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RK3568 EV Charging Controller Board ODM Case Study: Building a Smart Energy Terminal Platform
Jul
RK3568 Smart Charging Station Control Mainboard ODM Case Study for EV Charging Solutions
KICKPI developed a customized RK3568 embedded control mainboard solution for intelligent charging stations. The project integrated Android/Linux system development, charging protocol communication, industrial interface expansion, display control, network connectivity, and long-term stable operation optimization, helping customers build reliable smart EV charging equipment for commercial and industrial applications.
New Energy Equipment
Charging Terminal HMI
WiFi
RS485 / CAN
Mass Production Support
Introduction
The rapid adoption of electric vehicles is driving demand for smarter and more connected charging infrastructure. Modern EV charging stations are no longer simple power delivery devices. They have evolved into intelligent terminals that require:
- Interactive user interfaces
- Real-time communication
- Payment integration
- Remote device management
- Cloud connectivity
- Long-term industrial reliability
For EV equipment manufacturers, developing a dedicated control system from scratch can involve significant challenges, including hardware design, embedded software development, communication protocol integration, and reliability testing.
To accelerate product development, KICKPI worked with an equipment manufacturer to develop a customized RK3568-based smart charging control board solution.
The final ODM platform integrated:
- High-performance ARM computing
- Touchscreen HMI
- Multiple communication interfaces
- Industrial control connectivity
- Linux embedded system
- Remote management capability
The solution enabled the customer to quickly transform a traditional charging device into an intelligent connected energy terminal.
Project Background
Building a New Generation of Intelligent EV Charging Terminals
The customer is a renewable energy equipment company specializing in EV charging infrastructure.
With increasing market demand for connected charging services, the company planned to upgrade its existing charging products with a more intelligent embedded controller.
The new charging terminal needed to support deployment in multiple environments, including:
- Residential communities
- Commercial parking facilities
- Industrial parks
- Public charging stations
Unlike traditional chargers, the new platform needed to provide both user-facing interaction and backend operational management.
From the user perspective, the system needed to support:
- Touchscreen operation
- Charging status display
- RFID card authentication
- QR code payment
- Real-time charging information
From the operator perspective, the system needed:
- Remote monitoring
- Cloud connectivity
- Charging data management
- Firmware upgrade capability
- Multi-device management
The customer was looking for a reliable embedded computing platform that could serve as the core controller for multiple charging product models.
Customer Challenges
Challenge 1: Developing a Flexible Embedded Platform for Complex EV Charging Applications
A smart charging terminal requires communication between multiple hardware modules.
The controller needs to exchange data with:
- Energy meters
- Charging modules
- Payment systems
- Network platforms
- External sensors
Different components often use different communication protocols, making system integration complicated. The customer required a hardware platform that could provide:
- Multiple industrial interfaces
- Stable communication performance
- Flexible expansion capability
Challenge 2: Ensuring Reliable Operation in Outdoor Environments
Unlike indoor consumer devices, EV charging equipment is typically installed outdoors. The controller must continuously operate under challenging conditions, including:
- Temperature fluctuations
- Voltage instability
- Electrical interference
- Static discharge
- Long operation cycles
Therefore, the control board required industrial-level reliability design rather than a standard consumer motherboard.
KICKPI’s ODM Solution
Creating an RK3568-Based Intelligent Charging Controller Platform
Based on the customer’s requirements, KICKPI selected the Rockchip RK3568 processor as the core computing platform.
The RK3568 platform provides:
- Quad-core ARM Cortex-A55 processor
- Powerful multimedia capability
- Rich peripheral interfaces
- Mature Linux ecosystem
- Excellent balance between performance and power consumption
This made it an ideal choice for:
- EV charging terminals
- Industrial HMI systems
- Smart energy devices
- IoT control platforms
Hardware Customization
KICKPI customized the embedded controller board according to the customer’s product requirements.
Core Processing Platform
The customized board integrated:
- RK3568 processor
- Memory and storage design
- Power management system
- Display interfaces
- Industrial communication interfaces
The design provided sufficient computing capability for:
- User interface rendering
- Charging data processing
- Network communication
- Device management
Multi-Communication Integration
To support different deployment environments, KICKPI integrated multiple connectivity options:
4G LTE
For remote locations without wired network infrastructure.
Ethernet
For stable commercial and industrial deployments.
WiFi
For flexible wireless connectivity.
Together, these communication options enabled:
- Cloud platform connection
- Remote monitoring
- Data synchronization
- OTA updates
Industrial Interface Expansion
The controller was designed with industrial communication capability:
Supported interfaces:
- RS485
- CAN Bus
- UART
- GPIO
These interfaces allow the charging terminal to communicate with:
- Charging control modules
- Electricity meters
- Sensors
- External industrial equipment
Embedded Software Development
Customized Linux System
Beyond hardware development, KICKPI provided embedded software customization.
Development included:
- Linux BSP adaptation
- Driver integration
- Peripheral configuration
- System optimization
The customized Linux environment provided a stable foundation for application development.
Communication Protocol Integration
To support smart charging operations, KICKPI optimized the communication framework.
The system enabled:
- Charging status monitoring
- Device data reporting
- Remote parameter configuration
- OTA firmware upgrade
This allowed the customer to integrate the terminal into its existing management platform.
System Architecture
The complete system architecture includes:
User Interaction Layer
LCD touchscreen terminal:
- Charging information display
- Payment interface
- User operation
Control Layer
RK3568 Embedded Controller:
- Data processing
- Communication management
- System control
Device Layer
Industrial interfaces:
- RS485
- CAN
- Sensors
- Charging modules
Cloud Layer
Remote platform:
- Device monitoring
- Data analysis
- OTA management
Development Highlights
1. Modular ODM Design for Product Expansion
One of the key requirements was supporting multiple charging product models.
Instead of developing separate controllers for each product, KICKPI designed a modular hardware platform.
The same RK3568 architecture can be adapted for:
- Different display sizes
- Different communication modules
- Different charging scenarios
This significantly reduces future development costs.
2. Industrial Reliability Optimization
To meet outdoor deployment requirements, KICKPI optimized:
Power Protection
Including:
- Voltage protection
- Surge protection
- Stable power management
Signal Protection
Including:
- ESD protection
- Interface isolation
- EMC optimization
Thermal Management
Ensuring:
- Stable operation
- Long-term reliability
Project Results
After completing hardware customization, embedded software development and system integration, KICKPI delivered a complete smart charging controller platform.
The final solution achieved:
✔ Complete RK3568 Charging Control Board
Supporting:
- Touch display
- Industrial interfaces
- Network communication
- Embedded Linux
✔ Connected Energy Management Capability
The system supports:
- Remote monitoring
- Cloud connectivity
- OTA updates
- Device management
✔ Reliable Industrial Deployment
Through optimized hardware design, the platform meets requirements for:
- Outdoor installation
- Continuous operation
- Commercial deployment
Customer Benefits
Accelerating the Transition from Traditional Charger to Smart Energy Platform
The KICKPI ODM solution helped the customer reduce development complexity and accelerate product commercialization.
Faster Product Development
By leveraging KICKPI’s existing embedded platform expertise, the customer avoided starting from zero.
The development process was accelerated through:
- Mature ARM platform
- Existing Linux ecosystem
- Customized hardware design
- Engineering support
Reduced Engineering Risk
KICKPI handled key technical challenges including:
- Hardware customization
- Communication integration
- System optimization
- Reliability enhancement
Allowing the customer to focus on product commercialization.
Scalable Product Strategy
The modular RK3568 platform enables future product expansion across:
- Residential EV chargers
- Commercial charging stations
- Smart parking systems
- Energy management terminals
Why Choose KICKPI for Embedded ODM Development?
KICKPI provides complete embedded product development services for companies building intelligent hardware products.
Our capabilities include:
Hardware Engineering
- ARM motherboard design
- PCB customization
- Interface expansion
- Power optimization
Embedded Software
- Linux BSP customization
- Driver development
- System integration
- Application support
Production Support
- Prototype development
- Engineering validation
- Mass production assistance
From concept to commercial deployment, KICKPI helps customers build reliable embedded products faster.
Conclusion
The development of intelligent EV charging infrastructure requires more than a powerful processor.
It requires a complete embedded ecosystem combining:
- Reliable hardware
- Flexible communication
- Industrial interfaces
- Customized software
- Long-term operational stability
Through the RK3568 smart charging control board ODM project, KICKPI helped an EV equipment manufacturer create a scalable and connected charging terminal platform.
With extensive experience in ARM-based embedded solutions, KICKPI continues to support global customers in developing industrial, IoT, and smart energy products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn how KICKPI provides RK3568 smart charging station ODM solutions from hardware customization to mass production.
Why is RK3568 suitable for smart charging station development?
RK3568 features a quad-core Cortex-A55 processor, powerful multimedia capability, low power consumption, and rich industrial interfaces. It is ideal for smart charging stations, EV charging terminals, HMI control panels, and intelligent energy management devices.
Does KICKPI provide RK3568 charging station mainboard customization?
Yes. KICKPI provides complete RK3568 ODM services including hardware design, PCB customization, Android/Linux BSP development, driver integration, communication protocol adaptation, and system optimization.
What communication interfaces can RK3568 charging solutions support?
RK3568 charging station solutions support multiple industrial communication interfaces including RS485, CAN bus, Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth, UART, and GPIO expansion for connecting charging modules, meters, sensors, and external controllers.
Can KICKPI customize the HMI display system for charging stations?
Yes. KICKPI supports customized HMI solutions including touchscreen integration, UI design, Android application customization, display adaptation, and user interaction optimization for commercial charging terminals.
What applications can RK3568 charging station solutions support?
RK3568 embedded platforms can be used for EV charging piles, commercial charging stations, parking charging terminals, solar energy charging equipment, battery management terminals, and other intelligent energy devices.
Does KICKPI support mass production of smart charging devices?
Yes. KICKPI provides a complete development process including prototype verification, engineering testing, hardware optimization, production support, and scalable manufacturing services for charging equipment manufacturers.
Build Your Smart Charging Solution with KICKPI
From RK3568 embedded mainboard customization and Android/Linux system development to ODM design and mass production, KICKPI provides reliable solutions for EV charging equipment manufacturers and intelligent energy companies.
Contact KICKPI Engineering Team