Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, CHAdeMO, Combo CCS... Behind these technical terms are all the sockets for recharging your electric car. Among them, the CCS Combo socket is the European standard for fast charging. How does it work? Which vehicles are compatible? Qovoltis takes stock.
CCS combo jack: what is it?
Since 2014, the Combo CCS (for Combined Charging System) has been the European standard for the rapid charging of electric vehicles using direct current.
The two European standards are therefore:
— the Type 2 connector for AC charging;
— the CCS combo connector for DC charging
These connectors make it possible to reach very high powers. Currently, the most powerful charging station can deliver up to 400 kW. However, no car can handle such charging power (the maximum currently being 270 kW for the Porsche Taycan).
To support such power, the cable for a CCS Combo plug is heavy and thick. This is the reason why it is not sold with electric cars, but connected directly to the charging station. It is therefore impossible to separate a CCS cable from its charging point.
CCS Combo socket: pros and cons
An update on the interests and limitations of the Combo CCS standard.
The advantages
Its main advantage is to be able to charge your vehicle up to 15 times faster than with a Type 2 outlet, and 100 times more than a domestic outlet. Depending on the vehicle, it takes between 15 and 45 minutes to pass from 20 to 80% of the load.
La CCS Combo Jack above all meets a need for power. It is therefore particularly interesting for making long trips in an electric car. By allowing the rapid charging of vehicles, it contributes to the development of electric mobility and is a real solution to replace the combustion car.
The limits
Fast charging in Combo CCS can have a heavy impact on the network in terms of power demand, and is therefore very expensive. It can quickly exceed what the grid is capable of supplying in electricity. This is why it is only possible in an equipped charging station, generally located on a highway area or a major car park.
In addition, fast DC charging causes the battery to heat up and may wear it out prematurely. It is advisable to use them occasionally, to meet specific needs (a long trip for example). For daily trips, recharging your car at home on a terminal with a Type 2 outlet is more than enough.
What electric vehicles are compatible with the CCS combo plug?
In Europe, the overwhelming majority of new electric cars are equipped with a Combo CCS plug and can benefit from fast charging. The only exceptions: vehicles from certain Japanese manufacturers (Mitusbishi, Lexus) still using the CHAdeMO standard.
After supporting the CHAdeMO standard for a long time, Nissan recently decided to adopt the CCS Combo socket on its electric vehicles marketed in Europe and the United States. This is also the case with Tesla since the release of the Model 3, the manufacturer decided to integrate the standard Combo CCS socket into its vehicles.
Also to read: Electric car: What is the difference between a conventional charger and a supercharger?
What sockets do you need to charge your car? The reminder
Two sockets allow you to recharge your electric vehicle daily with alternating current:
- Household sockets
They can deliver a load of up to 2.3 kW on conventional installations, and up to 3.7 kW with a reinforced socket such as Green' up. While this outlet does not require any installation costs or work to be done, it has two main disadvantages: the risk of overheating and the very long charging time.
- The Type 2 socket
This European standard is found on the vehicle side, but also on the charging station side. It can deliver a power of up to 22 kW, almost 6 times more than a domestic outlet. The cable is usually supplied with the electric car.
Fast and efficient charging with Qovoltis
To quickly charge your car at home, the best solution is to install a smart charging station. Our wallbox Qovoltis offers a fast charging mode at the highest power available on the network or an optimized recharge to reduce the cost of electricity and the impact on the electrical network.
It is compatible with all electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles and has the T2S socket base (Type 2 with shutters).
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