What is the Best Way to Charge an Electric Vehicle?

Today, the electric vehicle market is dynamic, with global electric vehicle sales maintaining strong growth in 2022, with 2 million units sold in the first quarter, a 75% increase over the same period in 2021. So, what are the specific charging methods for electric vehicles?

1. Conduction Charging

Conduction charging is generally divided into AC conduction charging and DC conduction charging

(1) AC Conduction Charging

AC power enters the on-board charger, and after conversion, DC power is output, and then the power battery is charged.

(2) DC Conduction Charging

DC charging, which can also be called fast charging or emergency charging, mainly converts AC grid electricity into DC electricity through the charging device, and then charges the electric vehicle through the charging connector.

Our ev chargers mainly adopts conduction charging method.

(3) Analysis of Advantages and Disadvantages

AC-DC charging can obtain energy conversion at one time, small power loss, there is no medium and high frequency battery radiation; equipment maintenance is convenient; electric power regulation range is wide, suitable for different current or voltage levels of power battery energy storage replenishment.

Of course, the impact on the power grid, the construction of facilities, maintenance personnel and costs, battery life, vehicle safety and other issues must be considered.

2. Induction Charging - Wireless Charging

Using the principle of electromagnetic wave induction and the related AC induction technology, the induction AC signal is sent and received at the transmitting and receiving ends with the corresponding coils to perform charging. There are three main ways to achieve the technology of wireless charging, namely: electromagnetic induction, radio waves, and electromagnetic resonance.

The advantages of this charging method are ease of use, reduced manual operation, increased connection rate with the grid, and favorable interconnection requirements for future interaction with the grid. The disadvantage is that the cost is too high and the technology is not yet fully mature.

3. Battery Replacement Charging

Using fully automated or semi-automated equipment, a fully charged battery pack is replaced with a depleted battery pack.

The advantage is that the energy replenishment time is short, which is conducive to rationalizing the charging power and reducing the shock load. However, the cost is high, and it is not easy to manage because of the large space occupied by storing the charged and uncharged batteries.

4. Mobile Charging Method

Electric vehicles are charged while cruising on the road, so-called mobile charging (MAC), and there are contact and non-contact MAC systems. For the contact MAC system, a contact arch is installed at the bottom of the vehicle, and by contacting the charging element embedded in the road, the contact arch can obtain instantaneous high current. Contactless charging technology allows electric vehicles to be charged while driving through the road or guardrail.

The advantage is that the vehicle owner does not have to search for a charging station and spend time charging; the marked out charging section does not require additional space. However, the mobile charging system is complex and technical difficulties need to be overcome; the charging system is erected under the road surface, which is costly and requires access to policy support.

Conclusion

In summary, each charging method has its advantages and disadvantages, and we believe that with the vigorous development of technology in the future, we can create more convenient, energy-saving and profitable methods.