Methods of Charging Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles (EVs) are vehicles that use electricity to power them. They do not have an internal combustion engine, but have a large battery as a power source. Therefore, charging an electric vehicle is simply the process of adding electrical energy to the battery, using a variety of methods and devices.
There are four main methods of charging electric vehicles:
Mode 1: Plug the EV into a household AC outlet directly (the EV has an on-board charger that converts the AC to DC). There is no current control device or leakage protection, and the current will flow continuously in the cable, making this method unsafe. Almost all EV manufacturers no longer use this charging method.
Mode 2: Plug the EV into a household AC outlet directly, with an In Cable Control Box (ICCB) to control the current flowing into the vehicle. The current is currently limited to 10-16A (power of 2.4kW), which takes a long time to charge. However, it is safer than Mode 1. EV manufacturers in Thailand usually include this device as an emergency charger.
Mode 3: Use a wallbox EV charger, which is the recommended charging method at home in many countries and by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). It uses a current of up to 32A, with both single-phase and three-phase options. This allows charging power of 3.6-22kW, depending on the model of the EV charger and the on-board charger in the EV. It can charge the battery twice as fast as an emergency charger, up to ten times faster. It cuts off the power automatically when the battery is full. It can be used for both BEV (battery electric vehicles) and PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles). It can be used every day.
Mode 4: Use a direct current (DC) fast charger, which does not require the use of an on-board charger. This allows charging at very high speeds, up to 80% of the battery in just 20 minutes. It can only be used for BEVs.
The choice of charging method depends on the type of vehicle and the needs of the user. Most users will use Mode 3 primarily, as it is a safe and fast way to charge at home. Mode 4 is used occasionally when a quick charge is needed.
Source : EV Charging Mode : รูปแบบการชาร์จรถยนต์ไฟฟ้า | PRIME INTER HOLDING