Feature: Connectors
The unsolved problem of EV connector compatibility
By Dawn Robinson, European Product Manager, Industrial, PEI-Genesis T
here is a lot to be said about petrol, including its unquestionable convenience: It can easily be dispensed through pumps into almost any
vehicle. At present, this is in opposite to electric vehicle (EV) charging, where every EV might have its own, specially- designed connector.
Syncrohonisation In 1920’s Britain, the electricity supply varied dramatically from town to town. Before the national grid was set up in the 1930s and the BS 1363 standard British plug finalised in 1947, small-grid, local electricity generation was the norm, with little standardisation in between. Tis meant every local grid ran at its own frequency, voltage and power factor, and oſten required specialised local connectors when plugging in devices. For most electrical devices, we no
longer have to worry about compatibility,
because in the 21st century we use standardised connectors and a nationwide standard mains voltage, which keep everything simple. For the EV, a reliable grid solves the
issues of frequency and voltage, but the connector conundrum remains. Tis problem is further complicated by EV manufacturers taking advantage of a number of charging options: mode 1 for slow charging from typical home outlets, mode 2 for faster charging from specially- designed home outlets, mode 3 for commercial street-side charging points, and mode 4 for rapid direct-current charging.
Collection of connectors Currently there are four common EV connectors available: types 1 and 2 (including the Tesla supercharger), CHAdeMO and CCS. Type 1 connectors, officially SAE J1772, were among the first to be used on EVs. Tese five-pin connectors handle
52 December/January 2021
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
single-phase AC power at between three and seven kilowatts (kW) and are mostly found in Asian markets. Tese have been largely supplanted by type 2 connectors in the West. Te type 2 connector, known as SAE
J3068 and colloquially as mennekes aſter its original manufacturer, features an additional two pins, and can carry either three-phase AC or high-current DC depending on the configuration. In Europe, Tesla uses a modified version of the type 2 connector that only fits Tesla EVs. CHAdeMO connectors are used for
purely DC power at high currents and voltages. Designed in 2010 by a Japanese consortium, the CHAdeMO name is derived from the Japanese “O cha demo ikaga desuka”, translating to “how about a cup of tea”, a pun on the short time it takes to charge an EV through this connector. Finally, the CCS, or Combined
Charging System connector, is simply a type 1 or 2 connector with an additional
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