Standardization in Electric Vehicle Charging — Lesson 5

This lesson covers the importance of standardization in electric vehicle charging. It discusses the need for standardization in connectors, charging voltage, power limits, and communication protocols. The lesson also highlights the different types of chargers, including onboard home chargers and public chargers, and their respective standardization efforts worldwide. It further explains the concept of constant current and constant voltage modes in charging and the role of power electronics in charger efficiency. The lesson concludes with a brief discussion on the future of charger design, emphasizing the increasing role of software.

Video Highlights

00:18 - Importance of standardization in chargers
05:19 - The three primary standardization efforts worldwide
07:14 - The three levels of charger standardization
08:32 - The need for rapid standardization in India
12:15 - Bulk charger and swappable battery standardization
14:08 - The two modes of charging: constant current and constant voltage
16:45 - The importance of efficiency and power factor in chargers

Key Takeaways

- Connectors, charging voltage, power limits, and communication protocols are the key areas that need standardization.
- There are three primary standardization efforts worldwide: Japan's Cha-de-mO, China's GBT/DC, and Europe's CCS and CCS-2.
- Chargers can be categorized into three levels based on their power and communication capabilities.
- The charging process involves two modes: constant current and constant voltage.
- Advances in power electronics have made chargers more efficient, smaller in size, and lighter in weight.
- The design of chargers is increasingly becoming software-oriented.