Electric vehicle charging guide: understanding electric vehicle charging connectors

Electric vehicle charging guide: understanding electric vehicle charging connectors The purchase of electric vehicles is now bigger than ever. Almost every month, car manufacturers around the world release new products, and the next decade will see an impressive onslaught of electric vehicles.

Summary:

And while everyone seems to agree on the basics of electric cars, there is one area where they disagree: the standard link. So, of course, the first thing one looks at when buying an EV is how different the charging links are. So analyze them today and figure out charging levels 1, 2 and 3.

Which links are available for charging?

J1772

The standard AC charging link in the United States is SAE J1772. Available for both Level 2 charging stations and regular household outlets, the J1772 link is easily recognized by the three large terminals as well as the location of the household outlet. The two small terminals are used to connect to car outlets. If you live in the U.S. and Canada and drive a BMW I3, Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, or Tesla Model S, you can use the J1772 standard to plug and charge. Tesla also includes a car adapter. Most electric cars and plug-in hybrids have some form of portable J1772 that you can mount on the wall. This also applies to the BMW I3.

Type 2.

Type 2 connectors are used for charging European electric cars. Featuring a unique rounded design, but with a flat edge at the top, the IEC 62196 Type 2 connection is used in a slightly modified form on all European Tesla Model S and Model cars. It is currently used on BMW I3 cars built for Europe, as it is considered the official connection of the European Union.

CCS - combined charging system

CCS is based on the J1772 connection and adds two additional contacts. Combined charging systems are among the most commonly used in electric vehicles. The link can charge with both AC and DC currents up to 350 kW. If an electric vehicle cannot charge at its maximum power level, the charger will automatically provide the fastest charging the vehicle is capable of. Electrify America uses a green sign for CCS or a blue sign for Chademo. Vehicle manufacturers that support CCS include Jaguar, Volkswagen Group, Renault, General Motors, BMW, Daimler, Ford, FCA, Tesla, Kia and Hyundai.

Chademo.

The Chademo standard was developed in Japan and introduced in the Nissan Leaf, one of the most popular electric vehicles on the market. It has since been adopted by many companies, including Toyota, Honda, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Tesla (adapter) and Subaru. It can deliver up to 62, 5 kW, and the modified Chademo 2 can deliver up to 400 kW.

Tesla Supercharger.

This connection is used in Tesla Supercharger Level 2 and Level 3 and is compatible with Tesla cars.