The rate at which electric vehicles (EV) can be charged is becoming a key differentiator in this rapidly developing market, for a very straightforward reason: charging an EV’s battery is currently a lot slower than refilling a tank with petrol to go the same distance. Charging this battery from zero to 100%, using a cable plugged in to a standard UK 240V, 13A socket, will take about 20 hours. This isn’t practical for a daily driver, much less for a long-distance traveller and this is where and how Passive EV Charging will be able to add no end of value.
The rapid growth of the EV market has led to a proliferation of connection and charging strategies, charger designs and charging networks. With this, this is where also Passive EV Charging has been able to add no end of value to the end user and how they are able to charge their vehicles. Slow chargers are typically rated at 3kW, and are mostly used in homes, ideally through a dedicated wall-box. They’re not really suitable for public use because they charge too slowly.
Rapid Passive EV chargers often charge using DC, handling the rectification of the AC supply within the charger rather than relying on the EV’s onboard rectifier. Rapid DC chargers commonly provide up to 50kW of power, while rapid AC units are commonly rated up to 43kW. At a 50kW charging rate, our generic EV battery would be recharged in just over an hour.
When it comes to Passive EV Charging as a means of technology, car makers are getting in on the act, too. For example, IONITY is a joint venture between BMW, Daimler, Ford, and Volkswagen with its Audi and Porsche brands to build a high-power (350kW) charging network along Europe’s major highways. Its network already reaches from Sweden to northern Spain, with more chargers due to be installed soon. EV charging has prompted the development of multiple charging networks, each founded on a slightly different business model and this very much differs from all of the various major car manufacturers.
The dynamism of the EV marketplace is demanding the development of a wide variety of charging options, usually predicated upon where they will be used. There are no end of brands and one of the newer ones in the market now is Easee who have been able to really stand out no end from the competition.
