The New Standard for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) - Part I

14 Dec 2012

The new revision of SAE J1772 provides critical design guidelines for charging controls and connectors used to charge plug-in vehicles...

The new revision of SAE J1772 provides critical design guidelines for charging controls and connectors used to charge plug-in vehicles, and was in fact developed to accommodate the latest generation of plug-in vehicles with high-energy batteries. The new "Combo" coupler combines the interfaces of both the existing SAE J1772 AC connector with new direct DC coupling terminals. More plainly, the Combo system must incorporate both the AC and DC output circuits and corresponding communication circuits, as well as utilize the new-format connector.

Most notably, this standard has reduced charging time from eight hours or longer to as short as 20 minutes.

SAE J1772 benefits the industry as a whole by providing a consensus standard for both AC and DC charging stations, which gives direction to OEMs and certification bodies, as well as guidance on charging infrastructure. But as with any new standard, manufacturers are now faced with the challenge of understanding new safety requirements and their impact on compliance in the U.S.

However, with the guidance of an experienced testing partner, electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) manufacturers can simplify their certification process and learn to adopt the new harmonized standard.

Next week's blog will continue to focus on this subject in a follow up blog. Do you have a question for one of our experts? Please leave a comment below and we will get back to you.