Smart and compact, the Direct Current Billing Meter (DCBM) gives charging station providers the ability to deliver a ‘gas station’ like experience, using an LCD display to show real-time measurements, energy, alarms and legal data.

DCBM is an excellent solution for new and retrofitted DC fast charging stations from 25 to 400 kW. It uses industry-standard data protocols, resulting in secured communication, authentic billing, easy connectivity to Cloud services and a faster certification process.

Today’s public charging infrastructure supplies mostly alternating current (AC). It leads to a relatively long charging time of eight hours on average, due to a low power capability of around 44 kW. To reduce this charging time to only a few minutes, charger manufacturers convert the AC into a direct current (DC) outside the car, bypassing the On-Board-Charger (OBC) and supplying the battery pack of the electric vehicle directly. This method can boost charging power up to 400 kilowatts. However, this conversion stage generates power losses which the end user, the owner of the EV, should not pay. Therefore, placing LEM’s DCBM after the conversion stage will monitor and bill the exact energy transferred to the electric vehicle.

LEM’S DCBM SERIES IS THE FIRST TO COMPLY WITH EUROPEAN STANDARDS

DCBM adheres to German “Eichrecht” regulations, stating that consumers only should be charged for the DC power supplied. Standards are being established not only on a European level but also on an international level, for example, in California, USA. The DCBM is developed to meet market demands for inter-operability and data security, easy and fast retrofitting of charging stations already deployed, and the ability to provide high power at up to 600A/1000V. Designed to meet future connectivity needs, the DCBM offers Ethernet communications, supporting the HTTPS/REST protocol to allow quick integration and deployment within charging stations.

It’s also UL-certified

The new meter has been designed with data security, e-mobility, digitisation and flexibility in mind and is a UL-recognised component for the United States and Canada. The DCBM 400/600 complies with the standards UL 61010 and UL 810 with its certification in the FTRZ category for EV applications.