Demystifying EV Charging Connectors: Understanding the J1772, CCS, and CHAdeMO Standards
Many countries engage in fierce competition specific to the electric vehicle charger market, among which the main one is the electric vehicle charging standard. At present, there are three main groups of charging standards for new energy vehicles: Type1 (American standard); Type2 (European standard), utilising the SAE J1772 standard led by the international society of automotive engineers (SAE); and GB/T, Chinese standard as well as CHAdeMO (Japanese standard)

In this blog post, we’ve put together a list of the EV charging industry standards and protocols that is needed for the entire electric vehicle market. Standardisation in the industry will be a key of future EV charging infrastructure developments.

Overview of different types of connectors

CCS – Combined Charging System Standard

The CCS standard was introduced by seven automotive manufacturers (Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen) The Combined Charging System Standard covers several aspects of EV charging including AC and DC charging, communications between the charging station and the vehicle, load balancing, authentication and authorization to charge.The term “combined” refers to the fact the CCS essentially adds rapid DC charging through an extension of Type 1 and Type 2 AC connectors, resulting in Combo 1 (CCS1) and Combo 2 (CCS2) connectors respectively, which can provide up to 350 kW of power. CCS 1 connectors are the variety common in North America, while CCS 2 are found in Europe.

Design- The CCS2 connector features a single plug with seven pins arranged in a specific pattern to ensure proper alignment and connection with the vehicle. The connector is designed to be compatible with both AC and DC charging, with separate pins and cables for each mode.

Protocol - The CCS2 connector uses a communication protocol based on the CAN bus system to enable communication between the vehicle and the charger. This protocol enables features such as automatic authentication, charging control, and status monitoring.

Voltage rating -The CCS2 connector is rated for a maximum voltage of 1,000 volts DC, which allows for fast charging of electric vehicles.

Current rating-They support charging currents of up to 350 amps DC, which enables rapid charging of electric vehicles.

Safety features-protect against overvoltage, overcurrent, and other potential hazards. Also ground fault detection, short circuit protection, and temperature monitoring.

A J1772 (J Plug)

A J1772 (J Plug) is a standard charging connector for electric vehicles. The J Plug, also known as the SAE J1772 connector, is universally used at all non-Tesla Level 1 and Level 2 charging stations in North America. All EV manufacturers, except Tesla, use the J Plug for charging. In North America, every Level 1 or Level 2 charging station, except those made by Tesla, uses a J1772 (J Plug).The maximum output of a J1772 level 2 charger is 19.2 kW, which means that its maximum charging speeds are still far lower than those offered by level 3 DC fast chargers.

The correct term for the J1772 is simply a “connector” or, more formally, a piece of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). The main function of the J1772, after all, is to supply AC power to the vehicle’s built-in on-board charger. J1772 is designed for single-phase charging on the AC system, using either a 120V current or a more powerful 240V.

CHAdeMO

CHAdeMO is the original DC plug developed by five Japanese automakers.They have been trying to promote this plug as a global standard since 2010. It didn't work out, but even so, the number of chargers with CHAdeMO connectors was rising. From 10,000 in 2015 to 25,600 in 2019 (of which 9,200 are in Europe and 7,600 in Japan).The European Parliament tried to enforce a directive to make this connector gradually disappear from Europe in favour of CCS. The current wording of this directive states that each fast charging station must have at least a CCS connector. Charging stations can easily have more connectors. However, electric car manufacturers themselves are abandoning CHAdeMO connectors. Currently, only two electric cars with this connector are produced, and one of them, Nissan, is moving to CCS connectors, so it seems that this standard will be common only in Japan and China.

In 2018, the CHAdeMO Association introduced the second version of its connector, which allows you to charge up to 400kW. And it is currently working with China to develop an ultra-fast connector capable of charging up to 900 kW.

Design-a single plug with nine pins arranged in a specific pattern to ensure proper alignment and connection with the vehicle. The connector is designed to be used for DC fast charging only.

Protocol-CANbus system to enable communication between the vehicle and the charger. This protocol enables features such as automatic authentication, charging control, and status monitoring.

Voltage rating-The CHAdeMO connector is rated for a maximum voltage of 500 volts DC, which allows for fast charging of electric vehicles.

Current rating-The CHAdeMO connector is designed to support charging currents of up to 200 amps DC, which enables rapid charging of electric vehicles.

Safety features-overvoltage, overcurrent, and other potential hazards. These features include ground fault detection, short circuit protection, and temperature monitoring.

GB/T

This charging connector is used for electric vehicles in China. It is also known as the Guobiao/T standard connector, named after the Chinese standardisation organisation that developed it.

Design- a single plug with seven pins arranged in a specific pattern to ensure proper alignment and connection with the vehicle. The connector is designed to be compatible with both AC and DC charging, with separate pins and cables for each mode.

Protocol-Protocol used is GB/T 27930 protocol. This protocol enables features such as automatic authentication, charging control, and status monitoring.

Voltage rating -The GB/T connector is rated for a maximum voltage of 1,000 volts AC or DC, which allows for fast charging of electric vehicles.

Current rating- The GB/T connector is designed to support charging currents of up to 400 amps DC, which enables rapid charging of electric vehicles.

Safety feature -overvoltage, overcurrent, and other potential hazards. These features include ground fault detection, short circuit protection, and temperature monitoring.