International Conference on Electromobility Standardization

12 Summaries of speeches held during the morning session
13
Ph. D. Taeoh Tak
Kenji Miura
Dirk Arnold of the Department of Environmental Innovations and Electromobility
of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology
(BMWi) gave an overview of the governmental players involved in electromobility
in Germany (the Ministries of Economics, Transport, Environment and
Research) and of the German governmental strategy as from 2007. He described
the „Government Action Plan“ on electromobility, the aim of which is to
help put one million electric vehicles on German roads by 2020. The Federal
Government places a strong emphasis on promoting R&D with measures
covering the entire value chain, parts of which need to be reconfigured. The
express intent is to achieve a continuous alignment between research and
standardization activities, as well as the development of international standards.
The German Standardization Roadmap for Electromobility, drawn up
by Working Group 4 „Standardization and Certification“ of the National Platform
Electromobility, establishes guidelines for this process. <strong>International</strong>
cooperations with China, France and the USA, for instance, are contributing
greatly to a globally harmonized approach to various issues surrounding
electromobility.
Professor Taeoh Tak of the Korean Kangwon National University (Mechanical
Engineering) presented the current state of development in Korea as
regards electric vehicles. He also gave an overview of various research activities
dealing with „green cars“ (fuel cell vehicles and EVs), indicating which
projects explicitly involve standardization. Professor Tak highlighted the
system approach followed in Korea as exemplified by the Korean National
Smart Grid Roadmap issued in 2010. The standardization structures established
in Korea will ensure a cross-sectoral, cross-technology implementation
of the planned tasks. In face of the different charging system designs being
developed throughout the world, Korea has developed its own plug standard
which is nevertheless compatible with the IEC 62196-2 Type 1 plug. Prof. Tak
concluded by describing the Korean standardization roadmaps for charging
systems, vehicle systems and batteries, all three of which clearly illustrate
a primary interest in the international harmonization of standards. However,
Tak identified this harmonization as the greatest challenge, while at
the same time emphasizing Korea‘s willingness to become involved in this
process.
Kenji Miura, Deputy Director of the Electric Vehicle and Advanced
Technology Office of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
began his presentation by discussing the impact of the 2011 „Great East
Japan Earthquake“ on the Japanese automobile industry, the problems this
has created, and the means for an intelligent recovery. Concrete goals have
been set for the introduction of electric vehicles in Japan, beginning with the
development of battery technology (reducing costs by half by 2015) and of
the charging infrastructure. Several measures to this end have already been
introduced, such as the support of R&D activities, the installation of charging
stations and numerous promotional activities to create initial demand
among the public; these last have been carried out in 18 „EH/PHV towns“, or
model regions and cities. Like the preceding speakers, Mr. Miura also emphasized
the great importance of standardization by pointing out the need
for international cooperation among industry and governments, as well as
between ISO and IEC, and the challenges this cooperation will bring, along
with the necessity of a system approach to electromobility.