Evolving Charging Options for Electric Cars: A Guide to Charging Connectors and Stations

Both the availability of charging stations and the range of electric vehicles were initially big obstacles. The range of electric vehicles is growing as both the number of available models and the quality of their batteries improve. The loading choices have also been improved greatly.

Where should I charge?

The majority of people who possess electric vehicles still charge them at home, at work, or both. In order to have a full “tank” when you need it, it is best to charge the battery while the car is parked outside for long periods of time. Most electric vehicles can be charged overnight. Charging the device using a standard home network, however, would take considerably longer.

The typical output of the EV charging station, 11 or 22 kW, is more than adequate for most EVs. However, the charging speed your vehicle is capable of determines the sort of charger and connector you should use. Here is a rundown of the three most crucial species.

Slow chargers Type 1 charging connector

Most of the world’s type 1 electric vehicle plugs may be found in Asia. Which vehicles use Type 1 connectors? Plugs of type 1 are single-phase. It can be challenging to locate public charging stations in India that support the type 1 connection. To accommodate its consumers in India, the manufacturers additionally include a charging cord with a type 2 plug.

Most electric automobiles and plug-in hybrids come with a charger that plugs into a standard household outlet and provides the standard 10 amps of charging current. As a result, the maximum charge rate per hour is 2.3 kWh. In reality, this is not a problem, but it is worth remembering. A home charger may be adequate if you don’t rack up hundreds of kilometers in daily driving. Furthermore, high charging speeds are practically unnecessary for a tiny battery electric car.

Charging stations (Types 2 chargers)

Your charging speed can be increased to 11 kW with a home charging station. When compared to charging from a wall outlet, this is far quicker. Having an EV charging station at home is beneficial for this reason alone.

Type 2 connections, resembling a more robust variation of the simple seven-pin connectors, are typically used for a home EV charging station because they cannot be plugged in upside down.

Type 2 connectors are currently standard on all plug-in automobiles, but a given vehicle may work with a wider variety of cords. A cable may have one end fitted with a type 2 connector and another with a different type of connector. Keep your eyes peeled for this!

Type 3 connector

Electric vehicle charging ports of the Type 3 kind appeared simultaneously with the Type 2 variety. Type 3A supports 7.4 kW of single-phase charging current, whereas Type 3C supports 43 kW of charging current across three phases. Connectors of type 3 are distinguished by an incorporated protective flap that serves as a shutter. That’s why it’s impossible to get in touch with the living components directly. Voltage-free Type 2 plugs with a protective shutter are now available. In India, these have become the norm for electric vehicles. Because of this, type 3 plugs are obsolete.