Demystifying Fast DC Charging: From Top to Bottom

White Paper Overview

Historically, there have been underlying roadblocks that have hampered the adoption of electric vehicles, the most prominent ones being: range anxiety, price, and the charging times of the batteries compared to filling the tank of a conventional vehicle. Range anxiety is being tackled by increasing battery capacities and raising a vehicle’s kWh/km ratios. The price of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is decreasing steadily in recent years, nearing the broader mass−market categories.

A remaining design hurdle is battery charging time, where slow (up to max. 22 kW effectively) and fast systems (22 – 400 kW and targeting above) coexist. A practical and sustainable transition into e−mobility will require the deployment of a fast-charging infrastructure to keep pace with the growth of BEVs on the road in terms of quantity and power rating. The higher the power, the shorter the charging times, which is a significant factor as battery capacities continue augmenting and their technologies improve, allowing for higher peak powers (faster-charging rates).

This white paper takes a closer look at fast EV charging infrastructure, AC vs. DC charging, charging rates and times, standards and protocols for DC charging, and much more.