Smart Low-Cost On-Board Charger for Electric Vehicles Using Arduino-Based Control
The increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) needs efficient and cost-effective charging solutions. This study presents a smart on-board charging system using low-cost materials while ensuring safe and optimized battery management. The proposed system is controlled by an Arduino MEGA 2560 micr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/1910 |
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| author | Jose Antonio Ramos-Hernanz Daniel Teso-Fz-Betoño Iñigo Aramendia Markel Erauzquin Erol Kurt Jose Manuel Lopez-Guede |
| author_facet | Jose Antonio Ramos-Hernanz Daniel Teso-Fz-Betoño Iñigo Aramendia Markel Erauzquin Erol Kurt Jose Manuel Lopez-Guede |
| author_sort | Jose Antonio Ramos-Hernanz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) needs efficient and cost-effective charging solutions. This study presents a smart on-board charging system using low-cost materials while ensuring safe and optimized battery management. The proposed system is controlled by an Arduino MEGA 2560 microcontroller, integrating Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) for precise voltage regulation and real-time monitoring of charging parameters, including voltage, current, and state of charge (SoC). The charging process is structured into three states (connection, standby, and charging) and follows a multi-stage strategy to prevent overcharging and prolong battery lifespan. A relay system and safety mechanisms detect disconnections and voltage mismatches, automatically halting charging when unsafe conditions arise. Experimental validation with a 12 V lead-acid battery verifies that the system follows standard charging profiles, ensuring optimal energy management and charging efficiency. The proposed charger demonstrates significant cost savings (~94.82 €) compared to commercial alternatives (1200 €–2000 €), making it a viable low-power solution for EV charging research and a valuable learning tool in academic environments. Future improvements include a printed circuit board (PCB) redesign to enhance system reliability and expand compatibility with higher voltage batteries. This work proves that affordable smart charging solutions can be effectively implemented using embedded control and modulation techniques. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2d200c8c75e7442f8a65e2acf860f9f8 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj-art-2d200c8c75e7442f8a65e2acf860f9f82025-08-20T02:28:14ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-04-01188191010.3390/en18081910Smart Low-Cost On-Board Charger for Electric Vehicles Using Arduino-Based ControlJose Antonio Ramos-Hernanz0Daniel Teso-Fz-Betoño1Iñigo Aramendia2Markel Erauzquin3Erol Kurt4Jose Manuel Lopez-Guede5Electrical Engineering Department, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Nieves Cano 12, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, SpainElectrical Engineering Department, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Nieves Cano 12, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, SpainElectrical Engineering Department, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Nieves Cano 12, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, SpainElectrical Engineering Department, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Nieves Cano 12, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, SpainDepartment of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Technology Faculty, Gazi University, 06560 Ankara, TurkeyAutomatic Control and System Engineering Department, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Nieves Cano 12, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, SpainThe increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) needs efficient and cost-effective charging solutions. This study presents a smart on-board charging system using low-cost materials while ensuring safe and optimized battery management. The proposed system is controlled by an Arduino MEGA 2560 microcontroller, integrating Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) for precise voltage regulation and real-time monitoring of charging parameters, including voltage, current, and state of charge (SoC). The charging process is structured into three states (connection, standby, and charging) and follows a multi-stage strategy to prevent overcharging and prolong battery lifespan. A relay system and safety mechanisms detect disconnections and voltage mismatches, automatically halting charging when unsafe conditions arise. Experimental validation with a 12 V lead-acid battery verifies that the system follows standard charging profiles, ensuring optimal energy management and charging efficiency. The proposed charger demonstrates significant cost savings (~94.82 €) compared to commercial alternatives (1200 €–2000 €), making it a viable low-power solution for EV charging research and a valuable learning tool in academic environments. Future improvements include a printed circuit board (PCB) redesign to enhance system reliability and expand compatibility with higher voltage batteries. This work proves that affordable smart charging solutions can be effectively implemented using embedded control and modulation techniques.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/1910electric vehiclecharging pointon-board chargerPWMArduino |
| spellingShingle | Jose Antonio Ramos-Hernanz Daniel Teso-Fz-Betoño Iñigo Aramendia Markel Erauzquin Erol Kurt Jose Manuel Lopez-Guede Smart Low-Cost On-Board Charger for Electric Vehicles Using Arduino-Based Control Energies electric vehicle charging point on-board charger PWM Arduino |
| title | Smart Low-Cost On-Board Charger for Electric Vehicles Using Arduino-Based Control |
| title_full | Smart Low-Cost On-Board Charger for Electric Vehicles Using Arduino-Based Control |
| title_fullStr | Smart Low-Cost On-Board Charger for Electric Vehicles Using Arduino-Based Control |
| title_full_unstemmed | Smart Low-Cost On-Board Charger for Electric Vehicles Using Arduino-Based Control |
| title_short | Smart Low-Cost On-Board Charger for Electric Vehicles Using Arduino-Based Control |
| title_sort | smart low cost on board charger for electric vehicles using arduino based control |
| topic | electric vehicle charging point on-board charger PWM Arduino |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/1910 |
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