55 Fellten Charge Qube | EVD Connectivity Fellten plans to monitor its Qube fleet through the cloud and it fits every unit with its own communication system, which can include any combination of wi-fi, cellular and satcom, with the choice depending on the amount of data that has to be moved. “We put a small StarLink satcom system on there because we know we can push big amounts of data. Long term, I think it will be mainly 5 g,” Andre notes. Naturally, remote management raises cybersecurity issues, and the company is currently working its way towards certification for compliance with international information security standard ISO/IEC 27001. High-rate charging While CCS is nominally a standard for high-rate DC charging, there are enough differences between implementations for vehicle OEMs to face a lot of work to ensure compatibility with all the chargers they are likely to encounter. Fellten went through this with its own vehicle conversions and the expertise it gained from that experience led it to focus on developing the DC-DC conversion side. It decided to focus on the power electronics and buy in the front end from IoTecha, a company with which they work on the car conversion side of the business. IoTecha produces a CCS plug, cable and screen running customer interface software. “That component will tell us what voltage and amperage it needs, and then we ramp up our DC-DC units in order to deliver that to the car,” Hazell says. “The reason we want to do the main DC-DC conversion is that we can go direct from high-voltage DC in the battery straight to DC out, rather than having to go DC to AC and back to DC again, which is what a lot of people are doing, and there is an efficiency loss every time.” Hazell expects that some Qubes, particularly those used on construction sites, will retain the inverter to provide AC power to tools and cabins, and a couple of CCS chargers for heavy plant equipment and off-highway vehicles. “It means you don’t have to have a massive AC inverter. You could have a 50 kW inverter, but then put your money into DC-DC units that can put out 200-300 kW peak,” he says. “The AC inverter would also charge Qube using a genset on site that can be a lot smaller than normal because it doesn’t need to handle peak loads.” The company is also working on vehicle-to-grid (V2G) for Qube and it is testing a prototype CCS charger designed for V2G on site. However, there is much work to be done on the software, particularly the communication protocols, before it will work properly. “There is a set communication protocol for CCS, but for some reason the charging companies vary how they use that protocol. The problem is that it is not managed. There is no one body responsible for CCS,” Hazell says. Fellten is still finalising its pricing structure, says Andre, but the system is available for purchase, lease or rental to suit different customer needs. Entry-level configurations are positioned in the higher five-figure range, while larger-capacity systems are in the six-figures. Leasing options will also be available, with monthly rates reflecting system size and terms. E-Mobility Engineering | March/April 2025 Specifications Weight: From 3.5 t, depending on container size and number of battery packs Energy capacity: 150-450 kWh in 10 ft containers, 600 kWh and 900 kWh in 20 ft. All versions are daisy-chainable Input power: 32 A, 3-phase or optional 63 A, 3-phase Output power: 63 A, 3-phase or optional 125 A, 3-phase Dimensions: 10 ft long x 8 ft 6 in high x 8 ft wide (2.99 m long x 2.59 m high x 2.44 m wide) Optional features: Solar and wind input integration, Starlink connectivity Type 2 AC charger variants: CQ3-323-12T2-150, -300, -450 and -600 CCS DC fast-charger variants: CQ3-323-CCS150-300 and -CCS150-450 Some key suppliers: Heat exchangers: AlliSport Chargers: Autel Coolant pumps: Davies Craig Chargers: Myenergi CCS charging controllers: IoTecha Container supply and preparation: Titan Containers Vents in the side panel serve the cooling system and allow excess water out if the Qube has to be flooded in an emergency through an integral fire hose connector (Image courtesy of Fellten)
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