Design and Implementation of a Smart Solar-Assisted IoT-Based Electric Vehicle Charging System

Abstract

The increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) necessitates the development of efficient, sustainable, and intelligent charging infrastructure. This paper presents a smart solar-assisted Internet of Things (IoT)-based EV charging system that integrates photovoltaic (PV) power generation, battery energy storage, intelligent energy management, and real-time cloud monitoring. The proposed system utilizes solar energy as the primary power source, while the utility grid serves as a backup during periods of insufficient solar generation. An ESP32-based microcontroller continuously monitors key charging parameters, including battery voltage, charging current, power, temperature, and battery status, and uploads the measured data to an IoT cloud platform for remote monitoring and analysis. The developed prototype was experimentally validated using a 60 V, 8 Ah electric scooter battery under both AC and DC charging modes. Experimental results demonstrate that the AC charger (60 V, 5 A) fully charges the battery from 55 V to 60 V in approximately 110 minutes, whereas the proposed DC fast charger (60 V, 15 A) completes the charging process in 60 minutes, resulting in a 45.5% reduction in charging time. The intelligent energy management system automatically prioritizes solar power, performs seamless source switching between solar, battery, and grid supplies, and ensures uninterrupted charging operation. The proposed system significantly improves charging efficiency, reduces dependence on the conventional power grid, enhances renewable energy utilization, and provides a cost-effective, scalable, and environmentally sustainable solution for residential, commercial, and institutional EV charging applications.