UNDERSTANDING OF AC AND DC CHARGING FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Electric automobiles are gaining popularity. Depending on how they are powered, these vehicles have varying levels of drivability. You can determine which setup is best for your driving needs by knowing the differences between AC and DC charging for electric vehicles. The availability of EV chargers and charging stations are a major concern for any EV car holder or any person who want to install an EV charging station at his/her home, hotel, malls, etc. In this section, we will examine two distinct approaches to powering these automobiles: Comparing direct current (DC) charging to alternating current (AC) charging. 

AC CHARGING AND DC CHARGING

AC is a flow of charge or electrical current that alternates, or alternates, periodically.AC power can be produced by renewable sources that make use of generators that rotate, like hydropower or wind turbines.AC power is utilized in virtually all of the world’s electricity grids and can be found in homes and offices due to its efficient transport over long distances.

DC can be generated by renewable power technologies like solar panels and always moves in a straight line. DC can be used for LED lighting and energy storage, among other things. DC power is stored in batteries, and although you may not be aware of it, the charger converts AC power from the grid into DC power for the battery of your laptop each time you charge it.

To put it succinctly, we get AC power from the grid, which is then transformed into DC power so that it can be stored in batteries, like the one that powers an electric vehicle.

AC AND DC CHARGING IN ELECTRIC MOBILITY

The location of the conversion from AC to DC is the primary distinction between AC and DC charging when discussing EV charging. The EV’s battery will continue to only store DC energy, regardless of whether it is plugged into an AC or DC charging station.

DC power can flow directly into the battery when you use a DC charging station because the conversion from AC (from the grid) to DC occurs within the charging station. Larger converters can be utilized to quickly convert AC power from the grid because the conversion takes place inside the more spacious charging station rather than the electric vehicle. Consequently, some DC stations can fully charge an EV in 15 minutes and provide power of up to 350 kW.

STAYING AHEAD OF THE CURVE

The charging curve is another important difference between AC and DC charging. When using AC charging, an electric vehicle receives power in the form of a straight line—there isn’t much of a curve at all. This is because the onboard charger is so small that it can only distribute a limited amount of power over longer periods. DC charging, on the other hand, produces a charging curve that degrades. This is because the electric vehicle’s battery initially accepts a faster flow of power, but as it reaches full capacity, it gradually asks for less.

Consider a water bottle as a DC charging station, a glass as the EV’s battery, and the water inside the bottle as the power. You can fill the glass with water quickly at first, but as you get closer to the top, you’ll need to slow down to keep it from overflowing. DC fast and ultra-fast charging follow the same logic. Because of this, electric vehicles use less power once the battery is around 80% full, as shown in the degrading curve below.

AC FOR THE GRID AND DC FOR THE BATTERY

In the world of electric mobility, both AC and DC play a significant role. In order to store AC power in an EV’s battery, it is converted to DC power from the grid. An onboard charger, which is frequently limited, is used inside the electric vehicle to convert AC to DC when using an AC charging station. Using a larger converter, the conversion takes place outside of the EV when DC fast and ultra-fast charging stations are utilized.

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR AC AND DC CHARGING SOLUTIONS?

We are a manufacturer of charging stations as part of our end-to-end electric vehicle charging solutions for businesses around the nation. For a complete list of tech specs and use cases, as well as more information, take a look at our EV chargers for every business looking to electrify its operation.