Most of the European Union countries are aiming for 1 in 3 vehicles to be electric by 2030. Governments are providing incentives either through tax breaks or subsidies to be able to accelerate this change in the car market.
At the same time, drivers have some hesitations and many questions. Before buying an electric car, it would be good to have all the answers, even for the simplest questions about emobility.
Electric Vehicle Charger/EVSE Electric Vehicle Service Equipment
Device to which we connect our electric (EV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to be able to charge its battery. At its most basic, an EV charger pulls an electrical current from either a 240v outlet or the grid it’s hardwired to and delivers that electricity to the vehicle, just like any other appliance or device you charge by plugging into the wall. It is either wall-mounted or pedestal. The device includes electrical circuits, protection devices, charging control system and operation indicators.
Types of electric vehicle chargers
Electric vehicle chargers are divided into four categories, based on the charging method (Function/Mode) they use, and are defined by the EN/IEC 61851-1 standard.
These categories are:
Mode 1
Mode 1 is a method for connection of an electric vehicle to a standard socket-outlet on an AC supply network, using a standard cable and plug, without any additional equipment.The rated values for current and voltage must not exceed:
16 A and 250 V AC for single-phase,
16 A and 480 V AC for three-phase installation according to the IEC 61851-1,
Local standards may be more stringent. Due to this power limitation, charging time takes several hours. Mode 1 is the simplest mode, but as there is no dedicated circuit or equipment for the electric vehicle charging presents some risks. So, the use of this mode is limited and even forbidden in some countries.
Mode 2
Charging mode 2 is a method for the connection of an EV to a standard socket-outlet, with a control pilot function and a system for personal protection against electric shock, integrated into the connection cable, between the standard plug and the EV.
The rated values for current and voltage must not exceed 32 A and 250 V AC in single-phase, and 32 A and 480 V AC in a three-phase installation, as defined in IEC 61851-1
This mode is limited to domestic electric installations. The connection cable is usually provided with the electric car. As with mode 1, a standard socket outlet is used, but in this case, the protection device and the socket outlet should be able to carry higher charging currents, up to 32A, which is usually not the case for standard domestic power socket circuits.
Mode 3
Mode 3 Charging involves charging the vehicle via a power supply system permanently connected to the mains. The Control Box is integrated directly into the dedicated charging structure. This is the way of wallboxes, charging stations and all automatic AC charging systems.
It is the most common method of charging an electric vehicle.
Mode 4
This is the only charging mode that incorporates an off-board charger with a DC output. The DC current is delivered directly to the battery and the on-board charger is bypassed. This mode can provide 600 V DC with a maximum current of 400 A. The high-power level involved in this mode mandates a higher level of communication and stricter safety features.
Communication Protocols
OSCP (Open Smart Charging Protocol)
It is an open communication protocol between a charge point management system and the energy management system. This protocol imparts a 24-hour forecast of the accessible capacity of an electricity grid. OSCP is used in some European countries such as the Netherlands, for electricity providers to communicate with charging device managers.
OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol)
The Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is an application protocol for communication between Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and a central management system, also known as a charging station network, similar to cell phones and cell phone networks. Its aim was to create an open application protocol which allows EV charging stations and central management systems from different vendors to communicate with each other. It is in use by many vendors of EV charging stations and central management systems all over the world.
PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)
Pulse-width modulation (PWM), or pulse-duration modulation (PDM), is a method of reducing the average power delivered by an electrical signal, by effectively chopping it up into discrete parts. The average value of voltage (and current) fed to the load is controlled by turning the switch between supply and load on and off at a fast rate. The longer the switch is on compared to the off periods, the higher the total power supplied to the load.
Types of Cables
Type 1 AC
The type 1 plug is a single-phase plug which allows for charging power levels of up to 7.4 kW (230 V, 32 A). The standard is mainly used in car models from the Asian region, and is rare in Europe, which is why there are very few public type 1 charging stations.
Type 2 AC
The Type 2 connector (often referred to as Mennekes for the company that designed it) is used for charging electric vehicles, mainly within Europe, as it was declared standard by the EU. Based on widespread red IEC 60309 three phase plugs with five pins, which come in different diameters according to maximum current (most common are 16 A and 32 A), a single size was selected, as maximum possible power will be communicated to the car via two additional communication pins and by a simple resistor coding within the cable. The onboard charger inside the car has to limit the current accordingly.
Combo 2 or CCS (Combined Charging System) AC / DC
It is an evolution of Type 2 so that it can also charge electric vehicles via DC voltage. Used with charging methods 3 and 4 (Mode 3 & Mode 4).
CHAdeMO DC
First-generation CHAdeMO connectors deliver up to 62.5 kW by 500 V, 125 A direct current through a proprietary electrical connector, adding about 120 kilometres (75 mi) of range in half an hour. It has been included in several international vehicle charging standards.
The second-generation specification allows for up to 400 kW by 1 kV, 400 A direct current. The CHAdeMO Association is currently co-developing with China Electricity Council (CEC) the third-generation standard with the working name of “ChaoJi” that aims to deliver 900 kW.
Charging at an AC/DC charger
Batteries can only be charged with direct current (DC) electric power, while most electricity is delivered from the power grid as alternating current (AC). For this reason, most electric vehicles have a built-in AC-to-DC converter, commonly known as the “onboard charger”. At an AC charging station, AC power from the grid is supplied to this onboard charger, which produces DC power to charge the battery. DC chargers facilitate higher power charging (which requires much larger AC-to-DC converters) by building the converter into the charging station instead of the vehicle to avoid size and weight restrictions. The station then supplies DC power to the vehicle directly, bypassing the onboard converter. Most fully electric car models can accept both AC and DC power.
RFID Cards
An RFID (radio-frequency identification) card allows a charge station to identify who you are when it is linked to your app account. With an RFID card, you can charge your vehicle without using your app.