IEC 62196
Encyclopedia
IEC 62196 is an international standard for set of electrical connector
s and charging modes for electric vehicles
and is maintained by the International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC).
The standard does not specify the physical dimensions for any particular charging connector. It does however mention IEC 60309
"CEEform" general purpose connectors within the definitions of part 2 (i.e. IEC 62196-2).
The standard is based on IEC 61851 that has a mechanism that does not connect the power unless connected to a vehicle that is immobilized to stop it from driving away while still connected.
The Part-1 definitions for the signal pin and its IEC 62196-1 charging mode definitions have been reused in a number of implementations for charging large devices and especially automotive charging station
s. Apart from CEEform industrial plugs, the modes were picked up for
Each of these has been designed for use in an electric vehicle network
of charging stations. Other connector types conforming to IEC 62196-1 have been the Framatome plug by EDF, the Scame plug in Italy and the CEEplus plugs in Switzerland.
Public charging stations conforming to IEC 62196 that have a specific socket type (e.g. SAE J1772 or CEEplus) can be used with other plug types by means of adapters - however the current will not be enabled unless a IEC 61851 presence signal pin is connected and the current will be limited to 16 Ampere unless a IEC 62196 charging mode signal is detected that specifies a higher Ampere level.
assemblies for electric vehicles, intended for use in conductive charging systems (cables with copper or copper-alloy
conductors) which incorporate control means, with a rated operating voltage not exceeding:
The standard leverages the charging modes as defined in IEC61851-1 which includes:
The IEC 61851-1 standard documents the pilot signal flagging the charging requirements by using pulse width modulation. The pilot signal is integrated in the plugs of IEC 62196 electric vehicle charging equipment
being a requirement for higher currents.
standardized socket-outlets not exceeding 16 A and not exceeding 250 V a.c. single-phase or
480 V a.c. three-phase, at the supply side, and utilizing the power and protective earth
conductors.
Mode 1 connectors do not require any control pins from IEC 61851-1. In many countries there are additional restrictions on household mains being less than 16 A - it is left to the system user to respect the actual charging limits.
In some countries like the USA, mode 1 charging is prohibited by national codes. The main reason is that the required earthing is not present in all domestic installations so that Mode 2 was defined as an interim solution.
32 A and not exceeding 250 V a.c. single-phase or 480 V a.c. three-phase utilizing
standardized single-phase or three-phase socket-outlets, and utilizing the power and
protective earth conductors together with a control pilot function and system of personnel protection
against electric shock (RCD) between the EV and the plug or as a part of the in-cable control box. The
inline control box shall be located within 0,3 m of the plug or the EVSE or in the plug.
Mode 2 connectors require a control pin from IEC 61851-1 but which is only required on the side of the electric vehicle. The supply network side of the cable does not need a control pin and the control function is governed by the control box in the cable. These provisions allow for charging stations with low complexity while extending the permissible range or charging currents compared to Mode 1 charging. A possible setup uses a IEC 60309 connector ready for 32 A - controlled by the diameter of the plug that would not fit in a 16 A socket - with the control pin flagging the charging mode to the electric vehicle. A 1000 Ω resistor is used between pilot and earthing allowing to break the circuit if the current on the pilot-earth loop is lost.
electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) where the control pilot function extends to control equipment in the EVSE, permanently
connected to the a.c. supply network (mains).
Mode 3 connectors according to IEC 61851-1 require a range of control and signal pins for both sides of the cable. The charging station socket is dead if no vehicle is present - the pilot pin in the plug on the charger side controls the circuit breaker. For compatibility the 32 A plugs of IEC 61851-1 Mode 2 connectors (1000 Ω pilot-earth) may be used while fast charging with higher currents up to 250 A require specialized cables flagging the IEC 61851-1 charging mode. The communication wire between car electronics and charging station allows for an integration into smart grid scenarios.
charger where the control pilot function extends to equipment permanently connected
to the a.c. supply.
The IEC 62196 accessories encompass the vehicle inlet/connector (all modes) and the plug/socket-outlet (Mode 3).
The scenario for Mode 4 charging is a setup where the supply network a.c. power is converted in the charging station to d.c. and the plug type ensures that only a matching electric vehicle can be connected. Using d.c. fast charging allows for considerable higher currents up to 400 A according to IEC 61851-1 Mode 4. Mode 4 connectors according to IEC 61851-1 require a range of control and signal pins to ensure operation for fast charging comparable to Mode 3. The Mode 4 charging station equipment are however much more expensive than Mode 3 EVSE.
for industrial and multiphase power plugs and sockets
.
A number of industry groups have made advancements to add details on specific plugs beyond the existing range IEC 60309 "CEEform" connectors. The CEEform industry connectors are used in many areas while the following plug types from the IEC 62196 annex have been taylored to the usage as automotive chargers. The IEC 62196-2 contains categorizations on plug types to be used in the charging process. There is an ongoing standardization process to choose plug types for public charging stations of electric vehicle network
s. The Formula E-Team in the Netherlands notes that the next IEC 62196-2 edition will probably refer to three designs for Mode-3 plugs including the Yazaki/SAE connector, the VDE/Mennekes connector and the Scame/EVPlug connector.
The plug type standardization in Europe is part of a process including smart grid elements for charging stations as well as battery recharge electronics in the cars. The DKE / VDE has an influence on the IEC and CENELEC standardization with existing range of working groups. In June 2010 the ETSI
and CEN
-CENELEC
were mandated by the European Commission to develop a European Standard on charging points for electric vehicles.
The Commission expects that the standard will be ready by mid-2011 including recommendations on the plug types from the IEC 62196-2 range. The IEC 62196-2 circulation started on 17. December 2010 and voting closes on 20. May 2011.
The list of IEC 62196-2 plug types includes:
In 2001 SAE International
had proposed a standard for conductive coupler which had been approved by the California Air Resources Board for charging stations of electric vehicles. The SAE J1772-2001 plug had a rectangular shape that was based on a design by Avcon
. In 2009 a revision of the SAE J1772 standard was published that included a new design by Yazaki
featuring a round housing. The SAE J1772-2009 coupler specifications have been included to IEC 62196-2 standard as an implementation of the Type 1 connector for charging with single-phase AC. The connector has five pins for the two AC wires, ground and two signal pins compatible with IEC 61851-2001 / SAE J1772-2001 for proximity detection and control pilot function.
Note that only the plug type specification of the SAE J1772-2009 haven been taken over but not the relation to Level 1, 2, and 3 charging modes inherited from the proposition of the California Air Resources Board
. The Level 1 charging mode at 120 V is specific to Northern America and Japan as most regions around the world use 220-240V and IEC 62196 does not include a special option for lower voltages. The Level 3 for DC charging is not applicable to either IEC 62196-2 or SAE J1772-2009.
While the original SAE J1772-2009 standard describes ratings from 120V 12A/16A to 240V 32A/80A the IEC 62196 Type 1 specification covers only 250V ratings at 32A/80A. The 80A version of IEC 62196 Type 1 is considered US only however.
had developed a series of 60309-based connectors that were enhanced with additional signal pins - these "CEEplus" connectors have been used for charging of electric vehicles since the late 1990s. With the resolution of the IEC 61851-1:2001 control pilot function (aligned with the SAE J1772:2001 proposal) the CEEplus connectors were replacing the earlier Marechal couplers (MAEVA / 4 pin / 32A) as the standard for electric vehicle charging. When Volkswagen promoted its plans for electric mobility Alois Mennekes contacted Martin Winterkorn in 2008 to learn about the requirements of the charging equipment connectors. Based on requirement of the industry led by utility RWE and car maker Daimler a new connector was derived by Mennekes that would later be accepted as the standard connector by other car makers and utilities for their field tests in Europe. This choice was supported by the Franco-German joint council on E-mobility in 2009. The proposal is based on the observation that standard IEC 60309 plugs are rather bulky (diameter 68 mm / 16A to 83 mm / 125 A) for higher current. To ensure easy handling by consumers the plugs were made smaller (diameter 55 mm) and flattened on one side (physical protection against polarity reversal).
Since the IEC standardization track is a lengthy process, the German DKE/VDE (Deutsche Kommission Elektrotechnik
/ German Commission for Electronics of the Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies
) took over the task to standardize the handling details of the automotive charging system and its designated connector published in November 2009 in VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2 The connector type has been included in the next Part-2 (IEC 62196-2) connector reference as "Type 2". The standardization process of the VDE plug continues with an extension for high current d.c. loading that will be proposed for inclusion by 2013.
Unlike the IEC 60309 plugs, the Mennekes/VDE automotive solution (German VDE-Normstecker für Ladestationen / VDE standard plug for charging stations) has a single size and layout for currents from 16A single-phase up to 63A three-phase (3.7 kW to 43.5 kW) but it does not cover the full range of Mode 3 levels (see below) of the IEC 62196 specification. Since the VDE automotive connector was described first in the DKE/VDE proposal for the IEC 62196-2 standard (IEC 23H/223/CD), it was also called the IEC-62196-2/2.0 automotive connector before it got its own standardization title. The VDE will formally withdraw the national standard as soon as the international IEC standard is resolved.
There has been criticisms of the price of the VDE connector however by the car manufacturer Peugeot
comparing it to the IEC 60309
plugs that are readily available. Unlike field tests in Germany, a number of field tests in France and the UK have taken over the campground sockets (blue IEC 60309-2 plug, single-phase, 230V, 16 A) that are already installed in many outdoor locations across Europe or weatherproofed versions of their normal domestic sockets. Also the Scame plugin is promoted by a French-Italian alliance mentioning its comparable low price.
The Association des Constructeurs Européens d'Automobiles
(ACEA) has decided to use the Type 2 connector for deployment in European Union. For the first phase the ACEA recommends public charging stations to offer Type 2 (Mode 3) or CEEform (Mode 2) sockets while home charging may additionally use a standard home socket (Mode 2). In the second phase (expected to be 2017 and later) a uniform connector shall be used only, whereas the ultimate choice for Type 2 or Type 3 is left open. The rationale of the ACEA recommendation points to using Type 2 Mode 3 connectors however. Based on the ACEA position Amsterdam Electric has put up the first Type 2 Mode 3 public charging station for use with the Nissan Leaf test drive.
Beginning at the end of 2010 the utilities Nuon
and RWE
have started to deploy a network of charging poles
in Central Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia) using the Type 2 Mode 3 socket type based on the widely available 400V three-phase domestic power grid.
, Legrand
) and Italy (Scame).
Within the IEC 62196 framework they propose an automotive plug derived from the earlier SCAME plugs (the Libera series) that are already in use for light electric vehicles.
Gimélec joined the Alliance on May 10 and a number of more companies joined on May 31: Gewiss, Marechal Electric, Radiall, Vimar, Weidmüller France & Yazaki Europe.
The new connector is able to provide 3-phase charging up to 32 Ampere as being examined in the Formula E-Team tests.
Schneider Electric emphasises that the "EV Plug" uses shutters over the socket side pins which is required in 12 European countries and that none of the other proposed EV charger plugs is featuring.
Limiting the plug to 32 A allows for cheaper plugs and installation costs. The EV Plug Alliance points out that the future IEC 62196 specification will have an annex categorizing electric vehicle charger plugs into three types (Yazaki's proposal is type 1, Mennekes' proposal is type 2, Scame's proposal is type 3) and that instead of having a single plug type at both ends of a charger cable one should choose the best type for each side — the Scame / EV Plug would be the best option for the charger side / wall box leaving the choice for the car side open. On 22 September 2010 the companies Citelum, DBT, FCI, Leoni, Nexans, Sagemcom, Tyco Electronics
joined the Alliance. As of early July 2010 the Alliance has completed the test of products from several partners and the plug and socket-outlet system are made available on the market.
While the first ACEA position paper (June 2010) has ruled out the Type 1 connector (based on the requirement of three-phase charging which is abundant in Europe and China but not in Japan and the USA) it has left open the question whether a Type 2 or Type 3 connector should be used for the uniform plug type in Europe. The rationale points to the fact that Mode 3 requires the socket to be dead when no vehicle is connected so that there can be no hazard that the shutter could protect from. The shutter protection of Type 3 connectors do only have advantages in Mode 2 allowing for a simpler charging station. On the other hand a public charging station exposes the charging socket and plugs to a harsh environment where the shutter could easily have a malfunction which is not noticeable to the electric vehicle driver. Instead the ACEA expects that Type 2 Mode 3 connectors also to be used for home charging in the second phase after 2017 while still allowing Mode 2 charging with established plug types that are already available in home environments. The impact of some jurisdictions requiring shutters is still being debated.
The second ACEA position paper (March 2011) recommends to use only Type 2 Mode 3 (with IEC 60309-2 Mode 2 and standard home socket outlets Mode 2 being still allowed in Phase 1 up to 2017) being the EU uniform solution by 2017. Car makers should equip their models only with Type 1 or Type 2 sockets - existing Type 3 infrastructure may be connected with a Type2/Type3 cable in Phase 1 for basic charging (up to 3.7 kW). Fast charging (3.7 kW to 43 kW) and ultra fast DC charging (beyond 43 kW) may only use a Type 2 or Combo2 connector (Combo2 is Type 2 with additional DC wires in a global envelope that fits all DC charging stations, i.e. even if the AC charging part was built for Type 1).
The CHAdeMO
specification describes high-voltage (up to 500VDC) high-current (125 Amps) automotive fast charging via a JARI Level-3 DC fast charge connector. This connector is the current defacto standard in Japan. The SAE 1772 Task Force works on a proposal for DC loading to be published in December 2011 The extension of the VDE plug ("Type 2") will be submitted directly to the IEC 62196-2 until 2013. Both China and the SAE consider using the Type 2 Mode 4 connector for DC charging as well (the Japanese TEPCO plug housing is considerably larger than Type 2).
The VDE has supplied the National Development Plan for Electric Mobility in Germany with the expectation that charging stations for electric vehicles will be deployed in three stages: 22 kW (400V 32A) Mode 2 stations are introduced in 2010–2013, the 44 kW (400V 63A) Mode 3 stations to be introduced in 2014–2017 and the next generation batteries will require at least 60 kW (400Vdc 150A) by 2020 allowing to charge the standard 20kWh battery pack to 80% in less than 10 minutes. Similarly the SAE 1772 DC L2 plan is sketched for charging up to 200A / 90 kW. Standardization is planned to add DC wires to the existing AC connector types such that there is only one "global envelope" that fits all DC charging stations - for Type 2 the new housing is named Combo2
Electrical connector
An electrical connector is an electro-mechanical device for joining electrical circuits as an interface using a mechanical assembly. The connection may be temporary, as for portable equipment, require a tool for assembly and removal, or serve as a permanent electrical joint between two wires or...
s and charging modes for electric vehicles
Electric car
An electric car is an automobile which is propelled by electric motor, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric cars were popular in the late-19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass...
and is maintained by the International Electrotechnical Commission
International Electrotechnical Commission
The International Electrotechnical Commission is a non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as "electrotechnology"...
(IEC).
The standard does not specify the physical dimensions for any particular charging connector. It does however mention IEC 60309
IEC 60309
IEC 60309 is an international standard from the International Electrotechnical Commission for "plugs, socket-outlets and couplers for industrial purposes". The highest voltage allowed by the standard is DC or AC; the highest current, ; and the highest frequency,...
"CEEform" general purpose connectors within the definitions of part 2 (i.e. IEC 62196-2).
The standard is based on IEC 61851 that has a mechanism that does not connect the power unless connected to a vehicle that is immobilized to stop it from driving away while still connected.
The Part-1 definitions for the signal pin and its IEC 62196-1 charging mode definitions have been reused in a number of implementations for charging large devices and especially automotive charging station
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
s. Apart from CEEform industrial plugs, the modes were picked up for
- the YazakiYazakiis a worldwide supplier of automotive equipment, gas meters and air-conditioning equipment. The main business is automotive equipment like electrical wiring harnesses, components like connectors, terminals, fuses and boxes and electronic devices such as instrument clusters.The Yazaki Group employs...
connector in Northern America (standardized in SAE J1772SAE J1772SAE J1772 is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by the Society of Automotive Engineers and has the formal title "SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772, SAE Electric VehicleConductive Charge Coupler”...
), - the CHΛdeMO connector in Japan (using DC charging) and the
- MennekesMennekesMENNEKES Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG is a leading manufacturer of industrial plugs and connectors with headquarters in Kirchhundem/Sauerland region and in Neudorf/Erzgebirge....
connector in Europe (standardized in VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2) -
Each of these has been designed for use in an electric vehicle network
Electric vehicle network
An electric vehicle network is a proposed infrastructure system of publicly accessible charging stations and possibly battery swap stations to recharge electric vehicles....
of charging stations. Other connector types conforming to IEC 62196-1 have been the Framatome plug by EDF, the Scame plug in Italy and the CEEplus plugs in Switzerland.
Public charging stations conforming to IEC 62196 that have a specific socket type (e.g. SAE J1772 or CEEplus) can be used with other plug types by means of adapters - however the current will not be enabled unless a IEC 61851 presence signal pin is connected and the current will be limited to 16 Ampere unless a IEC 62196 charging mode signal is detected that specifies a higher Ampere level.
Charging modes
The Part-1 of IEC 62196 is applicable to plugs, socket-outlets, connectors, inlets and cableassemblies for electric vehicles, intended for use in conductive charging systems (cables with copper or copper-alloy
conductors) which incorporate control means, with a rated operating voltage not exceeding:
- 690 V a.c., 50 – 60 Hz, at a rated current not exceeding 250 A;
- 600 V d.c., at a rated current not exceeding 400 A.
The standard leverages the charging modes as defined in IEC61851-1 which includes:
- IEC 61851-1 "Mode 1" - slow charging from a household-type socket-outlet
- IEC 61851-1 "Mode 2" - slow charging from a household-type socket-outlet with an in-cable protection device
- IEC 61851-1 "Mode 3" - slow or fast charging using a specific EV socket-outlet with control and protection function installed
- IEC 61851-1 "Mode 4" - fast charging using an external charger
The IEC 61851-1 standard documents the pilot signal flagging the charging requirements by using pulse width modulation. The pilot signal is integrated in the plugs of IEC 62196 electric vehicle charging equipment
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
being a requirement for higher currents.
Mode 1
Mode 1 charging relates to the connection of the EV to the a.c. supply network (mains) utilizingstandardized socket-outlets not exceeding 16 A and not exceeding 250 V a.c. single-phase or
480 V a.c. three-phase, at the supply side, and utilizing the power and protective earth
conductors.
Mode 1 connectors do not require any control pins from IEC 61851-1. In many countries there are additional restrictions on household mains being less than 16 A - it is left to the system user to respect the actual charging limits.
In some countries like the USA, mode 1 charging is prohibited by national codes. The main reason is that the required earthing is not present in all domestic installations so that Mode 2 was defined as an interim solution.
Mode 2
Mode 2 charging relates to the connection of the EV to the a.c. supply network (mains) not exceeding32 A and not exceeding 250 V a.c. single-phase or 480 V a.c. three-phase utilizing
standardized single-phase or three-phase socket-outlets, and utilizing the power and
protective earth conductors together with a control pilot function and system of personnel protection
against electric shock (RCD) between the EV and the plug or as a part of the in-cable control box. The
inline control box shall be located within 0,3 m of the plug or the EVSE or in the plug.
Mode 2 connectors require a control pin from IEC 61851-1 but which is only required on the side of the electric vehicle. The supply network side of the cable does not need a control pin and the control function is governed by the control box in the cable. These provisions allow for charging stations with low complexity while extending the permissible range or charging currents compared to Mode 1 charging. A possible setup uses a IEC 60309 connector ready for 32 A - controlled by the diameter of the plug that would not fit in a 16 A socket - with the control pin flagging the charging mode to the electric vehicle. A 1000 Ω resistor is used between pilot and earthing allowing to break the circuit if the current on the pilot-earth loop is lost.
Mode 3
Mode 3 charging relates connection of the EV to the a.c. supply network (mains) utilizing dedicatedelectric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) where the control pilot function extends to control equipment in the EVSE, permanently
connected to the a.c. supply network (mains).
Mode 3 connectors according to IEC 61851-1 require a range of control and signal pins for both sides of the cable. The charging station socket is dead if no vehicle is present - the pilot pin in the plug on the charger side controls the circuit breaker. For compatibility the 32 A plugs of IEC 61851-1 Mode 2 connectors (1000 Ω pilot-earth) may be used while fast charging with higher currents up to 250 A require specialized cables flagging the IEC 61851-1 charging mode. The communication wire between car electronics and charging station allows for an integration into smart grid scenarios.
Mode 4
Mode 4 charging relates to the connection of the EV to the a.c. supply network (mains) utilizing an offboardcharger where the control pilot function extends to equipment permanently connected
to the a.c. supply.
The IEC 62196 accessories encompass the vehicle inlet/connector (all modes) and the plug/socket-outlet (Mode 3).
The scenario for Mode 4 charging is a setup where the supply network a.c. power is converted in the charging station to d.c. and the plug type ensures that only a matching electric vehicle can be connected. Using d.c. fast charging allows for considerable higher currents up to 400 A according to IEC 61851-1 Mode 4. Mode 4 connectors according to IEC 61851-1 require a range of control and signal pins to ensure operation for fast charging comparable to Mode 3. The Mode 4 charging station equipment are however much more expensive than Mode 3 EVSE.
Plug types
The IEC 62196-1 refers to plugs as specified in IEC 60309IEC 60309
IEC 60309 is an international standard from the International Electrotechnical Commission for "plugs, socket-outlets and couplers for industrial purposes". The highest voltage allowed by the standard is DC or AC; the highest current, ; and the highest frequency,...
for industrial and multiphase power plugs and sockets
Industrial and multiphase power plugs and sockets
Industrial and multiphase plugs and sockets provide a connection to the electrical mains rated at higher voltages and currents than household plugs and sockets...
.
A number of industry groups have made advancements to add details on specific plugs beyond the existing range IEC 60309 "CEEform" connectors. The CEEform industry connectors are used in many areas while the following plug types from the IEC 62196 annex have been taylored to the usage as automotive chargers. The IEC 62196-2 contains categorizations on plug types to be used in the charging process. There is an ongoing standardization process to choose plug types for public charging stations of electric vehicle network
Electric vehicle network
An electric vehicle network is a proposed infrastructure system of publicly accessible charging stations and possibly battery swap stations to recharge electric vehicles....
s. The Formula E-Team in the Netherlands notes that the next IEC 62196-2 edition will probably refer to three designs for Mode-3 plugs including the Yazaki/SAE connector, the VDE/Mennekes connector and the Scame/EVPlug connector.
The plug type standardization in Europe is part of a process including smart grid elements for charging stations as well as battery recharge electronics in the cars. The DKE / VDE has an influence on the IEC and CENELEC standardization with existing range of working groups. In June 2010 the ETSI
European Telecommunications Standards Institute
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute is an independent, non-profit, standardization organization in the telecommunications industry in Europe, with worldwide projection...
and CEN
European Committee for Standardization
The European Committee for Standardization or Comité Européen de Normalisation , is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to foster the European economy in global trading, the welfare of European citizens and the environment by providing an efficient infrastructure to interested parties for...
-CENELEC
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
CENELEC is the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization.CENELEC is responsible for European Standardization in the area of electrical engineering...
were mandated by the European Commission to develop a European Standard on charging points for electric vehicles.
The Commission expects that the standard will be ready by mid-2011 including recommendations on the plug types from the IEC 62196-2 range. The IEC 62196-2 circulation started on 17. December 2010 and voting closes on 20. May 2011.
The list of IEC 62196-2 plug types includes:
- IEC 62196-2 "Type 1" - single phase vehicle coupler - reflecting the SAE J1772SAE J1772SAE J1772 is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by the Society of Automotive Engineers and has the formal title "SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772, SAE Electric VehicleConductive Charge Coupler”...
/2009 automotive plug specifications - IEC 62196-2 "Type 2" - single and three phase vehicle coupler - reflecting the VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2 plug specifications
- IEC 62196-2 "Type 3" - single and three phase vehicle coupler with shutters - reflecting the EV Plug Alliance proposal
Type 1: SAE J1772-2009
SAE International
SAE International is an organization for engineering professionals in the aerospace, automotive, and commercial vehicle industries. The Society is a standards development organization for the engineering of powered vehicles of all kinds, including cars, trucks, boats, aircraft, and others.SAE...
had proposed a standard for conductive coupler which had been approved by the California Air Resources Board for charging stations of electric vehicles. The SAE J1772-2001 plug had a rectangular shape that was based on a design by Avcon
Avcon
Avcon is a company that manufactures charging interfaces for battery electric vehicles . The lettering convention is Avcon for the company and AVCON for the EV charging head....
. In 2009 a revision of the SAE J1772 standard was published that included a new design by Yazaki
Yazaki
is a worldwide supplier of automotive equipment, gas meters and air-conditioning equipment. The main business is automotive equipment like electrical wiring harnesses, components like connectors, terminals, fuses and boxes and electronic devices such as instrument clusters.The Yazaki Group employs...
featuring a round housing. The SAE J1772-2009 coupler specifications have been included to IEC 62196-2 standard as an implementation of the Type 1 connector for charging with single-phase AC. The connector has five pins for the two AC wires, ground and two signal pins compatible with IEC 61851-2001 / SAE J1772-2001 for proximity detection and control pilot function.
Note that only the plug type specification of the SAE J1772-2009 haven been taken over but not the relation to Level 1, 2, and 3 charging modes inherited from the proposition of the California Air Resources Board
California Air Resources Board
The California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB or ARB, is the "clean air agency" in the government of California. Established in 1967 in the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, CARB is a department within the...
. The Level 1 charging mode at 120 V is specific to Northern America and Japan as most regions around the world use 220-240V and IEC 62196 does not include a special option for lower voltages. The Level 3 for DC charging is not applicable to either IEC 62196-2 or SAE J1772-2009.
While the original SAE J1772-2009 standard describes ratings from 120V 12A/16A to 240V 32A/80A the IEC 62196 Type 1 specification covers only 250V ratings at 32A/80A. The 80A version of IEC 62196 Type 1 is considered US only however.
Type 2: VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2
The connector manufacturer MennekesMennekes
MENNEKES Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG is a leading manufacturer of industrial plugs and connectors with headquarters in Kirchhundem/Sauerland region and in Neudorf/Erzgebirge....
had developed a series of 60309-based connectors that were enhanced with additional signal pins - these "CEEplus" connectors have been used for charging of electric vehicles since the late 1990s. With the resolution of the IEC 61851-1:2001 control pilot function (aligned with the SAE J1772:2001 proposal) the CEEplus connectors were replacing the earlier Marechal couplers (MAEVA / 4 pin / 32A) as the standard for electric vehicle charging. When Volkswagen promoted its plans for electric mobility Alois Mennekes contacted Martin Winterkorn in 2008 to learn about the requirements of the charging equipment connectors. Based on requirement of the industry led by utility RWE and car maker Daimler a new connector was derived by Mennekes that would later be accepted as the standard connector by other car makers and utilities for their field tests in Europe. This choice was supported by the Franco-German joint council on E-mobility in 2009. The proposal is based on the observation that standard IEC 60309 plugs are rather bulky (diameter 68 mm / 16A to 83 mm / 125 A) for higher current. To ensure easy handling by consumers the plugs were made smaller (diameter 55 mm) and flattened on one side (physical protection against polarity reversal).
Since the IEC standardization track is a lengthy process, the German DKE/VDE (Deutsche Kommission Elektrotechnik
Deutsche Kommission Elektrotechnik Elektronik Informationstechnik im DIN und VDE
Deutsche Kommission Elektrotechnik Elektronik Informationstechnik im DIN und VDE , abbreviated DKE, is the German organisation responsible for the elaboration of standards and safety specifications in the areas of electrical engineering, electronics and information technologies...
/ German Commission for Electronics of the Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies
Verband der Elektrotechnik, Elektronik und Informationstechnik
The VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies e.V. is one of Europe’s largest technical-scientific associations with 35,000 members, including 1,300 corporate and institutional members and 8,000 students.- Organization :...
) took over the task to standardize the handling details of the automotive charging system and its designated connector published in November 2009 in VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2 The connector type has been included in the next Part-2 (IEC 62196-2) connector reference as "Type 2". The standardization process of the VDE plug continues with an extension for high current d.c. loading that will be proposed for inclusion by 2013.
Unlike the IEC 60309 plugs, the Mennekes/VDE automotive solution (German VDE-Normstecker für Ladestationen / VDE standard plug for charging stations) has a single size and layout for currents from 16A single-phase up to 63A three-phase (3.7 kW to 43.5 kW) but it does not cover the full range of Mode 3 levels (see below) of the IEC 62196 specification. Since the VDE automotive connector was described first in the DKE/VDE proposal for the IEC 62196-2 standard (IEC 23H/223/CD), it was also called the IEC-62196-2/2.0 automotive connector before it got its own standardization title. The VDE will formally withdraw the national standard as soon as the international IEC standard is resolved.
There has been criticisms of the price of the VDE connector however by the car manufacturer Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
comparing it to the IEC 60309
IEC 60309
IEC 60309 is an international standard from the International Electrotechnical Commission for "plugs, socket-outlets and couplers for industrial purposes". The highest voltage allowed by the standard is DC or AC; the highest current, ; and the highest frequency,...
plugs that are readily available. Unlike field tests in Germany, a number of field tests in France and the UK have taken over the campground sockets (blue IEC 60309-2 plug, single-phase, 230V, 16 A) that are already installed in many outdoor locations across Europe or weatherproofed versions of their normal domestic sockets. Also the Scame plugin is promoted by a French-Italian alliance mentioning its comparable low price.
The Association des Constructeurs Européens d'Automobiles
European Automobile Manufacturers Association
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association is the main lobbying and standards group of the automobile industry in the European Union. It is the follow on organization to CCMC in 1996....
(ACEA) has decided to use the Type 2 connector for deployment in European Union. For the first phase the ACEA recommends public charging stations to offer Type 2 (Mode 3) or CEEform (Mode 2) sockets while home charging may additionally use a standard home socket (Mode 2). In the second phase (expected to be 2017 and later) a uniform connector shall be used only, whereas the ultimate choice for Type 2 or Type 3 is left open. The rationale of the ACEA recommendation points to using Type 2 Mode 3 connectors however. Based on the ACEA position Amsterdam Electric has put up the first Type 2 Mode 3 public charging station for use with the Nissan Leaf test drive.
Beginning at the end of 2010 the utilities Nuon
Nuon
Nuon is a technology that adds features to a DVD player. In addition to viewing DVDs, one can play 3D video games and use enhanced DVD navigational tools such as zoom and smooth scanning of DVD playback. One could also play CDs while the Nuon graphics processor generates synchronized graphics on...
and RWE
RWE
RWE AG , is a German electric power and natural gas public utility company based in Essen. Through its various subsidiaries, the energy company contributes electricity and gas to more than 20 million electricity customers and 10 million gas customers, principally in Europe...
have started to deploy a network of charging poles
Electric vehicle network
An electric vehicle network is a proposed infrastructure system of publicly accessible charging stations and possibly battery swap stations to recharge electric vehicles....
in Central Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia) using the Type 2 Mode 3 socket type based on the widely available 400V three-phase domestic power grid.
Type 3: EV Plug Alliance
The EV Plug Alliance was formed on March, 28 2010 by electrical companies in France (Schneider ElectricSchneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a French global company. It was founded in 1836 by two brothers, Eugène and Adolphe Schneider.In the first part of the 20th century, Schneider et Cie associated itself with Westinghouse Systems, a major international electrical group at the time. The group began manufacturing...
, Legrand
Legrand (company)
Legrand is a French industrial group historically based in Limoges in the Limousin region and a world leader in products and systems for electrical installations and information networks....
) and Italy (Scame).
Within the IEC 62196 framework they propose an automotive plug derived from the earlier SCAME plugs (the Libera series) that are already in use for light electric vehicles.
Gimélec joined the Alliance on May 10 and a number of more companies joined on May 31: Gewiss, Marechal Electric, Radiall, Vimar, Weidmüller France & Yazaki Europe.
The new connector is able to provide 3-phase charging up to 32 Ampere as being examined in the Formula E-Team tests.
Schneider Electric emphasises that the "EV Plug" uses shutters over the socket side pins which is required in 12 European countries and that none of the other proposed EV charger plugs is featuring.
Limiting the plug to 32 A allows for cheaper plugs and installation costs. The EV Plug Alliance points out that the future IEC 62196 specification will have an annex categorizing electric vehicle charger plugs into three types (Yazaki's proposal is type 1, Mennekes' proposal is type 2, Scame's proposal is type 3) and that instead of having a single plug type at both ends of a charger cable one should choose the best type for each side — the Scame / EV Plug would be the best option for the charger side / wall box leaving the choice for the car side open. On 22 September 2010 the companies Citelum, DBT, FCI, Leoni, Nexans, Sagemcom, Tyco Electronics
Tyco Electronics
TE Connectivity, Ltd., previously known as Tyco Electronics, Ltd., and formerly a segment of Tyco International, is a leading global provider of engineered electronic components, network solutions, undersea telecommunication systems, and specialty products for customers in more than 150 countries...
joined the Alliance. As of early July 2010 the Alliance has completed the test of products from several partners and the plug and socket-outlet system are made available on the market.
While the first ACEA position paper (June 2010) has ruled out the Type 1 connector (based on the requirement of three-phase charging which is abundant in Europe and China but not in Japan and the USA) it has left open the question whether a Type 2 or Type 3 connector should be used for the uniform plug type in Europe. The rationale points to the fact that Mode 3 requires the socket to be dead when no vehicle is connected so that there can be no hazard that the shutter could protect from. The shutter protection of Type 3 connectors do only have advantages in Mode 2 allowing for a simpler charging station. On the other hand a public charging station exposes the charging socket and plugs to a harsh environment where the shutter could easily have a malfunction which is not noticeable to the electric vehicle driver. Instead the ACEA expects that Type 2 Mode 3 connectors also to be used for home charging in the second phase after 2017 while still allowing Mode 2 charging with established plug types that are already available in home environments. The impact of some jurisdictions requiring shutters is still being debated.
The second ACEA position paper (March 2011) recommends to use only Type 2 Mode 3 (with IEC 60309-2 Mode 2 and standard home socket outlets Mode 2 being still allowed in Phase 1 up to 2017) being the EU uniform solution by 2017. Car makers should equip their models only with Type 1 or Type 2 sockets - existing Type 3 infrastructure may be connected with a Type2/Type3 cable in Phase 1 for basic charging (up to 3.7 kW). Fast charging (3.7 kW to 43 kW) and ultra fast DC charging (beyond 43 kW) may only use a Type 2 or Combo2 connector (Combo2 is Type 2 with additional DC wires in a global envelope that fits all DC charging stations, i.e. even if the AC charging part was built for Type 1).
IEC 62196-3 – DC Charging
The 2010/2011 voting ballot of IEC 62196-2 does not contain a proposal for DC charging / Mode 4. This is scheduled for the next part of the standards series named IEC 62196-3 with expectations for the proposal to be published in a time frame ranging from June 2012 to beginning of 2013 and the IEC expecting the functional release in December 2013. The IEC working group for TC 23/SC 23H/PT 62196-3 (max. 1000Vdc / 400A plugs) has been approved for new work. Specifications on DC charging have already begun on the national level.The CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO is the trade name of a quick charging method for battery electric vehicles delivering up to 62.5 kW of high-voltage direct current via a special electrical connector....
specification describes high-voltage (up to 500VDC) high-current (125 Amps) automotive fast charging via a JARI Level-3 DC fast charge connector. This connector is the current defacto standard in Japan. The SAE 1772 Task Force works on a proposal for DC loading to be published in December 2011 The extension of the VDE plug ("Type 2") will be submitted directly to the IEC 62196-2 until 2013. Both China and the SAE consider using the Type 2 Mode 4 connector for DC charging as well (the Japanese TEPCO plug housing is considerably larger than Type 2).
The VDE has supplied the National Development Plan for Electric Mobility in Germany with the expectation that charging stations for electric vehicles will be deployed in three stages: 22 kW (400V 32A) Mode 2 stations are introduced in 2010–2013, the 44 kW (400V 63A) Mode 3 stations to be introduced in 2014–2017 and the next generation batteries will require at least 60 kW (400Vdc 150A) by 2020 allowing to charge the standard 20kWh battery pack to 80% in less than 10 minutes. Similarly the SAE 1772 DC L2 plan is sketched for charging up to 200A / 90 kW. Standardization is planned to add DC wires to the existing AC connector types such that there is only one "global envelope" that fits all DC charging stations - for Type 2 the new housing is named Combo2