Click in! You can immediately understand the difference between CCS1 and CCS2

Do you know what is CCS1? What is CCS2? Do you know the difference between them? Like anything new, the transition to e-mobility means you have to learn a new set of rules and terminology, and it's as if people dropped out of college and started kindergarten again. Please read this article for ideas.

 

1. Background

The resurgence of interest in electric vehicles has spurred the deployment of charging stations. Initially, people used a variety of plugs around the world to connect to abundant alternating current. Since there is currently no universal connector for electric vehicles, charging stations, charging cables and plugs come in many shapes and sizes. They vary depending on the country you are in, the vehicle you are driving, and the type of charging station you plan to use. It is easy for you to get lost in terms of charging cables and plugs because of so many variables.

（1）About AC and DC

Alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) are two main charging methods for electric car today, and the former is the standard method of electricity transmission. Because of different charging currents and automobile brands, plug types also vary. There are some differences between AC and DC. DC charging is also called rapid charging, fast charging or ultra-fast charging, which flows in only one direction. At charging stations, it converts the AC used in household electricity into DC, and then transmits to the car. All electronics, cell phones, computers and so on store DC electricity in batteries. It is estimated that AC stations can transmit up to 43kW of energy per hour while the maximum load energy per hour of the DC charging stations exceeds 300kW (this maximum charging speed is still increasing under the development of technology). As DC charging is much faster than AC charging, more and more rapid charging stations have been developed to quickly convert electricity to DC. However, because this type of charging transfers more power directly to the EV's battery, cables must be permanently connected to the charging station, and liquids are often used for cooling to handle the heat. What’s more, due to the complexity of the DC charging process and billing requirements, a more advanced communication protocol than PWM communication is required.

（2）About Type 1 and Type 2

The Type 1 plug, also known as the J-plug, or SAE J1772, is a single-phase plug and is standard for EVs from Asia and America (most non-Tesla). It allows you to charge your car at a speed of up to 7.4 kW, depending on the charging power of your car and grid capability.

Type 2 plugs, also known as "Mennekes" in reference to the German company that originally designed them, are the official plug standard of the European Union. Type 2 plugs are triple-phase plugs (a relatively new type of plug) because they have three extra wires for the current to flow through. So naturally, they can charge your car faster. At home, the maximum charging power is 22 kW, while public charging stations can charge up to 43 kW, again depending on your car charging power and grid capacity. The Type 2 plug standard generally accepted in Europe has gradually become the preferred choice for American production cars.

Let me give an example to make you understand better. Now, if you were driving an Asian car like a Nissan Leaf in Europe, what would you do? That's right, you'll need a cable that connects the charging station's Type 2 plug to the vehicle's Type 1 socket (Type 2 to Type 1), and you'll be charging at a maximum speed of 7.4 kW.

 

2. Combined Charging System (CCS)

The Combined Charging System (CCS) is a standard for charging EVs. It can use CCS Combo 1/CCS1 (based on SAE J1772 AC, also called SAE J1772 Combo or AC Type 1) or CCS Combo 2/CCS 2 (based on the European AC Type 2) connectors to provide power at up to 350kW. After reading this, you must be wondering what are Combo 1 and Combo 2 as well as the difference between them. Now, let me tell you in detail.

October 12, 2011 is the birthday of the proposal for the "Combined Charging System" (CCS). It was presented that day at the 15th International VDI Congress (Association of German Engineers) in Baden-Baden.

(1) Application of CCS1 and CCS2

The Combo plug types are designed to work with CCS. CCS1 and CCS2 are enhanced versions of Type 1 and Type 2 plugs developed for DC conduction with two additional power contacts. It supports both AC and DC charging and allows charging at speeds of up to 350 kW. For example, if a car with Type 1 input supports fast charging, it can use a CCS1 plug for DC charging. In case of Combo 1, the connector is extended by two DC contacts, while the type 1 part of the connector remains unchanged, the AC contacts (L1 & N) are not used. For Combo 2, the AC contacts (L1, L2, L3 & N) are completely removed from the connector. Therefore, the Type 2 part of the connector is left with only three contacts, two of which are communication contacts and one is protective earth.

Geographically, North and Central America, Korea and Taiwan are the primary market for Type 1 and CCS1, while Type 2 and Combo 2 can be found in North and South America, Europe, South Africa,Arabia, India, Oceania and Australia. Only electric vehicles or electric vehicle supply equipment that support AC or DC charging (CCS capable) according to the standards listed by CCS can be part of the CCS system. Automobile manufacturers that support CCS include BMW, Groupe PSA, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, MG, Daimler, FCA, Ford, Jaguar, General Motors, Polestar, Renault, Rivian, Tesla, Mahindra, Tata Motors and Volkswagen Group.

However, though these two types of charging plugs (CCS1 and CCS2) are used in most places and EV brands around the world, there are three competing charging systems for high-power DC charging include CHAdeMO (Japanese), Guobiao recommended-standard 20234 (Chinese), and NACS (Tesla).

CHAdeMO is a fast charging system developed in Japan that enables extremely high charging capacity and bi-directional charging, which allows charging up to 100 kW. Now, Asian automakers are leading the way in offering EVs that are compatible with CHAdeMO plugs.

Guobiao National Standards (GB/T) is a charging system developed by China. There are two variants of the GB/T plug: one for AC charging and the other for DC rapid charging. According to Chinese Guobiao recommended-standard 20234, the rated AC voltage shall not exceed 690V, frequency 50Hz, and rated current shall not exceed 250A when charging while the rated DC voltage does not exceed 1000V and the rated current does not exceed 400A. Note that although the GB/T AC charging plug looks the same as a Type 2 plug, its pins and receivers are located in reverse.

Charging plugs for Tesla electric vehicles vary from country to country. For instance, in Europe Tesla cars use type 2 plugs; however, Tesla cars sold in the US have their own unique plug, which can charge with both DC and AC. Generally speaking, your car is likely to have a type 1 plug, unless it is a Tesla. In this case, you can charge at most Level 1 (120V) and Level 2 (240V) AC charging stations.

Therefore, you should figure out the car charging plug type as well as where you can use it to charge if you are going to purchase an EV. In addition, be aware that some charging stations have fixed cables. Connecting cables makes sense in places where you always charge the same car, like at home or in a fixed employee parking lot. This is convenient because you do not have to carry cables in the car. Please note that if you are charging your car with a fixed power cord at a public charging station, you must check that the connected power cord is suitable for your car socket.

 

(2) CharIn's recommendation

CharIN is an organization dedicated to promoting the Combined Charging System (CCS) and the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) to improve the interoperability and standardization of global electric vehicles and charging facilities. Nearly 270 relevant enterprises around the world have joined it, covering different industrial chain roles such as electric vehicle manufacturers, charging station operators, charging products and solutions suppliers, energy and power grid enterprises.

Due to more universal (besides DC and 1-phase AC, it can handle also 3-phase AC) CharIN has suggested the untapped markets to join the CCS2 in order to reduce the fractured experience caused by differentiation between different regions and different products, and maximize the effectiveness of infrastructure. While China insists on its own GB/T tariffs, Japan fully complies with CHAdeMO, CharIN guessed that most of the world will join the CCS2 after seeing CCS Combo Charging Standard Map (about where CCS1 and CCS2 are used in the world). One of the important factors is that Tesla, the world's largest electric vehicle manufacturer, has launched new vehicles in Europe that are compatible with CCS2 connectors (AC and DC charging). So, CCS2 seems to be the future development direction of electric vehicle charging plugs.