With growing environmental awareness and rising fuel prices, electric
vehicles are getting more and more popular. Making a transition from
conventional cars to electric cars can be straightforward as all the controls
remain in the same place, but the only thing that creates a significant
distinction is the fuelling connector. Electric vehicles require electricity to
propel themselves, and whether you want to charge them at home, work, or public
station, one thing is essential: the outlet of the charging station must match
the outlet of your car. To be precise, the cable that connects the vehicle
socket with the charging point must have the right plug on both ends to
facilitate charging.
Knowing which type of charger is compatible with your EV is
important as not all charging stations provide the option for different kinds
of electric car plugs. EV charger plug type standard varies across geographies
and EV car models. For instance, Tesla uses its own proprietary charging
system. The company plans to set up a network of DC fast-charging stations,
also known as the Tesla Supercharger network, by the end of 2021. Choosing a
suitable EV charging cable for the car can confuse people who are considering
buying an EV charging cable for the first time. One should consider looking for
specifications and the requirements of their electric vehicle to determine the
best type of charging cable.
Types of Electric Vehicle
Connectors
Generally, four plugs exist: two for alternating current (AC)
charging and two for direct current (DC) charging.
AC EV Connectors
While conventional cars are classified with different grades
such as regular, plus, or premium, electric vehicles are characterized by
different “levels” such as Level 1 (L1) and Level 2 (L2). The levels determine
how quickly the charger can recharge an EV battery, and chargers are defined by
the amount of output they provide in kilowatts. Each kilowatt equates to about
4 miles of driving range.
Level 1 Charging
These kinds of chargers have a single-phase plug and are
standard for EVs in North America and Asia. The chargers can be plugged into a
standard 120 V AC outlet at residential settings or charging stations. They are
capable of supplying average power output of 1.3 kW to 2.4 kW. An overnight
charge can provide EVs driving range of 30-50 miles, whereas the total time
required to charge an empty EV with 100 miles battery can be over 24 hours.
Since L1 chargers are the slowest charging equipment, they are not often built
for public use. Some parking garages make 120 V outlets available for charging
only if the electric vehicle driver supplies their “emergency cables” that come
standard with purchasing an EV. The cost to use an L1 charger entirely depends
on the cost of electricity at the charging location. In the US, the total
charge can cost between USD1.20 and USD13.00 depending on the size of an EV
battery and electricity rate at the charging station.
Most EVs come with a Level 1 cord set, so no additional charging
is required. On one end of the cord is a standard NEMA 5-15 connector, a
three-pin household plug (for current) with two smaller pins (for
communication), and on the other end of EV is the SAE J1772 standard connector.
Of the smaller pins, the proximity pilot pin tells the charging equipment the
kind of cable connected to the socket, whereas the control pilot pin provides
bi-directional communications between the electric vehicle and charging system.
All Tesla vehicles come with a J1772 adapter so that the drivers can charge
their cars with non-Tesla charging equipment.
Level 2 Charging
The two factors that make a significant difference between L1
and L2 chargers are the charging voltage and the capacity of storing charge.
Commonly used in the North America region, L2 chargers operate at 208-240 V and
provide output between 3 KW to 19 kW of power that can translate up to 18-28
miles of range per hour. Leveraging an L2 charger, you can charge an average EV
with 100 miles battery capacity in as early as 4-5 hours or less. However, some
L2 chargers can supply more power output. Thus, the results can vary depending
on the charger and EV combination. The price for charging at L2 stations can
cost between USD0.20-0.30 per kWh, equivalent to USD1.00-5.00 per hour. Level 2
chargers require proper installation of the electric equipment by qualified
personnel. Since L2 chargers are wall-mounted, they cannot be carried around
like L1 chargers.
Level 2 charging equipment comes with the J1772 connector.
Electric vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla, Renault-Nissan, Toyota, Ford, GM,
BYD, Chrysler, Mitsubishi, etc., use the SAE J1772 EV plug for single-phase AC
charging.
For AC charging, another standard SAE J3068 is available across
the US in commercial and industrial locations. Some elements of J3068 have been
adapted from the European three-phase charging standards to accommodate North
American AC grid voltages and requirements.
Direct Current Fast Chargers
Designed to provide a maximum output of 350 kW, direct current
fast chargers are capable of filling an EV battery up to 80% with a charge of
20-40 minutes and 100% in 60-90 minutes. Sometimes EV acceptance rate can limit
the maximum charge rate. Many EVs currently available in the market allow
maximum charge at 50 kW, while some new EV models like Porsche Taycan are
capable of charging over 200 kW. Very few public charging
stations can accommodate the top-of-the-line EVs that requires the highest
level of power.
Since DCFC are fast chargers that require extremely high-power
draw, they are intended for commercial and industrial uses. These kinds of
chargers can be found adjacent to major interstate highways to facilitate
EV-road trips. Around 15,000 DCFC plugs are currently available across the US,
but the number is anticipated to grow multi-fold with the rapid adoption of EVs
in the coming years. Usually, the DCFC charging is billed either by minutes of the
charging session. Billing rates can vary from USD0.10/kWh to USD1.00/kWh, depending upon the charging network and
EV’s battery size.
Not
all EVs are capable of DC fast charging so make sure to go through
specifications before you make a purchase. Besides, fast DC charging depends on
the connector type and EV’s maximum acceptance rate. Fast DC charger comes with
two types of connectors such as CCS or CHAdeMO. The EV brand will help
determine the kind of plug to use with the connector.
CCS
and CHAdeMO chargers vary in terms of speeds at which they charge the EV. While
CCS has a charging speed of 350 kW, CHAdeMO charger has the capability to
charge up to 50 kW.
EV Plug Standard in North
America & Europe
In North America, most electric vehicle manufacturers use the
J-plug (SAE J1772) for Level 1 and Level 2 charging, appropriate for a charging
station that comes with a standard J1772 connector. Tesla drivers can utilize
the Tesla charger adapter cable that comes with their cars, which can be used
at charging stations with a J1772 connector to fulfill the charging
needs.
In Europe, EV charging connector types are somewhat similar to
North America but have certain distinctions due to the voltage difference in
the two regions. In Europe, the standard household electricity is 230 V,
approx., which is twice than North America, which limits the use of L1 chargers
for EVs. Besides, the standard electric plug used by electric vehicle
manufacturers in Europe is the IEC 62196 Type 2 (also referred to as mennekes) instead of the
J1772 connector. Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles sold in Europe come with a
proprietary electric plug.
DC fast charging is the same in North America and Europe, where
CCS is used as the standard by electric vehicle manufacturers except Mitsubishi
and Nissan. The Tesla Model 3 uses a European CCS charging system in Europe,
and now Tesla has planned to outfit their supercharger stations to have a CCS
connector.
Asian electric vehicle manufacturers like Nissan and Mitsubishi
prefer Type 1 and CHAdeMO chargers in their models. However, an increasing
number of Asian manufacturers such as Hyundai and Kia are switching to European
standards for AC charging.
Selecting the right EV plug for your vehicle does not
just boil down to the amount of current we want. A lot of physical factors
needs to be considered such as
- Weight of the connector
cable
- Location of the
connector placement
- Shape and proximity of
connector
For instance, Mennekes is one of the easiest cables to
plug in while CHAdeMO plug can be awkward to use. Besides, to charge faster, a
thicker cable would be more appropriate as it allows current to flow more
easily. However, heavier cable would be more difficult to handle charging.
Future of EV Chargers
As connectors have proven to be a critical component
to accelerate automotive electrification, increasing their versatility can open
a host of opportunities for their future applications. With rising awareness
towards carbon emissions, engineers are designing innovative connectors to
optimize space use and reduce weight, which also results in greater efficiency
and fewer emissions. Using light weighting components such as thermoplastic
materials, the mass of EV connectors is being reduced to lower weight without
compromising on the robustness. Besides, engineers are working towards making
the charge connection as efficient as possible.