Many electric vehicle owners find it difficult to pick the right charging option between CCS1 and CHAdeMO. If you are one of these people, this article will help you by describing the simple terms and differences. Then, you will know what is best for your car and you will definitely understand EV chargers better.
Let’s dive in now.
What are CCS1 and CHAdeMO exactly?
CCS1 is an abbreviation for Combined Charging system 1, while CHAdeMO means “Charge de Move”. Both of these systems are charging standards, common in different areas of the world. CCS1 is the standard in North America and CHAdeMO is mainly used in some parts of Europe and is a main standard in Japan.
CCS1 is shown to be easier and more convenient for EV owners due to the fact that it puts AC and DC into just one connector and has an additional two pins which allow high-speed DC fast charging. CHAdeMO is focused only on DC fast charging and is a dependable solution allowing a swift charge of EV vehicles.
What are the advantages of CHAdeMO?
CHAdeMo has many advantages which we will point out here. They make it a strong rival to all other systems in the EV charging world.
The first benefit refers to the speed of charging. CHAdeMO is specifically created for high-speed charging which can fill up your electric vehicle with power a lot faster than a standard AC charging. This is especially helpful when you need to take a long journey but can’t or don’t want to wait too much time for your EV to charge.
The upper advantage brings us to the second benefit which is the so called V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) capability. This is a key feature of the CHAdeMO system and it lets your EV supply electricity back to the grid but also get power from it back. How does this help? It balances energy supply and demand and helps with backup power, should there be any outages.
The third advantage of the CHAdeMO connectors is their performance – it is reliable and robust. The risk of disruptions in your charge are minimized with the help of a standardized design.
What are the differences between CCS1 and CHAdeMo?
We have prepared a detailed list of differences between the two types of charging systems. Knowing them will make you decide based on accurate information.
Type of the connector
CHAdeMO has a connector, dedicated only for the DC Fast Charging. This specialized design needs a separate port on the electric vehicle for AC charging but makes the connection secure and reliable.
CCS1 combines the Type 1 standard, J1772, and two more pins for DC. This duplicates the function for both AC and DC into only one port of the EV.
Charging speed
CHAdeMO is efficient for fast charging during long journeys. For example, when you need just a little more power to get where you need to, CHAdeMO can charge your vehicle extra fast. It is based on DC fast charging and provides up to 400 kW.
CCS1, however, is based on both AC and DC charging. The DC charging runs up to 350 kW. This reduces the wait at the charging stations and helps fast charging.
How many charging stations are available?
The landscape of available charging stations across the globe is different for both systems. CHAdeMO is a leader on the Japanese market and is not common in North America. However, it is available in Europe with a strong support. Even if it is not that common in North America, it comes with many major EV manufacturers and at many charging stations, with focus on the ones which provide fast charging.
Is it possible to charge a CHAdeMO EV at a CCS1 station?
You can charge an electrical vehicle which uses the CHAdeMO system at a CCS1 station with an adapter. It is called CCS1 to CHAdeMO Adapter and allows EVs which use a CHAdeMO port to be plugged into a CCS1 station. This makes it possible for the vehicles to utilize common installation base and the fast-charging abilities of the CCS1 system. The adapter is designed to ensure safe and reliable charging by fitting the electrical and communication requirements of both CCS1 and CHAdeMO systems.
Conclusion
You can pick the best charging system for your EV by knowing the key differences between CCS1 and CHAdeMO. Knowing the differences between the fast charge of CHAdeMO and the flexibility of CCS1 eases the operation of charging by making it more convenient.