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Is Boosting the Current the Solution to Faster EV Charging?
Joydip Sanyal Product Group Manager, General Industrial and Aerospace & Defense
Smiths Interconnect
charging, the contacts within the plug make contact with machined pins in the EV’s sock- et or charging port. The surface finishes of these contacts are not smooth; they are comprised of many asperities, or areas of microscopic irregular surface areas. These areas on the material’s surface, also called a-spots, provide the only conducting paths for the transfer of electric current. They are smaller than the full length of the contacts (see Figure 1). “ While a vehicle is charging, the contacts within the plug make contact with machined pins in the EV’s socket or charging port
Expanding and updating the EV charging infrastructure to deliver ultrafast charging through CCS (combined charging system), particularly along highways and in major cities, is pivotal for the continued adoption of battery electric vehicles. In many countries, the automotive industry is preparing for generational change in how we fuel our vehicles, and various innovative solutions are being introduced to improve charging technology. One effective strategy is the use of rated boost current, which involves short-term currents exceeding the rated continuous current 1 . The boost current mode reduces charging times, a goal the industry has been working towards to bring parity to the EV charging experience, making it as fast to refuel an electric vehicle as an internal combustion engine vehicle. However, one common weakness creates a challenge for ultrafast CCS technology: power loss, which happens due to Joule heating of DC+ and DC- sockets. While power loss may seem innocuous, given its prevalence in the industry, if it is not addressed, it can be a major barrier to the adoption of electric vehicles. A solution exists. Chargers with rated boost current technology provide a fast EV charging experience, a win-win situation for drivers as well as CPOs (charge point operators). A connector solution The contact technology used for DC+ and DC- sockets within the CCS plugs for ultrafast charging are machined. While a vehicle is
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