an electric vehicle energy management system (EVEMS).

The role of the EVEMS is to protect a building’s electrical infrastructure, while enhancing charging performance to enable optimal off-peak charging (usually at night) for all vehicles being charged. In this era of rapidly increasing energy demand to power electric vehicles, RVE’s HUB is designed to guarantee a full battery every morning for all electric vehicles.

The HUB can be installed to perform one of three functions: Monitoring, Control or Demand Response (DR).

HUB – Monitoring

The HUB monitors the electricity consumption of a main service panel (single-phase or three phase) and of up to 6 transformers (single-phase). It thus provides visibility on a building’s actual electricity consumption, as well as its consumption over the last 12 months (kW) in accordance with Rule 8-106(10) or 8-106(11) of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I (CE Code), private electrical infrastructure, thus reducing the cost of implementing charging infrastructure.

Technical Specifications

• Without a connection to the Internet, peak consumption data for the last 12 months can be accessed from the HUB screen
• With a connection to the Internet, more detailed peak data can be accessed remotely via an online portal
• Availability: fourth quarter of 2024

HUB – Control

In the event that the transformers or the main service panel do not have the capacity to supply the required number of charging stations, it will be possible to activate the HUB’s control function to enable the load shedding of up to 99 DCCs for a multi-tiered energy management. Should the energy demand at the main service panel to a transformer approach the set limit, the HUB will send a message to the DCCs to cut power to the required number of charging stations, even if the consumption level of the individual units is adequate to power the corresponding stations. By 2026, multiple HUBs will be able to be interconnected to control up to 400 DCCs from a single electrical distribution source. 

Technical Specifications

• Monitoring of single- or three-phase electrical infrastructure
• Communication with Gen 4 DCCs (in daisy chain)
• Advanced, multi-level load-shedding intelligence
• Added services via connection to the RVE Cloud
• Complies with rule 8-106(10) or 8-106(11) of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I (CE Code), private electrical infrastructure, for the exclusion of electric vehicle equipment loads from load calculations

HUB – Demand Response

RVE is working closely with electricity distributors (such as Hydro-Québec) to enable the HUB to be integrated into Demand Response (DR) programs in 2026.

The HUB will be available for pre-order in 2024. Monitoring functionalities will be available first, then a software update will enable Control and Demand Respond functionalities starting in 2025.

Pre-ordering the HUB

Information subject to change without notice.

The SMP, a smart panel for electric vehicles

In situations where it is not possible to supply a charging station directly from the dwelling electricity meter, and where an energy management and billing solution is required, it is necessary to install several new components – an electricity meter, a transformer and an electrical panel – to supply the charging stations. Adding these components is costly, however, and does not always enable the desired number of charging stations to be powered. 

This is where our SMP comes in, a smart metering and control system specially designed to charge multiple electric vehicles from a single, capacity-limited power source. The SMP acts as an electric vehicle energy management system that connects to an electrical panel to power 12, 15, 18 or 21 charging stations. Since the energy is managed at the source, any kind of charging station can be installed, even removable ones that plug into NEMA outlets.

What’s more, the SMP is certified by Measurement Canada. This makes it possible to bill users according to their actual electricity consumption (per kWh), thus guaranteeing fair and equitable billing.

Technical Specifications

• Fair load-shedding algorithm
• Varied capacity (12/15/18/21 charging stations)
• Measurement Canada certified ($/kWh)
• One modular enclosure with up to 21 relays
• Compatible with all brands of panels and charging stations

The SMP is available now: contact us at sales@rve.ca for details and pricing.