LEM’s EV fast-charge meter gets approved

Current sensor maker LEM now has French national approval for its DCBM 400/600 electric vehicle rapid charger billing meter.

“Is the first of its kind to be certified in France by Laboratoire national de métrologie et d’essais, the country’s national laboratory for metrology and testing,” said LEM. “DCBM 400/600 facilitates kWh billing integration into the electric vehicle market for rapid charging station manufacturers.”

To ease installation, it is a two-part design with a separate sensor enclosure connected to a metering enclosure via a data cable – separation up to 3.5m is possible. The metering unit is equipped with an LCD to give end-users a fuel-pump-like experience if needed.

“Fairness and transparency through kWh-based billing are essential for greater technology acceptance in the rapid charging station sector. This dc billing meter provides real-time data that is vital if users are to have confidence in their charging experience,” said LEM metering product manager Florent Balboni.

It is suited to both retrofit and new dc rapid charging stations, from 25 to 400kW, and uses industry-standard protocols for secure communication, authentic billing and cloud service connection, and there is a metrology regulation-compliant certification process, said LEM.

Operation is across 150 to 1,000Vdc, 400A or 600A depending on model, and over -40°C to +85°C for Class B accuracy.

The necessary auxiliary supply can range across 12 to 48Vdc, and insulation is reinforced to 1,000Vdc, OVC II, 8kV impulse. Terminals and interface protection is to IP20.