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Drive Sustainable!
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Wednesday, January 11, 2017

DC Fast Charging for everyone - Chargepoint

Chargepoint has announced new chargers for DC Fast Charging. Great idea!

https://chargedevs.com/newswire/chargepoint-express-plus-offers-dc-charging-at-up-to-400-kw/

For the curious, the specs of the unit are https://chargedevs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Express-250-Specs.pdf

Can some of our electrically aware members tell us if this unit charges faster than a 220v/80a home charger? It's rated at 31.25kW per module, with both modules producing 62.5kW. It appears both cables can be used simultaneously. The unit is DC, whereas home chargers are AC.

For your convenience, here is a kilowatt-to-amps calculator: http://www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/kW_to_Amp_Calculator.htm

From David McNeil:

Wilson,
 
The Express 250 is the Station by itself with two modules at 31.25kW each. It can distribute the total 62.5kW output power to the two output cables according to the demand on each cable. The Express Plus System can be a combination of Stations, Cubes and Modules (contained in Cubes) to customize a DC Fast Charging Facility with varying output capability up to a max of 400kW. The modules and cables are liquid cooled with an available high altitude option for elevations over 6500 feet (probably a different coolant). The AC input voltage for the modules is 480 Volts, 3 Phase, which is only available at commercial locations.
 
To answer your question, "Can they charge faster than your home 220V 80A charger?" The answer is yes. Your home charger mentioned has the maximum capability of 17.6kW, where the minimum output of the Express 250 is almost twice that output.
 
For clarification, your 220V AC home charger is a Level 2, which actually uses the charger built into your car. The DC Fast Charger is a Level 3 which bypasses the charger in the car and directs the DC from the fast charger direct to the batteries. Communications between car and the Level 3 charger determines the output voltage needed (between 200 and 1000 Volts DC) depending on the cars battery voltage.
 
David

2 comments:

  1. 220x80=17.6kW, but it should be 80% of that continuously, so 14kW?

    "Can some of our electrically aware members tell us if this unit charges faster than a 220v/80a home charger?"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Leaf S newbie here, so "consider the source" ... and my ChargePoint application is still in progress.

    I'd speculate that someone like Ricardo G with his Leaf Spy + ELM327 could give an objective real world answer.

    Something perhaps like ...
    "At [fill-in-the-blank] time (off-hours), the ChargePoint at [fill-in-the-blank] delivered ## kW in mm minutes when his Leaf with ## bars was at ## SOC (well under 80%)".

    Note: I have a Windows barely-smart-phone, which is unable to use Leaf Spy.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks!