EV charging cables

With the rise of the electric vehicles, it is only a matter of time when it’s going to become
number one motor vehicle for an average consumer. Technology is rapidly advancing and
manufacturers are already establishing their footholds in the industry.

Given that this is an alternative to the fossil fueled motor vehicles, even EVs have to fuel
somehow. In this case they are charged, just like a regular phone, or a laptop or any other
electric device that we have. By a mere cable!

Now this is not any standard cable, well it is and it isn’t, it all depends on how fast you want
you electric vehicle charged. Currently there are 4 modes of charging one such vehicle:

Mode 1:

With a Mode 1 cable, you simply connect a light electric vehicle (e-bikes, scooters, but not a
car) to a standard AC socket-outlet using an extension cord and standard plug. As a result,
there is no communication between the vehicle and the charging point, meaning there are no
special safety systems or shock protection. This type of charging is useful for light electric
vehicles like e-bikes and scooters, but it’s not considered safe for electric cars and is
prohibited in many parts of the world.

Mode 2:

When you purchase an EV, it usually comes with what’s known as a Mode 2 charging cable.
These cables plug into your EV on one end and enable the connection to an ordinary 3-pin
domestic socket. Some Mode 2 charging cable are more advanced and offer connectors
suitable for different CEE industrial sockets. Mode 2 charging cables come with an In-Cable
Control and Protection Device (IC-CPD) which is responsible for the control of the charging
process and communication between the electrical power source and the EV.

You can use this cable to plug it into a 3-pin domestic socket and charge without a charging
station. While this charging method is undoubtedly convenient, charging using this method
can take a long time as most household outlets only deliver up to 2.3 kW of power. It can
also be dangerous if handled incorrectly, as it can easily overload your home’s electrical
circuit. Therefore, we only recommend using this charging cable if no other options are
available. Find out more about how to charge your electric car safely.

Mode 3:

Mode 3 cables are currently the most common way to charge an EV across the globe. A
Mode 3 charging cable connects your vehicle to a dedicated EV charging station—like those
found in workplaces and offices, homes and residential locations, and commercial and public
parking lots. These cables are the standard across the world for public and home EV
charging using a dedicated charging station, and usually connect to Type 1 or Type 2
charging plugs.

Mode 4:

Mode 4 charging cables are designed to handle higher power outputs needed for fast
charging. Also known as Level 3 charging or DC charging, fast charging can significantly
reduce charging times, allowing you to charge an EV in minutes instead of hours. However,
as this type of charging transfers much more power directly to the battery, the cables must
be permanently connected to the charging station, are a bit heavier, and sometimes even
are liquid-cooled, and to handle the excess heat generated by the higher power output.

Where Mode 1, Mode 2, and Mode 3 charging cables can safely deliver alternating current
(AC) to the vehicle, Mode 4 charging cables, are designed to transfer direct current (DC)
straight to your battery which enables much faster charging times.

Now that we have covered charging modes, we have to go over the chargers themselves,
that is charging plugs. These can be categorized into 2 types, AC and DC.

AC:
DC:
Leading suppliers:

The EV charging cable market is dominated by Leoni AG (Germany), Aptiv (Ireland), TE

Connectivity (Switzerland), BESEN International Group (China), Dyden Corporation (Japan),
among others. These companies manufacture EV charging cables, and offer best-in-class
products to their customers.