Electrical car charging cables

There is a growing interest and investment in electric vehicles infrastructure. To change those electric vehicles here are many different options how this can be done – with different benefits and disadvantages. The charging time depends on the battery capacity and the charging power. The charging power depends on the power available from the power source, the capabilities of your car and how your car is connected to the power source. There are also many different connectors in use (in both power outlets and in the car end). One of the disadvantages are that there are many options that can confuse users.

How does an Electric Car work ? | Tesla Model S

The simplest options that many people choose is to charge their electric vehicles from a domestic socket typically plug your car in overnight. Some electric vehicles have converters on board that can plug directly into a standard electrical outlet or they can be plugged to standard outlet with a special cable that has some active electronics in it (setting allowed load current and provide protection functions). Charging an electric vehicle is pretty easy if your car supports that option – just plug it in and wait.

Many people choose to charge their electric vehicles from a domestic socket typically plug your car in overnight (it can take all night to charge your car battery from empty to full). As a short-term or occasional solution, charging from the mains is fine. In longer term use, the problems are that that charging is slow that in some cases the old domestic outlets might not be able to properly handle the long term high current load the electrical car charging causes.

Another option is that you can charge your car at a public charging station or at home via a domestic socket or a specially installed charging point. You can charge your car much faster if you install a specially-designed charging point. Home chargers (typically 16-amps or 32-amps) can charge an electric vehicle from flat to full in 3.5 hours. Some are even quicker. The price of chargers depends on their power and efficiency. Typically you will use a charging station that provides electrical conversion, monitoring, or safety functionality.

Electric Car Charging, How long does it REALLY take?

Charging Your EV at Home

There is also a wide variety of electrical vehicle charging stations. An electric vehicle charging station is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of plug-in electric vehicles—including electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Charging station is usually accessible to multiple electric vehicles and has additional current or connection sensing mechanisms to disconnect the power when the EV is not charging.

Charging stations fall into four basic categories:
1. Residential charging stations: An EV owner plugs into a standard receptacle when he or she returns home, and the car recharges overnight.
2. Charging while parked (including public charging stations) – a private or commercial venture for a fee or free, sometimes offered in partnership with the owners of the parking lot. This charging may be slow or high speed.
3. Fast charging at public charging stations >40 kW, capable of delivering over 60-mile (97 km) of range in 10–30 minutes.
4. Battery swaps or charges in under 15 minutes.

The charging time depends on the battery capacity and the charging power. The charging power depends on the voltage handling of the batteries and charger electronics in the car. The U.S.-based SAE International defines Level 1 (household 120V AC) as the slowest, Level 2 (upgraded household 240 VAC) in the middle and Level 3 (super charging, 480V DC or higher) as the fastest.

In Europe where 230V AC is used, the Level 2 type of charging is most commonly used. For normal charging (up to 7.4 kW), car manufacturers have typically built a battery charger into the car. A charging cable is used to connect it to the electrical network to supply 230 volt AC current. The charging cable can have active electronics in it to provide car the information how much current it can draw from outlet and some protective electronics (ground fault protector, over current protector, connector over-heating protection etc.). The Type 2 connector is suitable for slow, fast and rapid charging.

For quicker charging (22 kW, even 43 kW and more), manufacturers have chosen two solutions:
1. Use the vehicle’s built-in charger, designed to charge from 3 to 43 kW at 230 V single-phase or 400 V three-phase.
2. Use an external charger, which converts AC current into DC current and charges the vehicle at 50 kW (e.g. Nissan Leaf) or more (e.g. 120-135 kW Tesla Model S).

Different charging modes:

Mode 1: Domestic socket and extension cord. The vehicle is connected to the power grid through standard socket-outlets present in residences, which depending on the country are usually rated at around 10 A. You are merely connecting a car to the mains using a wire, with no method of controlling current/voltage drawn or utilizing any extra safety features. The the electrical installation must comply with the safety regulations and must have an earthing system, a circuit breaker to protect against overload and an earth leakage protection. This is nowadays very rarely used option.

Mode 2: Domestic socket and cable with a protection device. Mode 2 cables build upon Mode 1 to provide more safety and control. The vehicle is typically still connected to the main power grid via normal household socket-outlets. Charging can be done via a single-phase or three-phase network. A protection device is built into the cable. They feature some inline circuitry to help communicate with the car and dictate how much current is being pumped into the battery pack – they try to set charging current to match the capabilities of the car and the electrical outlet type used for charging. Typical protective functionality provided are ground fault protection, current sensors which monitor the power consumed (maintain the connection only if the demand is within a predetermined range) and additional physical “sensor wires” which provide a feedback signal (SAE J1772 and IEC 62196 schemes).

Mode 3: Specific socket on a dedicated circuit. The vehicle is connected directly to the electrical network via specific socket and plug and a dedicated circuit. A control and protection function is also installed permanently in the installation. Mode 3 is when things start to get clever, allowing the car and charging point to talk to one another. What this means is that electric cars can instruct the charging point to turn off the power when the battery is fully charged and also allow the car to evaluate a charging point’s capacity – changing the speed with which the car will be charged. Typically, these are wall-box type units.

Mode 4: Direct current (DC) connection for fast recharging. The electric vehicle is connected to the main power grid through an external charger. Control and protection functions and the vehicle charging cable are installed permanently in the installation.

Electric Vehicle Charging – Part 1/2

Electric Vehicle Charging – Part 2/2

Cables and connectors for electronics vehicle charging can be confusing. There are many connector and cable types. Electric car charging cables aren’t as simple as you may expect. Not only are there multiple types of plugs and connectors but there are different modes of operation, too. Modes of operation are a little different to plug/connector design, as they affect what these are capable of. There is no set world-wide standard for all car makers to follow.

Charging cable and plug types article gives an overview of all relevant charging cable and plug types for electric mobility. Using the right combination of cables for your EV is needed to charge it properly and quickly.

Put simply, an electric car charging cable is made up of three parts: a connector which plugs into your car, a length of wire and another plug which connects into a power source. That’s applies to most of the charging cable except type 2. Those wire only cables do without any electronics or rely on larger electronics at both ends of the cable, such as a wall-box.

There are two types of charging cables for electric cars: The mode 2 charging cable and the mode 3 charging cable. The mode 2 charging cable that fits into any standard domestic socket. The mode 3 charging cable is the connection cable between the electric car and the charging station.

The mode 2 charging cable is on that is the one that usually delivered with the vehicle ex works and fits into any standard domestic socket.
Mode 2 charging uses a cable that has circuitry in between both ends of the cable. Communication between the charging connection and the electric car takes place via a box which, which acts as intermediary between the vehicle and the connection plug (ICCB, in-cable control box). In case of charging from normal mains plug, the box on the type 2 cable tells the car how much current it can take from the mains outlet and tries to disconnect mains power to car if something seems to be going wrong.

Having many types of different connectors in electrical vehicles can be a problem for users. The EU realiszed this and back in 2014 brought into effect legislation that stated all new plug-in vehicles and charging points must include a ‘Type 2′ charging connector. The IEC 62196 Type 2 connector (commonly referred to as mennekes) is used for charging electric cars within Europe. The connector is circular in shape, with a flattened top edge and originally specified for charging battery electric vehicles at 3–50 kilowatts. Electric power is provided as single-phase or three-phase alternating current (AC), or direct current (DC).

The connector contains seven contact places: two small and five larger. Two small contacts are used for communications. Communication takes place over the signalling pins between the charger, cable, and vehicle to ensure that the highest common denominator of voltage and current is selected. The large pins are used for power and ground connections somewhat differently depending on the charging mode.

Although an EU-wide agreement regarding a universal plug system exists, there are still some points to note if you are thinking of purchasing an electric car. For example, you will need the right charging cable if you want to charge your e-vehicle at home or at public charging points.

Types of Electric Car Charging Cables

Type 2 (Mode 3) cable explained

Charging Adapters

You might be interested to see what is inside those charging stations and charging cables. Here are videos to see what is inside different electrical car charging systems.

Inside an electric vehicle charger interface.

Delta Energy Systems 3.3kw Ev Charger teardown

eFIXX – Teardown – Whats inside a ROLEC Wallpod electric vehicle charger? (Rolec EV Charger)

Chinese Level 2 EV charger tear down

“Amazing-E EVSE” – Review and Look Inside

Aliexpress 32A (7kW) portable EV chargers ( EVSE ) Zencar, Khons

Ohme smart EV charging cable ( EVSE )

318 Comments

  1. Tomi Engdahl says:

    https://keskustelu.suomi24.fi/t/15294077/super-suko-tulee-oletko-valmis

    Olemassaolevia sukoja ei ole tarkoitettu jatkuvalle 16 A virralle.

    Siksipä juurikin piti tehdä se supersuko.
    https://www.sahkonumerot.fi/3405011/
    https://verkkokauppa.slo.fi/fi/2529006

    Työmaakeskuksiin nämä olisivat omiaan, niissä kun ei tahdo pistorasiat kestää.
    Mikähän tuon apukoskettimen tehtäväksi on ajateltu?

    Superi on hintakin, kun pelkkä tuollainen koje 90€

    Ompas !!

    Jos shukossa lukee 16A se kestää 16A jatkuvan virran.

    Väärin se kestää 8A jatkuvaa.

    “IEC:n standardin 60884-1 päivitys tunnetaan työnimellä super-schuko/high load profile plugs. Uusi pistoketyyppi saattaa tuoda helpotusta myös sähköautojen lataukseen, sillä tavallinen suko-pistoke sopii suoraan uuteen pistorasiaan, mutta pistorasian vahvistettu rakenne mahdollistaa nykyistä suuremman kuormituksen.
    Siinä missä nykyisten sukojen (CEE 7/7) lämpeneminen on testattu ja standardisoitu kestämään kahdeksan ampeerin jatkuva kuormitus ja tunnin hetkellinen kuormitus 22 ampeerin virralla, pitäisi uuden version kestää jatkuva 16 ampeerin kuormitus ja viiden tunnin kuormitus 26 ampeerin virralla.”

    Onko näitä Hig Load -sukoja vielä näkynyt myynnissä missään? Olisivat omiaan kovan käytön kohteisiin yleensäkin.

    Kyllä siihen edelleen kannattaa uskoa ettei se tavallinen pistorasia kestä, ei se ole miksikään muuttunut.

    Siten kun on standardi Super Schuloista niin asia voi olla OK. Nythän myyntimies voi myydä vaikka esimerkiksi Ulta High Current Socket nimellä mitä vain.

    https://verkkokauppa.slo.fi/fi/kojepistorasia-e-71070-1pne-16a-250v-ip20-2529006

    Reply
  2. Tomi Engdahl says:

    EEVblog 1437 – Zappi 7kW Electric Car Charger TEARDOWN + EXPERIMENT
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwuZJHk5JV8

    How does an Electric Car charger work?
    A teardown of the Myenergi Zappi 7kW EVSE and experiments demonstrating how the car detection system and charge mode works.

    00:00 – Zappi 7kW Single Phase EVSE Charger
    02:46 – Type 2 Charging Standards
    08:30 – Teardown
    17:32 – Power Up
    20:56 – Experiments!

    Installation & Testing:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYx46kRv2Bw&t=0s

    Reply
  3. Tomi Engdahl says:

    KNOW HOW: PEN FAULT protection methods for EV chargers – BS7671 Amendments – Dr Chris Horne Myenergi
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p562IZ1nOSM

    EV chargers installed in the UK utilising a TN-C-S earthing system require additional protection in case of a fault within the combined protective earth and neutral (PEN) conductor supplying the electrical installation.

    In this video, Dr Chris Horne talks us through the recent changes to BS7671 which can be used for PEN fault monitoring and protection.

    == Time Stamps – Cut to the action ==
    00:00​ BS7671 – 3 phase EV chargers and PEN faults
    02:20 Indent i & ii
    03:28 Broken PEN conductor
    04:42 Indent iii BS7671 Amd 2
    07:12 Indent iv BS7671 Amd 2 – single-phase chargers
    09:55 Voltage detection WON”T work in all circumstances.
    11:30 Around 500 reported PEN faults per year in the UK
    12:00 Indent iv and nuisance tripping with voltage detection
    13:23 Indent v – innovation to enhance safety
    15:09 How does Zappi 2 provide PEN fault protection
    19:30 Multiple protection methods.
    20:10 RCD’s and EV charge points.
    20:50 Who is Mrs Goggins?

    Reply
  4. Tomi Engdahl says:

    EV CHARGER installation UK – can you connect to an existing CONSUMER UNIT?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5wn5Eju3_Y&t=0s

    We look at some of the electrical design considerations when installing an EV charger with an existing electrical installation.

    Reply
  5. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Fluid-Cooled Cable Quadruples EV Charging-Current Capacity
    Dec. 8, 2021
    By analyzing and implementing advanced fluid-based cooling, researchers increased the current capacity of an electric-vehicle charging-station cable by a factor of four.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21183308/electronic-design-fluidcooled-cable-quadruples-ev-chargingcurrent-capacity?utm_source=EG%20ED%20Analog%20%26%20Power%20Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS211201076&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

    What you’ll learn:

    A new cooling technology has been proposed for EV high-current charging cables.
    The system relies on the use of subcooled flow boiling to remove the heat from the cable.
    Experiments were performed to acquire data for subcooled boiling in annuli using HFE-7100 as coolant.

    Many challenges persist when it comes to reducing the charging time for electric vehicles (EVs). These include the amount of power available at the charging station, the charging station’s power-conversion electronics, the cable carrying the power from the charging station to the vehicle, and the charging subsystem within the vehicle itself

    A team at Purdue University is focused on that charging cable and has analyzed, devised, and tested a way to increase the current-carrying capacity from its present maximum of 520 A to over 2400 A. They note that the 520-A figure is the highest by far, as many chargers fall well below that

    The cooling benefits make it possible to use a smaller wire diameter inside the charging cable and dissipate a higher current, while removing a little over 24 kW of heat.

    To achieve this significant increase in capacity, the team employed fluid-based cooling of the cable, as even a minuscule amount of unavoidable resistance in the cable and its connectors results in a large amount of I2R heating. The team accomplished this via rigorous fluid and thermal modeling, detailed equations, and additional insight into the dynamics of cooling,

    Their objective was to develop a consolidated theoretical/empirical method for predicting the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of both laminar and turbulent flows though concentric circular annuli with a uniformly heated inner wall and adiabatic outer wall. By capturing heat in both liquid and vapor forms, a liquid-to-vapor cooling system can remove at least 10X more heat than pure liquid cooling.

    While it’s one thing to model and simulate regardless of sophistication, it’s another to build and test what these indicate. The team’s arrangement involved pumping highly subcooled dielectric liquid HFE-7100 though a concentric circular annulus mimicking a segment of an actual cable. A uniformly heated 6.35-mm-diameter inner surface represented the electrical conductor and adiabatic 23.62-mm-diameter outer surface for the external conduit.

    Although the prototype hasn’t been tested on EVs yet, Prof. Mudawar and his students demonstrated in the lab that their prototype accommodates a current of over 2.4 kA.

    Their prototype mimics all of the traits of a real-world charging station: It includes a pump, a tube with the same diameter as an actual charging cable, the same controls and instrumentation, and maintains the same flow rates and temperatures

    The work is described in extreme detail in two somewhat overlapping papers

    Reply
  6. Tomi Engdahl says:

    11 Myths About EV Charging
    Dec. 27, 2021
    As the electric-vehicle industry grows, so too are demands for fast, efficient charging stations, as well as major expansion in reliable infrastructure. Of course, misconceptions are emerging regarding the ecosystem. This article sets the record straight.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21212707/texas-instruments-11-myths-about-ev-charging?utm_source=EG%20ED%20Analog%20%26%20Power%20Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS211222012&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

    Reply
  7. Tomi Engdahl says:

    HS: Kaduilla ja porraskäytävissä on alkanut näkyä erikoisia, sähköautojen lataamiseen liittyviä virityksiä https://www.is.fi/autot/art-2000008545457.html

    Reply
  8. Tomi Engdahl says:

    In 2021, there were about 108,000 public charging ports in the US. That’s nearly one port for every gas station in the US, of which there is an estimated 111,000 to 150,000 – a whole lot more EV charging ports are needed….

    https://electrek.co/2022/02/02/ev-charging-ports-will-soon-outnumber-gas-stations-in-the-us-yet-it-wont-be-enough/

    Reply
  9. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Suomalainen lataa sähköautoaan hitaasti
    https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13128-suomalainen-lataa-saehkoeautoaan-hitaasti

    Suomessa myytiin viime vuonna 32 121 sähköautojen latauslaitetta. Niissä oli yhteensä 43 365 latauspistettä. Lähes kaikki latauspisteet ovat hidas- tai peruslatauspisteitä, sillä yli 22 kilowatin teholatauspisteitä myytiin viime vuonna vain 269 kappaletta.

    Latauspisteiden myynti kasvoi vuoden viimeisellä neljänneksellä 21 prosenttia edellisestä neljänneksestä. Kaikkiaan hitaita normaalilla Schuko-pistokkeella tai 3-vaiheisella CEE-rasialla varustettuja latureita oli 48 prosenttia kaikista. Peruslatauspisteitä (3,7-22 kW) oli 22 338 kappaletta. Lähes joka kolmas latauspiste yltää kuitenkin 22 kilowatin maksimitehoon.

    Reply
  10. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Gallium-nitridi lataa sähköautot 3 kertaa nopeammin
    https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13139-gallium-nitridi-lataa-saehkoeautot-3-kertaa-nopeammin

    Tehopuolijohteissa ollaan monella sektorilla siirtymässä piistä piikarbidiin tai gallium-nitridiin. Viimeksi mainittu on mahdollistanut selvästi nopeammat ja pienemmät kännykkälaturit. Seuraavaksi se mullistaa säkhöautojen lataamisen, sanoo GaN-pioneeri Navitas Semiconductor.

    GaN eli galliumnitridi on seuraavan sukupolven tehokomponenttien tekniikka, joka toimii jopa 20 kertaa nopeammin kuin vanha piipohjaiset laturit ja mahdollistaa jopa 3 kertaa suuremman lataustehon 40 prosenttia pienemmällä tehonkulutuksella ja puolta pienemmässä koossa. Nyt tämä älypuhelimiin ensin tullut tekniikka on laajenemassa myös sähköautojen lataamiseen.

    GaN-pohjaisten autojen integroitujen laturien arvioidaan latautuvan 3 kertaa nopeammin ja säästävän jopa 70 prosenttia energiaa vanhoihin piiratkaisuihin verrattuna. GaN-laturien, DC-DC-muuntimien ja invertterien arvioidaan pidentävän sähköajoneuvojen toimintasädettä tai alentavan akkukustannuksia 5 prosenttia. Navitaksen rohkean arvion mukaan tekniikka voi nopeuttaa sähköautojen käyttöönottoa maailmanlaajuisesti kolmella vuodella.

    Reply
  11. Tomi Engdahl says:

    EEVblog 1437 – Zappi 7kW Electric Car Charger TEARDOWN + EXPERIMENT
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwuZJHk5JV8

    How does an Electric Car charger work?
    A teardown of the Myenergi Zappi 7kW EVSE and experiments demonstrating how the car detection system and charge mode works.

    00:00 – Zappi 7kW Single Phase EVSE Charger
    02:46 – Type 2 Charging Standards
    08:30 – Teardown
    17:32 – Power Up
    20:56 – Experiments!

    https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-1437-zappi-7kw-electric-car-charger-teardown-experiment/

    Reply
  12. Tomi Engdahl says:

    DIY Level 2 EV Charger Part 1 – The J1772 Standard
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQfEOS1CL7I

    A very detailed description of the J1772 standard. In this video I explain the information we need to know in order to design and build our own level 1 or level 2 EVSE.

    Reply
  13. Tomi Engdahl says:

    How to make EV charging cables
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH_MOH9Yi3s

    The process of EV charging cables incudes Conductor , twist bunching , insulation , cabling and jacket.

    Reply
  14. Tomi Engdahl says:

    DIY set for charging electric cars, How to guide – Inexpensive solution for TESLA and others
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU2Mx1IsyXY

    You got an electric car and would like to charge it at home or office, but usually available charging stations worth thousands of EUROS are just a bit too expensive?

    EVSE is a simple, small board, designed to communicate with the car charger and grid. It supports the majority of electric cars and cables around (including TESLA).

    - compliance with IEC 62196 (simplified)
    - 2x16A relay version available
    - ideal for Yazaki, Mennekes connectors, and cables
    - supports Positive and Negative PWM modulation (required by TESLA vehicles)

    See all EVSE versions at our website: https://www.ev-power.eu/Electric-Cars/

    Reply
  15. Tomi Engdahl says:

    There is no such thing as a Level 3 EV charger
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZBsOud4O9Q

    TIMELINE:
    0:00 introduction
    0:28 Four Charging Methods of J1772
    0:40 J1772 history
    0:48 1996 and 2001 Level 3 charging proposals
    1:10 J1772 is for conductive charging
    1:19 J1773 Inductive charging
    1:35 Terminology and electrical principles
    1:45 1. All EVs and PHEVs use two different DC batteries
    2:22 2. DC Batteries need to be charged with DC power
    2:29 3. The 12V battery is charged with power from the high voltage DC battery
    2:34 Most off-board chargers supply AC power to the vehicle
    2:56 4. AC power is converted to DC power by the on-board charging module (OBCM)
    3:45 2018 Tesla Model S P100D OBCM
    3:53 2018 Chevrolet Volt OBCM
    3:53 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV OBCM
    5:18 There are two different J1772 AC charging levels
    6:20 There are two different J1772 DC charging levels
    6:58 DC Level 1 charging and Tesla charging
    7:42 5. Charge rate control (*See correction below)
    9:20 Level 2 Charge Coupler (CCS)
    10:18 AC and DC charging contacts
    10:56 Contact 1 AC L1 and DC+
    11:19 Contact 2 AC N, L2, and DC-
    11:45 Contact 3 Protective Earth (PE)
    11:50 Contact 4 at Control Pilot (CP) (*See correction below)
    12:30 Contact 5 Control Status (CS) (*See correction below)
    13:27 Contact 5 at Proximity Detection (PD)
    14:15 Contact 6 DC+
    14:39 Contact 7 DC-
    14:43 J1772 recommended practice verses surface vehicle standard
    15:58 Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) standards a
    16:18 NFPA Document 70 NEC Article 625
    17:32 J1772 off-board charger to vehicle EVSE standards
    17:58 Off-board chargers need to be (UL) listed, Intertek (ETL) Listed, CSA certified, or ANSI certified to verify EVSE compliance
    18:45 Video wrap-up

    Reply
  16. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Installing my Electric Car Charger – What Could Go Wrong??
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02xtdkBR4ho

    Reply
  17. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Charging a PEV (EUC, Scooter, Onewheel, Whatever) with a car J1772 EV charger
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvPRfa5holU

    Pretty much ever J1772 car charging station is capable of getting your personal ev (scooter, euc, esk8, etc) a charge. At it’s core, these are just 220v AC plugs. You need an adapter with a TINY bit of extra signaling hardware to make it work, but then you’re good to go!

    Reply
  18. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Electric car chargers aren’t chargers at all – EVSE Explained
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMxB7zA-e4Y&t=0s

    Catchy title! But it’s mostly true! There’s a pinned comment you might want to read, as well. But there’s some links down here, too.

    Reply
  19. Tomi Engdahl says:

    EVSE Tester Demonstration video Using Gepetto EV simulator
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gNHA0mywtw

    Demonstration video showing the use of the Gepetto EVSE tester to test electric vehicle charging stations. The charger tester can be purchased at http://www.tindie.com and searching for EVSE Tester.

    Reply
  20. Tomi Engdahl says:

    ChargePoint CT4000 Installation Video
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AQhZEdWXnI

    How to install your CT4000 ChargePoint EV charging station

    Reply
  21. Tomi Engdahl says:

    eFIXX – Teardown – Whats inside a ROLEC Wallpod electric vehicle charger? (Rolec EV Charger EVSE)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfUiI-1WsOA

    Gary Hayers and Joe Robinson take a look inside a ROLEC wallpod electric vehicle charger. EVSE
    This version is a 7kw / 32Amp mode 3 charger with a tethered cable and type 1 plug
    The EV charger was approved for use with the UK government OLEV charging scheme. To comply with the latest version of OLEV charger now need to be smart enabled.

    This unit comes with a 40 amp type C RCBO. The RCD fitting in this Unit is type A.

    Why do we need smart electric vehicle chargers? – EVSE chargepoint for OLEV grant
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkGw9bhHGvo&t=0s

    Reply
  22. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Earthing systems, EV charging connection options and open PEN detection devices.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZVx7GbAwlg

    Earthing systems and what options are available when installing an electric vehicle charging unit.
    Does TN-S really exist?
    TN-C-S broken PEN conductor problems and the 5 possible solutions given in BS7671.
    Do the various devices available to detect fault conditions actually work?
    Problems when using TT at a location which has a TN-C-S installation.

    Reply
  23. Tomi Engdahl says:

    U.S. Earmarks $5 Billion to Create National EV Charging Network
    Feb. 18, 2022
    The U.S. Departments of Transportation and Energy have announced the largest U.S. investment in EV charging: A more than $5 billion fund that will be distributed to states and through a competitive grant program.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21233928/electronic-design-us-earmarks-5-billion-to-create-national-ev-charging-network?utm_source=EG%20ED%20Analog%20%26%20Power%20Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS220218083&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

    Reply
  24. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Volvo lataa langattomasti 40 kilowatin teholla
    https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13270-volvo-lataa-langattomasti-40-kilowatin-teholla

    Sähköauton lataus on monen mielestä edelleen koko konspetin Akilleen kantapää. Jos autoa joutuu lataamaan yön yli, se laskee käyttömukavuutta, johon olemme polttomoottoriautoissa tottuneet. Nyt Volvo Cars testaa uutta langatonta latausteknologiaa aidossa kaupunkiympäristössä.

    Seuraavan kolmen vuoden aikana pientä joukkoa Volvo XC40 Recharge -täyssähköautoja käytetään Pohjoismaiden suurimman taksiyrityksen, Cabonlinen, takseina ja niitä ladataan langattomasti Göteborgissa sijaitsevilla asemilla.

    Testissä käytettävät latausasemat toimittaa Momentum Dynamics, joka on johtava langattomien latausjärjestelmien tarjoaja. Lataus käynnistyy automaattisesti, kun yhteensopiva auto pysäköi katuun upotetulle latausalustalle, ja kuljettajat voivat kätevästi ladata autonsa siitä poistumatta.

    Täyssähköisissä XC40 Recharge -autoissa langaton latausteho on yli 40 kW, mikä tekee lataamisesta noin neljä kertaa nopeampaa kuin johdollisen 11 kW:n AC-laturin kanssa ja lähes yhtä nopeaa kuin johdollisen 50 kW:n DC-pikalaturin kanssa.

    Reply
  25. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Grid Batteries On Wheels: The Complicated Logistics Of Vehicle-Grid Integration
    https://hackaday.com/2022/03/08/grid-batteries-on-wheels-the-complicated-logistics-of-vehicle-grid-integration/

    At its core, the concept of vehicle-grid integration (VGI) – also called Vehicle To Grid (V2G) – seems a simple one. Instead of a unidirectional charger for battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), a bidirectional charger would be used. This way, whenever the BEV is connected to such a charger, power could be withdrawn from the car’s battery for use on the local electrical grid whenever there’s demand.

    Many of the complications with VGI have already been discussed, including the increased wear that this puts on a BEV’s battery, the need for an inherently mobile machine to be plugged into a charger, and the risk of needing one’s BEV and finding its battery to be nearly depleted. Here the cheerful marketing from Nissan and that from commercial initiatives such as Vehicle to Grid Britain makes it sound like it’s a no-brainer once those pesky details can be worked out.

    In parallel with the world of glossy marketing leaflets, researchers have been investigating VGI as a potential option for grid-level energy storage. These studies produce a far less optimistic picture that puts the entire concept of VGI into question.

    Reply
  26. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Quantum technology could make charging electric cars as fast as pumping gas
    https://phys.org/news/2022-03-quantum-technology-electric-cars-fast.html

    However, despite the vast improvements in battery technology, today’s consumers of electric vehicles face another difficulty: slow battery charging speed. Currently, cars take about 10 hours to fully recharge at home. Even the fastest superchargers at the charging stations require up to 20 to 40 minutes to fully recharge the vehicles. This creates additional costs and inconvenience to the customers.

    To address this problem, scientists looked for answers in the field of quantum physics. Their search has led to the discovery that quantum technologies may promise new mechanisms to charge batteries at a faster rate. Quantum battery technology was first proposed in a seminal paper published by Alicki and Fannes in 2012. It was theorized that quantum resources, such as entanglement, can be used to vastly speed up the battery charging process by charging all cells within the battery simultaneously in a collective manner.

    While the maximum charging speed increases linearly with the number of cells in classical batteries, the study showed that quantum batteries employing global operation can achieve quadratic scaling in charging speed. To illustrate this, consider a typical electric vehicle with a battery that contains about 200 cells. Employing this quantum charging would lead to a 200 times speedup over classical batteries, which means that at home charging time would be cut from 10 hours to about 3 minutes. At high-speed charging stations, the charge time would be cut from 30 minutes to mere seconds.

    Reply
  27. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Remote ‘Brokenwire’ Hack Prevents Charging of Electric Vehicles
    https://www.securityweek.com/remote-brokenwire-hack-prevents-charging-electric-vehicles

    Researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK and Switzerland’s Armasuisse federal agency have identified a new attack method that can be used to remotely interrupt the charging of electric vehicles.

    The attack method, named Brokenwire, involves wirelessly sending malicious signals to the targeted vehicle in order to cause electromagnetic interference and disrupt the charging session.

    The attack targets the Combined Charging System — a widely used DC rapid charging technology — and it interrupts the communication between the charger and the vehicle.

    The researchers pointed out that the Brokenwire attack only works against DC rapid chargers. Home charging stations, which typically use AC charging, are not impacted as they use different communication standards.

    During their experiments, the researchers managed to reproduce the method against seven types of vehicles and 18 chargers, at distances of up to 47 m (150 feet) using a software-defined radio, a 1 W RF amplifier, and a dipole antenna. They demonstrated that the attack works between different floors of a building and through perimeter fences, and drive-by attacks are possible as well.

    Brokenwire, which they described as a stealthy and scalable attack, affects not only electric cars, but also electric ships, airplanes and heavy duty vehicles.

    “Brokenwire has immediate implications for many of the around 12 million battery EVs on the roads worldwide — and profound effects on the new wave of electrification for vehicle fleets, both for private enterprise and crucial public services,” the researchers said.

    “While it may only be an inconvenience for individuals, interrupting the charging process of critical vehicles, such as electric ambulances, can have life-threatening consequences,” they warned.

    Once an attack has been launched, the targeted vehicle will not charge until the attack stops and the vehicle is manually reconnected to the charging station. The experts noted that while the attack can be used to interrupt charging sessions, it does not appear to cause any permanent damage to the targeted systems.

    Brokenwire
    Vulnerability in the Combined Charging System for Electric Vehicles
    https://www.brokenwire.fail/

    Brokenwire is a novel attack against the Combined Charging System (CCS), one of the most widely used DC rapid charging technologies for electric vehicles (EVs). The attack interrupts necessary control communication between the vehicle and charger, causing charging sessions to abort. The attack can be conducted wirelessly from a distance using electromagnetic interference, allowing individual vehicles or entire fleets to be disrupted simultaneously. In addition, the attack can be mounted with off-the-shelf radio hardware and minimal technical knowledge. With a power budget of 1 W, the attack is successful from around 47 m distance. The exploited behavior is a required part of the HomePlug Green PHY, DIN 70121 & ISO 15118 standards and all known implementations exhibit it.

    Brokenwire has immediate implications for many of the 12 million battery EVs estimated to be on the roads worldwide — and profound effects on the new wave of electrification for vehicle fleets, both for private enterprise and for crucial public services. In addition to electric cars, Brokenwire affects electric ships, airplanes and heavy duty vehicles. As such, we conducted a disclosure to industry and discuss a range of mitigation techniques that could be deployed to limit the impact.

    Reply
  28. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Our results indicate that off-the-shelf equipment is sufficient to execute the attack from up to 10 m away. With a power budget of 10 mW the attack was possible from 10 m away.
    https://www.brokenwire.fail/

    Reply
  29. Tomi Engdahl says:

    THAT’S NOT AN EV CHARGER – THIS IS A FAST DC EV CHARGER! – EN+
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98uRMXFO1XM

    Time to fess up, most EV chargers aren’t actually chargers. The EV chargers installed in homes and businesses are usually just an AC connection point. The conversion of power from AC to DC takes place within embedded electronics in the car.

    During our visit to Futurebuild 2022, we discovered this 120kW DC Fast EV charger from a leading Chinese brand EN+.

    Join us for a sneak peek inside.
    ================================
    TIME STAMPS
    00:00 AC chargers aren’t chargers
    00:38 Can you charge at 22kW?
    01:18 The charger is in the car – choose wisely!
    01:50 EN+ Fast DC EV Charger
    02:20 Type 2 and CCS fast-charge DC connector
    03:18 What’s inside a fast DC EV charger
    04:40 Charger to car communication
    05:00 Fast charger electrical installation
    05:30 DC Fast charging applications
    06:27 EV Charger with LCD advertising
    06:54 Subscribe to eFIXX Energy

    Reply
  30. Tomi Engdahl says:

    The Disconnecting Earth Conductor Mystery – Why Do We Do This?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN7RI-dtBKk

    Three Phase EV chargers need to be protected against PEN conductor faults. In this video, we explore a PEN fault protection device from Matt:e and why they are used in three-phase EV charger installations.

    This is part of our ongoing series exploring the full installation of a three-phase EV charger for a workplace EV charging scheme.

    == AD =========================
    More information about the Matt:e 3 Phase EV connection unit.
    http://hub.efixx.co.uk/matte-3-phase
    =============================

    === Chapters=======
    00:00 Matt:e EV charger connection Unit
    00:50 What’s inside
    01:00 4 Pole Isolator
    01:29 5 Pole MCB with actuator
    02:11 PEN fault sensing unit
    03:05 What do the UK wiring regulations say?
    04:50 All conductors including the earth must be disconnected
    05:45 How does a Matt:e compare Earth to earth?
    07:05 Virtual earth electrode
    07:54 Missing phase? – test switch
    08:40 Be careful not the accidentally export and earth connection.
    ===============================

    Reply
  31. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Vehicle to Load (V2L) on MG ZS EV
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASGI79A004g

    Modifying a vehicle charging cable to use as a discharge cable on my MG ZS electric vehicle.

    Reply
  32. Tomi Engdahl says:

    2024 Electric Sport Wagon Can Drive 186 Miles After 10-Minute Charge
    March 25, 2022
    An 800-V charging architecture and up to 270 kW of capacity gives Audi’s electric A6 Avant concept car its fast-charging capability. On a full charge, total estimated range is over 400 miles.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21237245/electronic-design-2024-electric-sport-wagon-can-drive-186-miles-after-10minute-charge?utm_source=EG+ED+Auto+Electronics&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS220330063&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

    It’s well-known that range and recharging speed separates the haves from the have nots in the electric-vehicle (EV) business. Audi says the 800-V charging architecture of its electrically powered A6 Avant concept vehicle, presented as part of its 2022 Annual Media Conference, will allow the car to recoup more than 300 km (186 miles) of range in just 10 minutes.

    In less than 25 minutes, the 100-kWh battery will charge from 5% to 80%. This ensures that the battery can be charged with up to 270 kW in a very short time at fast-charging stations.

    “With the Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept, we are offering a completely tangible look at future production models on our new PPE technology platform,” says Audi Board Member for Technical Development Oliver Hoffmann. “We’re not just electrifying the Avant’s successful 45-year history. What we want most of all is to use technical skills to add an exclamation point. In particular, this includes powerful 800-V technology, 270 kW of charging capacity, and a WLTP range of up to 700 kilometers (435 miles).”

    Reply
  33. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Just In Case You Want To Charge Your Neighbor’s Tesla
    https://hackaday.com/2022/04/08/just-in-case-you-want-to-charge-your-neighbors-tesla/

    Tesla vehicles have a charging port that is under a cover that only opens on command from a charging station. Well, maybe not only. [IfNotPike] reports that he was able to replay the 315MHz signal using a software defined radio and pop the port open on any Tesla he happened to be near.

    Apparently, opening the charging port isn’t the end of the world since there isn’t much you can do with the charging port other than charging the car. At least, that we know of. If history shows anything, it is that anything you can get to will be exploited eventually.

    Apparently, it was as simple as record and replay to get the sesame to open. However, if you are too lazy to get to do your own recording, GitHub can help you out.

    TIL: Tesla’s charging ports use a standard wireless message to open up on 315MHz…
    https://twitter.com/IfNotPike/status/1507818836568858631

    jimilinuxguy /
    Tesla-Charging-Port-Opener
    https://github.com/jimilinuxguy/Tesla-Charging-Port-Opener

    Files for HackRF + Portapack MAYHEM firmware to open any and all Tesla vehicle charging ports in range!

    Move this folder to the root of your SD card and run them with the “Replay” app

    Reply
  34. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Charging into the Electrified Future with Plug & Charge
    April 11, 2022
    While the electric-vehicle industry is primed for exponential growth over the next decade, to truly enter the mainstream market, we need new and innovative technology to streamline the charging experience, such as Plug & Charge.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21238714/blink-charging-charging-into-the-electrified-future-with-plug-charge

    What you’ll learn:

    How Plug & Charge will revolutionize and streamline the EV charging ecosystem.
    What traditional automobile manufacturers and charge-point providers must do to support this new standard.
    What stakeholders in the EV industry should prioritize this year.

    The electric-vehicle (EV) industry is on the precipice of a total renaissance. After years of existing as simply a “niche” alternative to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, recent investments from OEMs combined with historic funding from the bipartisan infrastructure bill and increased support from cities and states has decidedly positioned EVs as the future of the automotive industry for decades to come.

    For EVs to truly take off, though, we need to improve the charging experience itself. America’s charging infrastructure is still a new and emerging phenomenon that which EV drivers will have to adapt. Rather than your typical credit-card- or cash-taking gas station, the future of EV charging will be much more digital, based on apps or various RFID tags that drivers have on hand to plug their cars in.

    As our lives become increasingly streamlined (take the Apple Watch, for example—we can communicate, purchase things, and track our fitness all from a small screen on our wrist), it’s time EV charging did as well. The future of the EV ecosystem—one that’s efficient and straightforward—is Plug & Charge.

    How Does Plug & Charge Work?

    Simply put, Plug & Charge is the most seamless way for drivers to charge their electric vehicles today. Instead of needing dozens of apps or relying on easy-to-lose RFID cards, with Plug & Charge, drivers need only plug their vehicle to a participating charge station and the rest is taken care of between the two systems.

    Applicable to both wired (ac and dc charging) and wireless charging, the process is seamless: When a vehicle is plugged in, it automatically identifies itself through a secure communication link and is then authorized to receive energy to recharge, with the charging station seamlessly billing the driver throughout the process.

    Setting a new standard for convenience and security, Plug & Charge is still only in its initial stages.

    Plug & Charge requires ISO 15118—the standard that allows EVs to dynamically and securely exchange information with a charger—to be supported on the vehicle and the charger. ISO 15118 enables secure digital communication between the EV and the charger in the following four use cases:

    Plug & Charge
    Vehicle-to-grid features
    Smart charging to enable load management
    Wireless charging

    To support the capabilities of 15118, the following parties are involved:

    PKI Certification Entity that issues the security certificates.
    The EV automaker that loads the PKI certificates into the EV.
    The Mobility Operator, such as Blink, with which EV drivers sign up for charging services.
    The charging station, which includes a PKI certificate loaded onto it.

    When an EV driver plugs in the charging cable, the charging station and the EV establish a secure connection using the PKI certificates. Once a secure EV-to-charger session is established, the driver’s identity is exchanged with the mobility operator. The mobility operator uses this driver information to authorize the payment once the charging session is delivered.

    These Next Steps Need to be Taken

    While ISO 15118 is readily available today, both OEMs and charging providers have been slow to invest in the technology required to support it. Tesla has offered seamless charging for years (only within its own network of chargers, though), but very few other manufacturers have followed suit. Without OEMs on board, charging providers have fallen behind as well. To realize the benefits of this innovative solution and overcome one of the largest barriers to entry for EVs, it’s time the entire industry got on board.

    Reply
  35. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Charging into the Electrified Future with Plug & Charge
    April 11, 2022
    While the electric-vehicle industry is primed for exponential growth over the next decade, to truly enter the mainstream market, we need new and innovative technology to streamline the charging experience, such as Plug & Charge.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21238714/blink-charging-charging-into-the-electrified-future-with-plug-charge?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS220405121&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

    What you’ll learn:

    How Plug & Charge will revolutionize and streamline the EV charging ecosystem.
    What traditional automobile manufacturers and charge-point providers must do to support this new standard.
    What stakeholders in the EV industry should prioritize this year.

    How Does Plug & Charge Work?

    Simply put, Plug & Charge is the most seamless way for drivers to charge their electric vehicles today. Instead of needing dozens of apps or relying on easy-to-lose RFID cards, with Plug & Charge, drivers need only plug their vehicle to a participating charge station and the rest is taken care of between the two systems.

    Applicable to both wired (ac and dc charging) and wireless charging, the process is seamless: When a vehicle is plugged in, it automatically identifies itself through a secure communication link and is then authorized to receive energy to recharge, with the charging station seamlessly billing the driver throughout the process.

    Setting a new standard for convenience and security, Plug & Charge is still only in its initial stages.

    Plug & Charge requires ISO 15118—the standard that allows EVs to dynamically and securely exchange information with a charger—to be supported on the vehicle and the charger. ISO 15118 enables secure digital communication between the EV and the charger in the following four use cases:

    Plug & Charge
    Vehicle-to-grid features
    Smart charging to enable load management
    Wireless charging

    To support the capabilities of 15118, the following parties are involved:

    PKI Certification Entity that issues the security certificates.
    The EV automaker that loads the PKI certificates into the EV.
    The Mobility Operator, such as Blink, with which EV drivers sign up for charging services.
    The charging station, which includes a PKI certificate loaded onto it.

    When an EV driver plugs in the charging cable, the charging station and the EV establish a secure connection using the PKI certificates. Once a secure EV-to-charger session is established, the driver’s identity is exchanged with the mobility operator. The mobility operator uses this driver information to authorize the payment once the charging session is delivered.

    These Next Steps Need to be Taken

    While ISO 15118 is readily available today, both OEMs and charging providers have been slow to invest in the technology required to support it. Tesla has offered seamless charging for years (only within its own network of chargers, though), but very few other manufacturers have followed suit. Without OEMs on board, charging providers have fallen behind as well. To realize the benefits of this innovative solution and overcome one of the largest barriers to entry for EVs, it’s time the entire industry got on board.

    Once OEMs are equipped with Plug & Charge functionality, charging companies will follow suit. To ensure their stations can support the technology, providers will first need to implement ISO 15118 across all of their chargers.

    They also must upgrade these charging stations to support Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) 2.0.1. The standard enables charging stations to work with any type of charger-management software around the world, giving providers the ability to choose between multiple charging networks instead of just one.

    OPEN CHARGE POINT PROTOCOL 2.0.1
    https://www.openchargealliance.org/protocols/ocpp-201/

    OCPP 2.0 was launched in April 2018 and it has been downloaded, shared and implemented by thousands of users since. Multiple parties have contributed to the OCPP 2.0 specification by sharing their experiences and implementations. Together with these developers, OCA-participants and other researchers and testers, we have updated the specification with a new release: OCPP 2.0.1.

    Reply
  36. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Sähköautojen laturien teho kasvaa Suomessa
    https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13521-saehkoeautojen-laturien-teho-kasvaa-suomessa

    Kiinteistöihin tarkoitettuja sähköautojen latauslaitteita myytiin vuoden ensimmäisellä neljänneksellä 10 183 kappaletta, mikä on 58 prosenttia enemmän kuin vuotta aiemmin. Hyvä uutinen on se, että suomalaiset asentavat yhä enemmän teholtaan vähintään 11 kilowatin latureita.

    Tammi-maaliskuussa myydyt latauslaitteet sisältävät yhteensä 13 078 latauspistettä, joista on hidaslatauspisteitä 4 943 ja peruslatauspisteitä 8 135. Peruslatauspisteiden määrä kasvoi 78 prosenttia edellisvuoden vastaavasta jaksosta, kertoo Sähköteknisen kaupan liiton (STK) ylläpitämä tilasto.

    Teholtaan 11 kW latauspisteiden määrä kasvoi 44 prosenttia, mutta alempitehoisten 7,4 kW ja 3,7 kW peruslatauspisteiden myyntimäärät laskivat noin kolmanneksella vuodentakaisesta.

    - Myynnin jakaumassa näkyy valtionavustus asunrakennusten latausinfralle, sillä se edellyttää latauslaitteelta vähintään 11 kW lataustehoa.

    Täyssähköisten henkilöautojen läpilyönti on jo tapahtunut eikä sille ole muita hidasteita kuin autojen saatavuus. Hyötyajoneuvot kuten pakettiautot, bussit ja kuorma-autot ovat määrältään jo kaksin- tai kolminkertaistuneet vuodessa.

    Reply

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