ARCHIVE COPY, WE ARE LIGHTYEARS AHEAD OF THESE IDEAS NOW!
CHARG ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATION WHITE PAPER
*UPDATE Feb. 08 2022 – It’s very much possible that the below is now out of date. It was written in 2017, with small patches here and there. Remember to check out our app to see for yourself where we are now: https://hub.chgcoin.org. I hope the reader will forgive that we have come a long way since the below in terms of our technology, philosophy, etc. resulting from the massive paradigm shifts which presently are occurring both within and without our ever-growing ecosystem. You live, you learn.
We also wrote a book recently which can do a better job of describing our current trajectory. You may get the book here – https://wecharg.com/ebook.
In a nutshell, the latest release of CHG V2.0 on December 17th of 2021 is a native cross-chain inter-fungible, inter-operable multi-node operating system with native support for wifi leasing, time-leasing, energy-leasing, cross-chain exchanging, and yes electric vehicle charging. Here’s that link again: https://hub.chgcoin.org.
WE NEED CLIENTS! Lease Wifi, Parking, electric vehicle charging, and more. All you need is a Raspberry Pi 4 to get started – https://chgcoin.org/downloads
Also, keep in mind that Project WeCharg is now a VAST aspect of the Charg (CHG) ecosystem – off-grid distributed energy has a scalable conduit because of WeCharg! Some more WeCharg links:
https://a.wecharg.com
https://b.wecharg.com
https://c.wecharg.com
https://1.wecharg.com
https://hub.chgcoin.org/affiliate
Enjoy or do not enjoy the following, there is no try:
This white paper is a breathing document, and subject to change primarily in effort to ensure creative developer freedom. We invite the community to help us improve this document, and the rest of this endeavor, in the Forums, in Telegram Live Chat, and via e-mail. Speaking of community… the Charg team acknowledges you, the reader, and factually speaking we will only thrive with your help and active participation. Please take the time right now to share this project anywhere you can. A few ideas: a post on your Facebook page, YouTube, or other social media. Want something to share? How about this Youtube Video (click here). You can also help by TALKING ABOUT US everywhere you go! Lastly, please install your own Charg Station and download the Charg Coin App as a small but effective means to support our cause.
First, some definitions:
Charg – The Charg platform is composed of the Charg Coin App/wallet for mobile and desktop users (https://hub.chgcoin.org), the Charg Node for charging stations, the Charg Coin (CHG) itself, and a compilation of smart contracts currently broadcast on the Ethereum blockchain which connect all of of these elements together into one entity. The terms Charg and Charg Coin are somewhat interchangeable, similar to how Ethereum or Bitcoin is the same word for their platform and the denomination of the currency utilized by that platform.
Charg Coin Network– A private collection of EV (Electric Vehicle) charging stations, or Charg Stations (see below), which is readily accessible to users of the Charg Coin App. In addition to the private network of Charg Stations, the Charg Coin App displays over 100,000 already-existing public charging stations on an easy to use map. The app is relevant to the EV driver before a single Charg Station is brought into existence by the power of crowdsharing which began before Charg Coin with the phenomenon of free EV charging stations, and amplifies all the more so as crowdsourcing begins to ramp up in the near future on a mature blockchain ecosystem.
Crowdsharing– We can all share! Why don’t we? Free Charging Station power provided by the goodness of the community is an excellent example of crowdsharing.
Crowdsourcing– Like Uber, but for Electric Vehicle Charging. A powerful business model, and one that becomes the more so because of the power of the blockchain. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing
Shareconomy– Without community, there can be no platform. See – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharing_economy
Charg Coin (CHG)– The Charg platform is driven by Charg Coin. Charg Coin is the vehicle of transaction for the Charg Coin network. It is a store of value, and it can be traded on the exchanges for other cryptocurrencies. As such, the Charg Coin is ultimately transferable to fiat currency and can therefore also be classified as a form of currency. The Charg Coin is the token required to make the Charg smart contracts go. Without the Charg Coin, nobody would be able to transact or access EV charging stations on the Charg Coin network.
Charg Station– A Charg Station is a place where electric vehicles can recharge their cars in exchange for the Charg Coin. Transactions for these EV charging stations occur automatically between users of the Charg Coin App and the Charg Station, as facilitated by the Charg Coin Wallet and smart contract technology.
Charg Coin Wallet– Similar to other cryptocurrency wallets, the Charg Coin Wallet provides a visual interface between the user and the transaction of Charg Coins within the platform’s Ethereum smart contracts. The Charg Coin wallet is unique in that it permits transactions to occur between electric vehicle drivers and Charg Stations. As of version 1.4, a second layer of the Charg Coin Blockchain permits more advanced functions as well as atomic swaps.
Charg Station Node– The Charg Station node is a computer which enables Charg Stations to come online. Any computer which is always online can be turned into a node, but for simplicity Charg Coin recommends the Onion Omega2+ pre-loaded with our proprietary software, available in the WeCharg store for only $18.00. The Charg Station Node facilitates communication and transactions between electric vehicle drivers and Charg Stations utilizing Ethereum smart contract technology. It turns a smart switch on automatically when electric vehicle drivers send their Charg Coin to a Charg Station.
WeCharg – https://www.wecharg.com A real-world company which utilizes Charg Coin and the Charg Coin Platform to create crowd-sourced parking meters for electric vehicles. Anyone can join the WeCharg network because, like Uber or Airbnb, everyone contributes to the product offering in the world of crowdsourcing.
Smart Switch/Plug– Smart switches and a smart plugs are wifi-enabled electrical switches and electrical outlets. A smart switch is just like a standard light switch except that it can be controlled over wifi. A smart plug is just like a regular wall outlet except that it can be controlled by wifi. In the case of Charg Stations, the smart switch/plug is used to turn electricity on and off automatically without the need for human intervention whenever the Charg Station Node receives funds over the blockchain from an electric vehicle driver who wants to recharge.
Charg Coin App (iPhone, Android)– A mobile app intended primarily for electric vehicle drivers. In addition to locating the already-existing public network of over 100,000 charging stations worldwide, the Charg Coin App helps electric vehicle drivers locate a private network of Charg Stations accessible only to users of Charg Coin and the Charg Coin App. All stations are viewed on a beautifully laid-out map within the Charg Coin App.
Distribution Escrow– The vast majority of Charg Coins will spend the whole of their existence removed from circulation and stored in the Distribution Escrow. The Distribution Escrow’s smart contract has an important job to do autonomously and without any administrator or authority. It buys and sells Charg Coin to the general public automatically, but at a price which is always at a premium above the fair market value of Charg Coin (as defined by the average value of the exchanges). The distribution escrow is the hopper to a mechanism which injects energy-time into value. We call this mechanism Autonomous Market Propping. Autonomous Market Propping effectively binds the price of energy to the price of Charg Coin, which is made continually scarce by the Distribution Escrow. This model permits the coin’s ecosystem to bind the value of Charg Coin to energy-time in a very much permanent way. The last time this was accomplished in a synthetic way was with the Petrodollar. While the Petrodollar was prolific, Charg Coin seeks to improve upon the ethical faux pas and lack of autonomy of that currency by remaining decentralized and permanently removing a central authority from the equation.
Autonomous Market Propping – The Charg Coin platform can permanently bind energy-time to value. Using the power of the market to decide value, the Charg Coin platform executes a real-world public trade every time a real-world electric vehicle charge takes place anywhere on the Charg Coin network. Users who transact can use any currency which they would like, but incentives are given for utilizing Charg Coin. This combination permits a permanent injecting of energy-time into value. Charg Coin has value in the most real sense of the word because its value is reinforced with each transaction by the energy which powers the platform. Remember, energy and time are the ultimate roots of all value, all else equal. Even gold and Bitcoin could cannot be procured without energy and time as inputs, first.
Now that some definitions have been covered…
CHARG COIN solves a problem all electric vehicles have in common: finding a charging station reliably, anywhere in the world, anytime you want to recharge. By connecting homeowners with drivers, no environmentally conscious driver ever needs to worry about running out of power again. That’s because anyone in the world who purchases a stake in Charg can rent their electricity to the growing myriad of electric cars on the road. Earn extra Charg Coin if you’re a property owner, go anywhere you want for less if you own an electric car, everyone wins!
Charg isn’t a company. Charg is the tangible result of a smart document which rides on the Ethereum Blockchain. This smart document lays out a simple but strong foundation for a global energy-sharing program to thrive and grow. Charg Coin LLC is an entity which was formed as a steward of the coin and coin’s development community as it transitions from centralized to decentralized on the world market. Utilizing the Ethereum platform and brought up to lightning speed by our proprietary Layer 2, Charg seeks to turn itself into the Uber or Airbnb of electric vehicle charging and energy-time for money, sans centralized corporation.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Driver Incentive to Use
The Charg app will make it easy for drivers to connect with all of the EV charging stations in existence. Because public records already show drivers where over 100,000 charging stations are located* , the market is already there for EV drivers to utilize. What makes the Charg app so special for drivers is that it connects them also to privately owned charge stations for hire, which opens the door to a world of new charging station locations and lower prices. In urban jungles where parking and charging simultaneously within walking distance of your destination is literally impossible, turn to Charg. For rural stretches where even gas stations are sparse, Charg is there to keep that battery FULL.
*SRC: https://www.openchargemap.org/site
Charg Station Owner Incentive to Use
Charg Station owners want to make money in the form of our coin. We anticipate most Charg Station owners will own their own electric vehicle and want to help mitigate the cost of their setup. We also anticipate good samaritans who charge nothing and just want to help their fellow man stay green. Still others may want to supplement the extra cost of a rapid-charger similar to Tesla’s Supercharger in the home or place of business. Charg Coin opens doors for Charg Station owners who want to freelance their charging stations automatically, with very little effort. Charg Station owners broadcast to the Charg Coin app how powerful their charging station is in Kilowatt hours (kWh), and in this way have full control over how much their station automatically charges per minute. From standard 110/120V outlets to 480V three-phase and everything in between, anyone can become their own freelancer with Charg Coin.
Why Electric Cars?
Well, electric cars aren’t the only application for the Charg Coin blockchain, they are simply the closest approximation to what Charg Coin seeks to accomplish: an energy-time for money autonomous model which permanently binds the value of energy to the price of Charg Coin. The premise of the Charg Coin platform is that both hardware and software are open-source. We distribute our technology in this way in order to permit the real-world variables energy and time to interact quite nicely with the digital world of Charg Coins. The hardware works great for charging electric vehicles, but if you want to rent out a microwave for a few minutes, or power on a lightbulb, or lease power to an outlet for a laptop those are all applications too. There really is no limit to the number of applications. You see, while the Internet of Things (IoT) has been slowly coming online, Charg Coin has been working on the Internet of Electricity, or energy-time for money, to be precise. We recognize that energy and time are the true essence of value, and not all that fluff the banks will try to sell you. We see that, just as electricity appears to be boundless in its potentiality, so too should the hardware and software which attempts to harness the infinite potentiality of energy-time into usable order.
Investor Incentive to Use
Investors are an important part of the Charg ecosystem in countries which permit investing without the use of securities, and we want these contributors to succeed also! By requiring Charg Coins to be used for all electric vehicle transactions, a baseline of value is created. Adding to this value is the ability of Charg Coin to dynamically adjust itself such that the coin is always in a state of scarcity, which has been shown by economics theory to promote value. The Distribution Escrow and the fund’s ability to sell coin at a premium above market value all contribute to the value of the coin. Requiring Charg Station owners to hold a certain amount of coin in order to transact ensures that there will always be a core community of Charg Coin holders. Finally, by decentralizing the platform over time investors have the power to control the destiny of the coin.
Market Adoption
It is a little known fact that the majority of developed countries already have a lot of charge station infrastructure in place. Forbes magazine is talking about how much the industry is exploding right now.* Leap frogging off of these facts, the market for this product already technically exists, it’s just a little too spread out. The general idea is that the Charg Coin App is capable of locating all previous existing stations PLUS allowing for private party and small commercial entities to overcome marketing and cost barriers to entry for the first time. Once private and small commercial entities grab on to the idea and run with it via the upcoming Charg incentive programs, an exponential growth of the coin can be expected. Because this coin is being rolled out to the world market, the scarcity of the coin paired with other actions baked into the smart contract will will help stabilize the coin to a price which is desirable for adoption by both electric vehicle driver and Charg Station owner.
Multiple Blockchain Layers
Lity (https://www.litylang.org/) is a smart contract technology derived from Ethereum’s Solidity but differing in that it allows for instant transactions at minimal cost on a blockchain running independent of the Ethereum Network. Ethereum provides a secure means to transact, but is also somewhat slow and carries high fees (for the time being). LITY is a promising evolution of Ethereum currently being reviewed by the Charg development team for purposes of adding a second layer to our platform’s existing blockchain(s) and rendering Charg as having the coveted (but unnecessary) status of existing on its own mainnet. Adding a second layer adds the security benefit of having not one, but two blockchains for verification, and permits for instant transactions in addition to the certified security of the Ethereum Blockchain. Charg rides on the Ethereum blockchain where practical, but when it comes to speed, low cost, and porting for the future, a 2nd layer makes everything amazing. Multiple blockchain layers not only allow added security, but the ability of blockchains to compliment one another’s strengths/weaknesses is realized and the ability to add more complex functions into the mix is also possible… all while maintaining the utmost security and reliability which the original Charg Coin platform’s foundation is built upon.
Trustless
At the end of the day, a decentralized platform requires multiple layers of trustlessness. Any point of trust is also a point of weakness. For example, while we assume the miners are not running the show behind Bitcoin, the reality is that mega farms carry a lot of power over the governance of Proof of Work (POW) coins. A multiple-blockchain solution is imperative in a decentralized environment to staving off layers which depend upon some level of trust. While the Charg Coin platform relies on some level of trust in the integrity of the Eth network, the LITY smart contract recognizes authority in a different way – it is based upon reputation. Trust is difficult to gain and easy to lose. If you have a network of people who trust each other, and that network of people is itself trustworthy based upon history, it follows that from day to day it is safe to transact. Trusting the ETH blockchain or the eventual Charg Coin mainnet blockchain alone will not do on a longer timescale though, and so the Charg Coin platform will soon have a hybrid combination of the two. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
The Transaction
Charg prides itself as being a simple, elegant, and secure method of trading electric vehicle charging time in exchange for Charg Coin. The simplicity of the coin is in its use of only the essential information to record a transaction and trigger the event of charging the vehicle.
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Driver searches for nearest charging station, and navigates to it via the Charg Coin App’s map functionality.
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The Charg Station is equipped with an ID number and a QR code, and an electric vehicle driver can simply press a button to begin charging once he/she arrives at the charging station designated by the map. If a driver does not need a charge but merely wants to park, this option is also built into the Charg Coin App.
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Upon activating the Charg Station with the Charg Coin App, a signal is sent via the Charg Coin smart contract requesting permission to begin charging.
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Upon receipt of the charge request, the blockchain sends the start signal to the Charg Station along with an escrow amount covering the full anticipated duration of the charge, and charging commences.
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Since the driver already set the desired charging time, the driver can now leave the car charging. If the driver wishes to stop charging early, he/she simply asks for the Charg Coin App to tell the smart contract to tell the charging station to stop, and any remaining funds in escrow are refunded.
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The blockchain already has all the information it needs to complete the transaction: the charging station’s rate per minute, the start time, and the end time. Escrow is released upon successfully completing the transaction and any refund which the driver is entitled is credited back. Simple.
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Both parties leave a review. In addition to the simplistic elegance of riding on the the Ethereum Blockchain, the review system ensures the bad apples are flagged by the community.
The Software
Using the power of smart plugs and smart switches, Charg Coin has found an affordable method for connecting a node to a charge station, whereby the node is able to communicate with other Charg Nodes and Apps via smart contract. The Charg Coin team has determined that the following software elements are required for a successful coin ecosystem: an app for drivers with an updated map of all world charge stations, a usable node for use by Charg Station operators, a wallet for use by all parties, and a hybrid Ethereum/Hyperledger smart contract which runs it all. These elements comprise the Charg platform and ecosystem.
App Features
Drivers want simplicity. The android and iPhone apps have a simple user interface and work with existing map software to locate the optimal charging station, be it a Charg Station or any one of the 100,000+ charge stations in existence prior to the first Charg Station. They are capable of storing driver preferences and utilize these preferences to create a “barely-there” user experience. Once the driver has arrived at the Charg Station, beginning a transaction is as simple as plugging in and pushing a button, or taking a picture of a QR code to begin the transaction. See also “The Transaction,” above.
Node Features
The Charg Node is really simple. Any computer or device which is capable of working with API and/or the Ethereum Blockchain has the potential to be converted to a node. The smart plug connects to the node and the node talks to the Charg network, which piggybacks off of the Ethereum Blockchain to transact and even communicate. The node has a simple user interface and is very easy to use. We invite the community to join us in improving upon the range of devices which are supported by the Charg Coin open source node software. See the Downloads page, Charg Station Guide, and forums for more information.
A Smart Switch/Plug
The Charg station is basically just a smart switch controlled by a node (a small always-on computer), which itself is controlled by the Charg Coin functions as carried out by the blockchain. The Charg team anticipates a myriad of electrical schemes will be created by our DIY (do-it-yourself) community, and the sharing of this open source information will allow for basic Charg Coin kits to evolve to fit nicely into the assorted voltages, outlet types, and local laws which vary from region to region and across a myriad of potential applications. Electric Vehicles are the first of many exciiting usages of the Charg Coin platform. ALWAYS consult an electrician before installing any Charg Coin devices PLEASE for safety.
The Charg Coin team has also developed both low-voltage and high-voltage kits designed specifically to remove high cost as a barrier to entry and improve ease-of-use. While the installation of a higher-voltage Charg Station will certainly require an electrician and incur extra costs associated with ensuring the high-voltage setup is safe to use, the kits which the Charg Coin team have developed are making joining the Charg Station network painless and low-cost. See https://wecharg.com for an example of an entire company which is utilizing the Charg Coin Blockchain. You can also visit this website to purchase kits and set up your own Electric Vehicle Charg Station in minutes.
Converting Public Infrastrature to Charg-ready
Low cost smart switches (relays) paired with an Onion Omega2+ node (for example) and other optional electrical components utilized in higher-voltage kits permit any existing public EV charging station infrastructure to be converted to work on the Charg Coin network for very little added cost. Some brands have the capability built in while others will require rudimentary modifications that a trip to the electronics store couldn’t fix. As long as a node can talk to a smart switch which is connected to the charging station, we are in business! The Charg Coin wiring diagram in this case permits the node’s relay and a traditional credit card kiosk to operate as part of a 3-way electrical switch. When one turns on, the other turns off as controlled by the node. In this way, complete compatibility with existing EV charging stations is easy thanks to the power of open source Charg Coin hardware. Always consult an electrician before going anywhere near electricity. Injury or death can occur!
Software Roll-Out
The Charg Coin developer team philosophy is a “just in time” approach to programming. The software is rolling out in three stages, funded by both traditional currency, as well as investment with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrency.
Stage 1: Crowdsale smart contract creation, proof of concept software
Stage 2: Charg Coin mobile App and Charg Station node development with communication and transaction via the hybrid Ethereum/Layer 2 (most likely LITY) smart contract
Stage 3: Improvement of all software to bring ease of use to the average person, impenetrable security, lightning fast speed, and low cost. Onboarding so that real-world charging stations begin to exist and inject value directly into the coin.
