Browse Topic: Charge couplers
The third-generation Nissan Leaf represents the automaker's efforts to bring the world's first mass-market modern EV up to date. This meant making changes to the powertrain - better winter charging, new NACS connectors - while keeping some things the same. SAE Media spoke with Jeff Tessmer, senior manager, R&D engineer, technology planning and research at Nissan Technical Center North America, about these updates.
As SAE standard J3400 (also known as NACS) is being adopted by automakers and deployed on the latest EVs, the standard itself is still evolving. That latest evolution is SAE J3400/2. That extra 2 will make charging quicker, thanks to hardware updates to the port and inlet. As standards are announced, there are elements that result in a standard within the standard. Essentially, J3400 is more of a family of standards that handle everything from the internal technology that allows for compatibility, the hardware specs and testing of adapters that have and will be deployed and, in the case of J3400/2, the hardware itself.
As SAE standard J3400 (also known as NACS, or North American Charging Standard) is being adopted by automakers and deployed on the latest EVs, the standard itself is still evolving. That latest evolution is SAE J3400/2. That extra 2 will make charging quicker, thanks to hardware updates to the port and inlet. As standards are announced, there are elements that result in a standard within the standard. Essentially, J3400 is more of a family of standards that handle everything from the internal technology that allows for compatibility, the hardware specs and testing of adapters that have and will be deployed and, in the case of J3400/2, the hardware itself.
Problem definition: Battery-electric commercial vehicles in particular have large battery capacities with several hundred kilowatt hours, some of which do not have enough energy for an entire working day, which is why they need to be recharged if necessary. High charging power with correspondingly high charging currents is required to recharge the electrical energy storage in an acceptable time. Due to the electrical losses, waste heat is generated, which places a thermal load on the charging components. In particular, the CCS charging inlet is subject to high thermal loads and, for safety reasons, must not exceed the maximum temperature of 90°C according to DIN EN IEC 62196-1. Depending on the ambient temperature, the charging inlet in the charging path often represents a thermally limiting component, as the charging current must be reduced before the maximum temperature is reached. Solution: Three general solution approaches are used to investigate how the CCS charging inlet can be improved for the thermal challenge: 1 Heat reduction 2 Heat absorption 3 Heat transmission Objective: The CCS charging inlet is represented by a detailed Matlab thermal simulation model. A specific optimisation approach is derived for each of the three general solution approaches with the aim in the smallest possible component changes. Target realisation: The general solution approach: “Heat reduction”, is investigated by the optimisation approach: “Reduction of contact resistance”. The general solution approach: “Heat absorption”, is investigated by the optimisation approach: “Increase of thermal mass”. The general solution approach: “Heat transmission”, is investigated by the optimisation approach: “Different insulator material”. Finally, the thermal simulation of the CCS charging inlet shows the effects of all optimisation approaches together compared to the initial state.
This document covers the dimensional definition of the SAE J3400 (NACS) electric vehicle coupler, which includes the connector and inlet.
This document covers the general physical, electrical, functional, and performance requirements for adapters connected to standards conforming conductive power transfer via handheld conductive coupler capable of transferring either DC or single-phase power using two current-carrying contacts. The focus is on defining the process to evaluate the suitability of adapters for NACS couplers. This edition only covers adapters used between SAE J3400 and SAE J1772.
This document covers the dimensional definition of the SAE J3400 (NACS) electric vehicle coupler, which includes the connector and inlet.
The auto industry took the next step in the evolution of North American electric vehicle charging solutions today at The Battery Show in Detroit. That's where SAE International released its NACS J3400 Recommended Practice document. Technically called the “SAE J3400TM: NACS Electric Vehicle Coupler Technical Recommended Practice,” the RP can be considered a “blueprint to build” and should set off a stream of new products from suppliers that OEMs and third-party groups like UL will soon test, said Rodney McGee, chairman of the SAE J3400 NACS Task Force and a research engineer at the Transportation Electrification Center at the University of Delaware.
The standard may have changed everything, just not how you think. On May 25, 2023, Ford made an announcement that seemed unimaginable. For those in the EV and standards industry, it caught many by surprise. Ford was partnering with Tesla to move away from the CCS (J1772/CCS) standard that's on a majority of electric vehicles and would switch to the Tesla NACS (North American Charging Standard) in the future. “When the J3400 news broke or the NACS partnerships broke, it kind of went around the regulatory ‘there's no way around that’ and it was just the worst day because I thought we were going to lose, open, collaboratively created standards,” Sarah Hipel, standards and reliability program manager for the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation told the audience at SAE's WCX 2024. Hipel was on a panel titled, “In The Wake of J3400 (NACS), Are Standards Still Needed?”
SAE International announced on December 19 that it has released the Technical Information Report (TIR) for the SAE J3400 standard covering development and implementation of the Tesla-developed NACS (North American Charging Standard) connector to couple public and residential charging units to EVs made by any automaker. In a release, the organization said the SAE J3400 North American Charging Standard Electric Vehicle Coupler Technical Information Report (TIR) “was developed through broad-based industry consensus in the SAE Hybrid-EV J3400 TM NACS Electric Vehicle Coupler Task Force.” The SAE J3400: NACS Electric Vehicle Coupler Technical Information Report can be reached at: https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j3400_202312/
SAE International announced in late June 2023 that it intended to standardize the Tesla-developed North American Charging Standard (NACS) EV charging connector for North America. SAE then created the J3400 NACS Task Force to expedite creation of the J3400 NACS Electric Vehicle Coupler standard.
SAE International announced in late June, 2023, that it intended to standardize the Tesla-developed North American Charging Standard (NACS) EV charging connector for North America. SAE then created the J3400 NACS Task Force to expedite creation of the J3400 NACS Electric Vehicle Coupler standard. Grayson Brulte, host of SAE's Tomorrow Today podcast, subsequently interviewed Christian Thiele, Director, Global Ground Vehicle Standards, SAE International, and Dr. Rodney McGee, Ph.D., P.E. Chairman, SAE J3400 NACS Task Force and Chief Engineer at the University of Delaware, regarding the work of the J3400 Task Force and other aspects of standardization as electrification technology proliferates throughout the light- and heavy-duty vehicle sectors. This Q&A is an abbreviated portion of that interview and the podcast can be heard in its entirety at: https://www.sae.org/podcasts/tomorrow-today/episodes/sae-to-standardize-teslanacs-connector
In an announcement that could change the balance of power in the still-formative EV charging-station race, seven global automakers said they will work together to create an expansive DC-fast-charging network that would mean high-powered charging at far more locations in North America. Stating a goal of installing at least 30,000 high-powered DC charging points in urban and highway locations were General Motors, Stellantis, Honda, BMW Group, Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes-Benz Group. The group did not say when the full number of chargers would be operational, but did say the first stations should open in the summer of 2024 in the United States.
This SAE Information Report, SAE J2836-2, establishes use cases and general information for communication between plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and the DC off-board charger. Where relevant, this document notes, but does not formally specify, interactions between the vehicle and vehicle operator. This applies to the off-board DC charger for conductive charging, which supplies DC current to the vehicle battery of the electric vehicle through a SAE J1772 hybrid coupler or SAE J1772 AC Level 2-type coupler on DC power lines, using the AC power lines or the pilot line for power line communication (PLC), or dedicated communication lines that are further described in SAE J2847-2. The specification supports DC energy transfer via forward power flow (FPF) from grid-to-vehicle. The relationship of this document to the others that address PEV communications is further explained in Section 5.
SAE International announced that it will standardize the Tesla-developed North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging connector for EVs. The global engineering organization that engages nearly 200,000 engineers, technical experts and volunteers said in a press release that it will work to help with deployment of the NACS connector, an alternative to the longstanding SAE J1772 Combined Charging System (CCS) connector, after Ford, General Motors and a number of EV public-charging equipment suppliers recently indicated they intend to adopt the NACS connector design. “Standardizing the NACS connector will provide certainty, expanded choice, reliability and convenience to manufacturers and suppliers and, most of all, increase access to charging for consumers,” said Frank Menchaca, president of Sustainable Mobility Solutions, an innovation arm of SAE's parent company, Fullsight. The organization in a statement credited the U.S.'s Joint Office of Energy and Transportation for fostering the SAE-Tesla partnership and “expediting plans to standardize NACS - an important step in building an interoperable national charging network that will work for all EV drivers.”
It was impossible to miss in late May what surely will be one of the year's highest-profile electrification stories. Ford, quickly followed by GM and many others, announced they will adopt the Tesla-developed “North American Charging Standard” (NACS) EV charging connector (see pg. 4). The shift ostensibly displaces the SAE International-developed Standard J1772 “Combined Charging System” (CCS) connector that has been the predominant connector standard for just about every EV that isn't a Tesla. Although most who've handled both connectors wouldn't argue the NACS connector and its thinner cable generally is more user-friendly, the more impactful aspect of the connector transition “deal” was that much of Tesla's vaunted Supercharger public DC fast-charging network - some 12,000 chargers at 2000 sites in North America - will be available to non-Tesla EVs starting next year. This was the Holy Grail for Ford, GM and others anxious to reassure current and future EV purchase “intenders,” because the Supercharger network is a model of ubiquity and reliability, while the charging “experience” from all the other public-charging providers pretty much stinks.
SAE International announced that it will standardize the Tesla-developed North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging connector for EVs. The global engineering organization that engages nearly 200,000 engineers, technical experts and volunteers said in a press release that it will work to help with deployment of the NACS connector, an alternative to the longstanding SAE J1772 Combined Charging System (CCS) connector, after Ford, General Motors and a number of EV public-charging equipment suppliers recently indicated they intend to adopt the NACS connector design. “Standardizing the NACS connector will provide certainty, expanded choice, reliability and convenience to manufacturers and suppliers and, most of all, increase access to charging for consumers,” explained Frank Menchaca, president of Sustainable Mobility Solutions, an innovation arm of SAE's parent company, Fullsight. The organization in a statement credited the U.S.'s Joint Office of Energy and Transportation for fostering the SAE-Tesla partnership and “expediting plans to standardize NACS - an important step in building an interoperable national charging network that will work for all EV drivers.”
This SAE Technical Information Report SAE J2931/4 establishes the specifications for physical and data-link layer communications using broadband Power Line Communications (PLC) between the plug-In electric vehicle (PEV) and the electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) DC off-board-charger. This document deals with the specific modifications or selection of optional features in HomePlug Green PHY v1.1 (HomePlug GP1.1) necessary to support the automotive charging application over Control Pilot lines as described in SAE J1772™. PLC may also be used to connect directly to the Utility smart meter or home area network (HAN), and may technically be applied to the AC mains, both of which are outside the scope of this document.
This SAE Recommended Practice J2953/1 establishes requirements and specification by which a specific Plug-In Electric Vehicle (PEV) and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) pair can be considered interoperable. The test procedures are further described in J2953/2.
This SAE Recommended Practice SAE J2953/2 establishes the test procedures to ensure the interoperability of Plug-In Vehicles (PEV) and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) for multiple suppliers.
The published SAE J2954 standard established an industry-wide specification that defines acceptable criteria for interoperability, electromagnetic compatibility, EMF, minimum performance, safety, and testing for wireless power transfer (WPT) for light-duty plug-in electric vehicles. This SAE Information Report, SAE J2954/2, defines new power transfer levels in the higher power ranges needed for heavy-duty electric vehicles. This document addresses the requirements based on these charge levels and different vehicle applications as a first step in the process of completing a standard that the industry can use, both for private (fleet) and public wireless power transfer, including for charging electric vehicle batteries. This document is the first step in a process towards HD static and dynamic WPT. This document lacks specific requirements and solutions, for which field data is needed. This document is not intended to be a guideline to enable manufacturers to design systems with minimal assistance; the goal is to inform readers about many of the things to consider in addressing this market and is an outline for the SAE J2954/2 committee for continued work. Based on data, there will be much more detail in the next version of this document. This document represents experience from the SAE J2954 light-duty standard along with active participation of industry providers developing and deploying non-standardized HD wireless power transfer systems with the goal of creating standardized systems in the future. SAE J2954/2 addresses unidirectional power transfer, from grid to vehicle; bidirectional transfer may be evaluated for a future document. This document is intended to be used in stationary applications (power transfer while vehicle is not in motion) and some dynamic applications. SAE J2954/2 covers requirements for safety, performance, and interoperability. Further development of detailed requirements will be based on performance-based evaluations of candidate designs, including evaluations against electrical safety and human safety standards. SAE J2954/2 also covers recommended methods for evaluating electromagnetic emissions, but the requirements and test procedures are controlled by regulatory bodies.
This SAE Information Report SAE J2836/5 establishes the Use Cases for communications between plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and their customers. The Use Case Scenarios define the information to be communicated related to customer convenience features for charge on/off control, charge power curtailment, customer preference settings, charging status, EVSE availability/access, and electricity usage. Also addresses customer information resulting from conflicts to customer charging preferences. This document only provides the Use Cases that define the communications requirements to enable customers to interact with the PEV and to optimize their experience with driving a PEV. Specifications such as protocols and physical transfer methods for communicating information are not within the scope of this document.
This SAE Surface Vehicle Technical Information Report, SAE J2836/4, establishes diagnostic use cases between plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) and the electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). As PEVs are deployed and include both plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) and battery electric (BEV) vehicle variations, failures of the charging session between the EVSE and PEV may include diagnostics particular to the vehicle variations. This document describes the general information required for diagnostics and SAE J2847/4 will include the detail messages to provide accurate information to the customer and/or service personnel to identify the source of the issue and assist in resolution. Existing vehicle diagnostics can also be added and included during this charging session regarding issues that have occurred or are imminent to the EVSE or PEV, to assist in resolution of these items.
This document facilitates clear and consistent comparisons of realistic charging capabilities of passenger vehicles via commercially available DC EVSE. Common test procedures and metrics are established for both vehicles and EVSEs operating without limitations in nominal conditions. This document does not attempt to address performance variations of EV-EVSE interactions outside of nominal conditions such as extreme temperatures, variable SOCs, and so on.
This SAE Information Report SAE J2836/6 establishes use cases for communication between plug-in electric vehicles and the EVSE for wireless energy transfer as specified in SAE J2954. It addresses the requirements for communications between the on-board charging system and the wireless EV supply equipment (WEVSE) in support of detection of the WEVSE, the charging process, and monitoring of the charging process. Since the communication to the charging infrastructure and the power grid for smart charging will also be communicated by the WEVSE to the EV over the wireless interface, these requirements are also covered. However, the processes and procedures are expected to be identical to those specified for V2G communications specified in SAE J2836/1. Where relevant, the specification notes interactions that may be required between the vehicle and vehicle operator, but does not formally specify them. Similarly, communications between the on-board charging sub-system and the on-board vehicle electronics is not formally specified in this document. This document will be published as a set of steps. The intent of step 1 was to record as much information on “what we think works” and publish. The intent of step 2 is to provide refinement and missing pieces to step 1, with a an eye to early testing. This version is step 2, with the aim of providing a communication protocol for home chargers.
This document applies to a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) which is equipped with an onboard inverter and communicates using IEEE 2030.5-2018. It is a supplement to the SEP2 standard, which supports the use cases defined by SAE J2836/3. It provides guidance for the use of the SEP2 distributed energy resource function set with a PEV. It also provides guidance for the use of the SEP2 flow reservation function set, when used for discharging. It is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to the use of SEP2 in a PEV. Note that in this document, SEP2 is used interchangeably with IEEE 2030.5-2018.
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