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With the improvement of electric vehicle technology, AC fast charging is on the rise, which dramatically shortens the charge times of an EV owner. Although DC fast chargers tend to be a buzzword in the news surrounding their fast charging, recent developments of AC charging are no less remarkable. At Ruivanda, we are very much attentive of such changes in order not to deviate our products to the latest trend of what the industry has to offer.
Breaking Down High-Power AC Charging
The fastest charging speed of AC currently goes up to 22 kW and is a major upgrade compared to the standard Level 2 chargers with a charging speed of between 7.2 kW -11 kW. This 22 kW performance uses three-phase alternating current, which is widespread in commercial and industrial applications but is becoming increasingly available to residential applications in some jurisdictions. Depending on the capacity of the EV battery and the charging efficiency, this type of charger is able to provide a power of around 60-80 miles per hour. As examples, a medium sized EV with a 60 kwh battery could achieve an 80% charge in about 2 hours at a 22 kW AC charger which is a significant upgrade over slower choices.
Factors Enabling Faster AC Charging
There are some important reasons that include these high AC charging rates. The modern power electronics, such as advanced rectifiers and inverters within the charger, is efficient in converting AC to DC to meet the EV battery needs. Also, three-phase electrical facility supply is steady and reliable making it suitable in high-rate charging without overloading the grid. This infrastructure of enhanced technology creates safety and an effective charging process even during peak power flows.
Practical Applications and Accessibility
Although 22-kW AC chargers are the most popular in commercial environments such as parking and work, they are getting a foothold in residential areas as well. When owners have three-phase power they can have these chargers installed so as to be able to charge their EV quicker than the regular charging which is advantageous to those that have multiple EVs or have a longer daily commute. Not only that, these chargers can be provided with clever features, such as scheduled charging and remote monitoring, that also allow them to optimize the use of energy consumption and minimize the costs. This amalgamation of speed and clever functionality provokes 22 kW AC chargers to be a viable option to both personal and business clients.
Comparing with DC Fast Charging
It is worth mentioning that AC charging up to 22 kW is slower in comparison with DC fast charging (exceeding 350 kW). Nonetheless, AC chargers have their own valuable sets of benefits: they take up less space, are simpler to install and cheaper on average. The 22 kW AC rate is often seen as a trade-off between speed and viability and will satisfy most users as the charging rate is sensible overnight at home or to top-up during a working day. Due to the importance of time effectiveness and not the strict necessity of ultra-fast charging, fueling daily journeys, high-power AC chargers can become the primary option in the daily driving scenario.
Ruivanda AC charging solutions can support charging up to 22 kW where infrastructure enables, but they are also compatible with more common 7-11 kW residential applications. Now we are concentrated on offering efficient and reliable charging equipment, which would be able to comply with the present-day requirements and changes that might concern EV technology in the future.
