Electric Vehicle Charging – #1 AC Charging
Content
Before buying an electric car, everyone will sooner or later ask themselves the question - "How to properly charge such a car?" For old people, everything seems pretty simple, unfortunately, a person unfamiliar with this topic may have problems.
Let's start with how to charge and what are the most common types of so called slow AC chargers.
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Not every electric vehicle has the same charging connector, and not every charger has a cable for connecting a car.
"But how? Jokes aside? Because I thought ... "
I translate quickly. In electric vehicles, we find the 2 most popular AC charging connectors - type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 (other names: TYPE 1 or SAE J1772)
This is a standard borrowed from North America, but we can also find it in Asian and European cars. There is no clear limit on which machines it will be used in. This connector can also be found in PLUG-IN hybrids.
Technically:
The connector is adapted for the North American market, where the charging power can be 1,92 kW (120 V, 16 A). In the European case, this power will be higher due to the higher voltage and can be 3,68 kW (230 V, 16 A) or even 7,36 kW (230 V, 32 A) - however, such a charger is unlikely to be installed in your home. ...
Examples of vehicles with type 1 socket:
Citroen Berlingo Electric,
Fiat 500e,
Nissan Leaf 1st generation,
Ford Focus Electric,
Chevrolet Volt,
Opel Ampere,
Mitsubisi Autlender PHEV,
Nissan 200EV.
Type 2 (other names TYPE 2, Mennekes, IEC 62196, type 2)
Here we can breathe a sigh of relief because Type 2 has become the official standard in the European Union countries and we can almost always be sure that a public charger will be equipped with a Type 2 socket (or plug). The standard for the socket can also be used for charging with electricity. direct current (more).
Technically:
Chargers equipped with the Type 2 standard - both portable and stationary - have a wider power range than Type 1 chargers, mainly due to the ability to use a three-phase power supply. So, such chargers can have the following power:
- 3,68 kW (230V, 16A);
- 7,36 kW (230V, 32A - less frequently used);
- 11 kW (3-phase power supply, 230V, 16A);
- 22 kW (3-phase power supply, 230V, 32A).
It can also be charged with 44 kW (3 phases, 230 V, 64 A). This is rarely used, however, and such charging powers are usually taken over by DC chargers.
Examples of vehicles with type 2 socket:
Nissan Leaf II generation,
bmw i3,
Renault ZOE,
Vw e-golf,
Volvo XC60 T8 CONNECTION,
Kia Niro Electric,
Hyundai Kona,
audi e-tron,
MiniCooper SE,
BMW 330e,
-IN Toyota Prius.
As you can see, this standard is common not only in electric vehicles, but also in PLUG-IN hybrids.
Did I say there are only two types of outlets? Oh no, no. I said that these are the two most common types of outlets.
But take it easy, the following types are very rare.
Pike
Another connector used in electric vehicles is the Schuko connector. This is the standard single phase plug that we use in our country. The car plugs directly into an outlet, like an iron. However, there are very few solutions of this type. One of the vehicles using this standard is the Renault Twizy.
TYPE 3A / TYPE 3C (also known as SCAME)
This is almost the last type of connector used for AC charging. It is now forgotten, but it was the standard used in Italy and France, so if your car was imported, for example, from France, it is possible that it will be equipped with such a connector.
Icing on the cake to further confuse - GB / T AC plug
This is the type of connector that is used in Chinese and Chinese cars. Since the connector is standard in China, it will not be discussed in more detail. At first glance, the connector is identical to the Type 2 connector, but this is deceiving. The connectors are not compatible.
Summary
This article presents all types of connectors used in electric vehicles for charging from the AC mains. The most popular connector is undoubtedly Type 2, which has become the EU standard. The Type 1 connector is less common but can be found too.
If you own a car with a Type 2 connector, you can sleep soundly. You can charge your car almost anywhere. Slightly worse if you have Type 1 or Type 3A / 3C. Then you need to purchase the appropriate adapters and cables, which you can easily purchase in Polish stores.
Enjoy the ride!
