EV charger connectors types? Charging an electric vehicle (EV) at home can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the EV charger connector types and their required settings to get the job done. There are five EV charger connector types, each offering slightly different power levels and charging speeds that must be matched to the settings on your EV before you begin charging. Depending on which type of car you have, there are two standards to choose from: the CHAdeMO connector type, or the Combined Charging System (CCS) connector type.
EV charger connectors:
1. J1772 (standard charging in North America and Japan, 100V-240V AC input) 2. CHAdeMO (standard charging in China, DC input at up to 500 volts) 3. Combined Charging System (CCS) – 1 of 2 physical connectors used in Europe and North America (up to 400 V AC input), proposed for wider adoption around the world. 4. Type 2 Plug – standard wall plug for slow charging (<50 kW). 5. Tesla Supercharger – proprietary system for high power DC Fast Charging; may become part of CCS standard eventually 6. CHAdeMO-CAN Combined Charging System -propose to combine CHAdeMO and CAN protocol into a single solution 7.
EV charger connectors Types:
There are three different EV charging connectors currently used, depending on where you live: J1772, CHAdeMO, and SAE Combo. And there’s one more coming down the pike… but that’s a story for another day. You’ll find all three connectors used in North America, with each offering its own advantages and disadvantages to EV drivers. The most common is J1772; nearly all-new EVs come equipped with a standard plug capable of charging from 120V or 240V sources. The second type is CHAdeMO, which was developed by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and has quickly become one of the most-used EV fast chargers in Asia, particularly Japan and Korea.
SAE Combined Charging System (CCS)
The SAE Combined Charging System is a North American-based standard created by Tesla, Audi, BMW, General Motors, and Porsche. It uses a Type 1 or Type 2 plugin addition to another special plug (not J1772) that delivers more power than most EVSEs deliver. The special plug can deliver either DC current (CCS1), or AC current (CCS2), so it’s safe to assume that any EV you buy with CCS support will be compatible with existing Level 2 charging stations. You don’t have to replace your hardware if you don’t want to: Just add a wall adapter for CCS charging if your EV has an SAE adapter already built-in.
IEC 62196 (Type 2)
The IEC 62196, or Type 2, is an international standard for EV charging connectors. The specification was introduced in 2008 and has gone through two revisions since its introduction. There were originally three different specifications within IEC 62196-2 (CHAdeMO, SAE J1772, and Combo1), but revisions in 2012 and 2015 reduced that number to one. This specification allows for up to 3kW of power output over a single-phase power supply at 400VAC/400VDC; it was designed with a maximum throughput of 6-7kW in mind.
Best electric vehicle charger
The most common connectors today for direct-current (DC) charging of electric vehicles are Type 1, Type 2, and J1772. Type 1 is a screw-on physical connection. Type 2 uses a special plug and socket called a Tesla proprietary charge port. Most plug designs adhere to these standards today. Any car charging station can be used as long as there’s some kind of adapter available for it. A survey conducted by NEMA found 48% of EV drivers don’t always use public charging stations when they need them because of compatibility issues between their cars and stations. There are still several models on sale today like lectron without any sort of built-in mechanism compatible with industry-standard plugs like those found in IEC 62196, so check your car before heading out if you plan on using anything other than your home outlet.
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