A critical step towards a single protocol to ensure control and compatibility across the entire EV charging chain

Schneider Electric supports electrical equipment contractors and installers for wide-scale deployment of charging infrastructure

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Rueil-Malmaison (France),

Schneider Electric has become the first manufacturer worldwide to obtain ZE Ready certification from Renault for its EVlink electric vehicle charging infrastructure range. The certification was awarded during a ceremony held at Schneider Electric’s headquarters in Rueil-Malmaison (France) on August 29, 2011.

ZE Ready is a comprehensive compatibility testing protocol designed to guarantee that internationally accepted standards will be implemented consistently among electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. By applying existing regulations and drawing on existing standards, ZE Ready aims to control the entire charging chain, from charging station design and installation to installer training, preliminary audits, any necessary compliance work and consulting.

“There are three good reasons for our industry to share Renault’s ZE Ready protocol: to reduce the number tests that need to be carried out, to obtain and share feedback on compatibility more quickly and to provide users with a guarantee that all installed systems work,” explained Vincent Brunel, Electric Vehicle Business Development Director, Schneider Electric France. “ZE Ready represents a fundamental step in establishing a protocol that will be shared by all carmakers and electrical equipment manufacturers.”

In addition to the technical interface, established in cooperation with Renault, Schneider Electric worked with electrical equipment contractors and installers to define a specific installation process in order to obtain ZE Ready certification. Schneider Electric has developed a vast nationwide network of certified installers in France to meet the needs of both consumers and institutional clients.

• Nearly 700 contractors have already been certified to install charging stations in residential homes. Local presence plays a key role here, and the number of contractors will increase as EV sales pick up speed. By participating in Schneider Electric’s Couleur Pro Label VE programme, contractors benefit from dedicated training, as well as a listing on the Company’s French website (www.schneider-electric.fr) and throughout the Renault dealership network;
• Nearly 150 electrical equipment installers work with corporate customers and local communities to equip parking lots with charging stations that can handle energy management services. They already installed charging points in more than 350 Renault dealerships these last weeks. In order to train them to practical aspects of charging infrastructure deployment and guarantee this competence to companies and local authorities, Schneider Electric will, before the end of the year, put in place a training leading to a qualification beside partner’s installers, as the EcoXpert. These trainings will be focusing on the conditions of ZE ready labelling and IEC 61851 standard.

The first ZE Ready-certified EVlink products and solutions for charging infrastructure from Schneider Electric are now on the market. These products and solutions are prone to the multi carmakers label EV Ready®, announced by the Renault-Nissan Alliance, PSA Peugeot Citroën and Mitsubishi Motors on October 3, 2011, and based on ZE Ready.

About Schneider Electric
As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in Utilities & Infrastructures, Industries & Machine manufacturers, Non-residential buildings, Data centers & Networks, and in Residential. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, efficient, productive and green, the Group’s 110,000 plus employees achieved sales of 20 billion euros in 2010, through an active commitment to help individuals and organizations make the most of their energy.
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