This critical prerequisite for vehicle charging devices brings the realisation of e-vehicle evolution one step closer for the UK consumer. It also puts Siemens at the forefront of the charging equipment market in the UK. Siemens is already rolling out these devices for Region Munich providing the charging infrastructure for 40 BMW mini-e vehicles. With the CE Mark now in place Siemens can roll out the devices across Europe.
The infrastructure for electric vehicle charging is developing rapidly, but it brings new and as yet untested risks especially around the use of these devices by the general public. Safety is of course paramount and the knowledge that the device being used conforms to European regulations in terms of health and safety, electrical emissions and interference is vital to ensure that they can be used safely under all conditions.
Having the CE certification is a prerequisite for any installation of these advanced chargers for use by the public. European law is very clear regarding the approvals and certification required for electrical equipment. Central to these approvals are the type tests and the requirement for devices to be clearly marked with the CE Conformity Mark. Selecting products with the CE mark is essential for a number of reasons: firstly, because the manufacturer must be able to declare that the product complies with the essential requirements of the relevant European health, safety and environmental protection legislation, secondly, so that the product can be legally placed on the market and sold within the EFTA and EU single market, and thirdly, so that non- conforming products can be removed from the market by customs and enforcement authorities.
The new electro mobility chargers from Siemens have been through an extensive testing regime to achieve the CE mark.
As Claus Schehl project manager for the Region Munich project explains: "Health and safety is the No 1 priority within Siemens and without the CE mark we simply could not release the product for sale. Now that we have this mark we are confident that the product has been through the most stringent testing. This is an expensive and timely process, but there is no alternative as these devices are to be used in a new application where the technology is still under development and where the general public will be the main user.”
Siemens believes that electric vehicle charging will require ever more extensive certification and testing and that new regulations will be required with respect to this evolving application area. As the infrastructure deployment moves from small scale pilots to major deployment, the demands on manufacturers to reach the highest levels of conformance will increase and the valued CE mark will be one of number of certifications required for electric vehicle charging. This is a development that Siemens welcomes and embraces wholeheartedly.
Siemens will be presenting its e-vehicle solution portfolio on stand 38 and 39 at the LCV 2010 event at the Millbrook testing track between the 15 and 16 September.
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Notes to Editors:
About Siemens in the UK
Siemens was established in the United Kingdom 167 years ago and now employs 16,915 people in the UK. Last year’s revenues were £4.2 billion. As a leading global engineering and technology services company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, across the key sectors of energy, industry and healthcare. Siemens has offices and factories throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Frimley, Surrey. The company’s global headquarters is in Munich, Germany. For more information, visit www.siemens.co.uk
For more information, contact:
Rachel Odams
PR Manager
Siemens Plc
Tel: +44 (0)1276 690782
Mob: +44 (0)7808 824209
Email: rachel.odams@siemens.com
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