EV CHARGING 101
Type of EV Vehicles and EV Charger
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)
A battery-electric car has no internal combustion engine. The battery, which powers an electric motor, provides all of the vehicle’s power. BEVs are as quiet as a cucumber and emit no emissions. The “range,” or how far you can go on a single charge, varies depending on the model and year, but most BEVs can go anywhere between 120 and 647 km. (And that number is increasing, and quickly!)
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
A second category of EV is known as a “Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle,” or “PHEV,” for those who enjoy having the best of both worlds. In addition to having an electric battery and a gasoline engine, PHEVs also have a charging port. The typical daily commute for most Canadian’s is about 25 km. A PHEV’s typical electric range is between 16 and 64 km, which is ideal for commuters who can refuel at home or while on the go. When the vehicle’s electric range runs out, it switches to hybrid mode and uses its gasoline engine.
Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV)
There is another type of EV called a “Hybrid Electric Vehicle” or “HEV” for those who aren’t quite ready to “jump the all electric shark.” An internal combustion gasoline engine powers HEVs (or ICE). While in some HEVs the ICE drives the transmission and also recharges the electric battery, in others the ICE only does this (which drives the electric motor). HEVs are gasoline-powered cars that emit significantly fewer pollutants than a typical gasoline vehicle in both situations. They’re great for those who care about the environment or want to save money on gas. An HEV has a gasoline engine in addition to an electric motor.
Type of EV Chargers and their Usage
Types Of EV Charging Connectors
J1772: AC 120V Level 1
J1772: AC240V Level 2
CCS1 : 480V DC Fast
CHAdeMo: 480V DC Fast
Supercharger: Level 1, Level 2, DC Fast (Tesla)
EV Charging Connectors – More Detail
J1772
Both “Level 1” and “Level 2” AC charging use this connector. Level 1 and Level 2 charging are primarily intended for charging over a few hours because they are significantly slower than DC Fast Charging (like at home or at work). Except for Tesla, all EVs use the SAE J1772 connector, also referred to as the “J Plug,” for AC charging (Tesla vehicles come with an adapter to use this connector).
CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO, which stands for “Charge de Move,” was developed by a number of automaker industry groups, primarily in Japan. Nissan and Mitsubishi are two producers who frequently employ the CHAdeMO standard.
CSS1
The Combined Charging System, or CCS connector, is used by automakers all over the world but is most frequently associated with North American and European automakers despite being designed as a “open industry standard.” Except for Tesla, all newly produced passenger EVs in North America will use the CCS connector.
Supercharger
Tesla cars are the only vehicles that use Tesla connectors, as you might have guessed. Tesla created its own connector because it was one of the first EVs with fast charging to hit the market. Tesla sells adaptors so that owners of its electric vehicles can use non-Tesla chargers to recharge them. Tesla sells a CHAdeMO to Tesla Adaptor for DC charging and includes an adaptor for AC Level 1 and 2 (J1772) with the vehicle.
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