Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more widely adopted; what’s needed is a readily available, efficient, and transparent EV charging infrastructure. Traditional EV charging systems rely extensively on proprietary apps and often have limited payment options, making them inconvenient at times and limiting the scale of the network. The ENERGY EASE project aimed at resolving the issue by offering a solution that includes UPI-based payment and real-time energy monitoring, which is achieved using an ACS712 current sensor (accuracy ±1.5%) and a ZMPT101B voltage sensor, sampled at 1 kHz via ESP32’s ADC to improve the user experience, making EV charging stations more accessible. It used an ESP32 microcontroller to control the charging process and track the real-time energy consumption for a smooth user experience. The charging station issues a QR code to the user, who scans it to access a UPI payment gateway. This method of payment online is hassle-free, secure, and can be done in any amount without requiring a dedicated application. After the successful confirmation of payment, it turns on the relay, which starts the charging process of the vehicle. The system also continually monitors the power consumption during the charging session, which allows users to view real-time consumption information. It benefits from ease of payment through the widely used UPI systems, ease of transparency in consumption of energy, and flexibility where no proprietary apps are required. This initiative will prove to be a growth catalyst for EV infrastructure by providing an easily accessible, efficient, and friendly charging solution to the masses for the widespread acceptance of EVs.
Pushpalatha et al. (Thu,) studied this question.