Replacement fee setting apparatus, method and system

A method for setting a replacement fee for a power storage device mounted in an electric vehicle, the power storage device including a plurality of replaceable power storage elements, the method comprising:

• storing information of a full charge capacity of each of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements and information of a full charge capacity of each of a plurality of stocked replacement power storage elements;
• setting a lower replacement fee, by a processor, for partial replacement of the power storage device of the electric vehicle than for entire replacement, in the partial replacement a portion of the power storage device including at least one of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements being replaced, in the entire replacement the power storage device being replaced entirely;
• obtaining, by the processor, a voltage, a current, and a temperature of each of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements, the voltage being detected by a voltage sensor provided with each of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements, the current being detected by a current sensor provided with each of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements, and the temperature being detected by a temperature sensor provided with each of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements;
• moving the electric vehicle, by a motor generator, to a prescribed location for the partial replacement when the processor receives a request for the partial replacement of the power storage device, and
• the method further comprising
• obtaining an usage history of the power storage device from the electric vehicle;
• determining, for the partial replacement, a first power storage element of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements as a power storage element to be replaced based on the obtained usage history of the power storage device from the electric vehicle, the first power storage element having the smallest full charge capacity among the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements;
• determining an average capacity value of the full charge capacities of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements excluding the first power storage element;
• setting a second power storage element of the plurality of stocked replacement power storage elements as a target power storage element to replace the first power storage element, the second power storage element having a full charge capacity greater than the average capacity value and less than a maximum capacity value among the full charge capacities of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements excluding the first power storage element so as to suppress variation between the full charge capacities of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements based on the partial replacement;
• and
• setting the replacement fee depending on a ratio of the full charge capacity of the replacement cell second power storage element to a rated capacity of the second power storage element.

A replacement fee setting system comprising:

• an electric vehicle having a power storage device mounted therein, the power storage device including a plurality of replaceable power storage elements;
• and
• a server configured to set a replacement fee for the power storage device, wherein the server including:
• a storage device configured to store information of a full charge capacity of each of a plurality of stocked replacement power storage elements and information of a full charge capacity of each of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements as obtained from the electric vehicle;
• and
• a processor configured to set a lower replacement fee for partial replacement of the power storage device of the electric vehicle than for entire replacement, in the partial replacement a portion of the power storage device including at least one of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements being replaced, in the entire replacement the power storage device being replaced entirely,
• the processor configured to obtain a voltage, a current, and a temperature of each of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements, the voltage being detected by a voltage sensor provided with each of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements, the current being detected by a current sensor provided with each of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements, and the temperature being detected by a temperature sensor provided with each of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements;
• wherein a motor generator of the electric vehicle is configured to move the electric vehicle to a prescribed location for the partial replacement when the processor receives a request for the partial replacement of the power storage device, and
• wherein the processor is further configured to
• obtain an usage history of the power storage device from the electric vehicle;
• determine, for the partial replacement, a first power storage element of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements as a power storage element to be replaced based on the obtained usage history of the power storage device from the electric vehicle, the first power storage element having the smallest full charge capacity among the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements;
• determine an average capacity value of the full charge capacities of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements excluding the first power storage element;
• set a second power storage element of the plurality of stocked replacement power storage elements as a target power storage element to replace the first power storage element, the second power storage element having a full charge capacity greater than the average capacity value and less than a maximum capacity value among the full charge capacities of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements excluding the first power storage element so as to suppress variation between the full charge capacities of the plurality of the replaceable power storage elements based on the partial replacement;
• and
• set the replacement fee depending on a ratio of the full charge capacity of the second power storage element to a rated capacity of the second power storage element.