Globally compatible charging

What’s the best way to deliver efficient, fast and convenient EV recharging?

Different infrastructures, vehicles types and applications require different solutions, so Continental has developed a portfolio of scalable, globally compatible charging technologies.

Many for cable-based and wireless charging were presented at the 30th International Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exhibition (EVS30) in Stuttgart, Germany, from October 9 to 11.

These can offer up to 300km of range in 10 minutes.

For conductive (cable-based) charging, the technology company’s systems comprise both the established on-board charger for AC charging and the-new AllCharge system, which also supports DC charging at fast charging stations.

“All our systems are designed so that they can be adapted to different regional requirements,” Powertrain Division technology and innovation head Dr Oliver Maiwald says.

“And we see a market for all three charging technologies, based on customers’ different priorities in terms of efficiency, flexibility and convenience.”

On-board charging is the most common type. This vehicle-integrated system uses a rectifier to convert AC current into the DC current required for charging the battery. The on-board charger allows an electric vehicle to be charged at an ordinary household power socket up to a 3.6kW maximum charging rate.

Higher charging rates are possible if three-phase AC current is used.

The Continental on-board charger is designed for charging rates from 3.6kW to 11kW. A 22kW version is in development.

The company’s system can also be used in countries with a 110V power supply.

The AllCharge system allows car drivers to use any charging station at any time, whatever the type of current or voltage level.

Continental engineers turned the electric powertrain itself into a ‘charger’. This meant specially adapting the electric motor and the inverter (used for converting between DC and AC power) to enable them to support the additional task. The only extra component involved in this system is a converter, to ensure an optimal power flow to the battery at all times.

AllCharge can charge the battery at a rate of up to 4kW, providing an extra 50km of range for just ten minutes of charging. It is also possible to use 400-volt DC fast-charging stations, which can supply up to 150km of driving range from ten minutes of charging time.

In the same space of time, premium vehicles with a very large battery can even add an extra 300km to their driving range by hooking up to an 800-volt DC charging station. This brings the charging time close to the refueling time for a conventional vehicle.

“By 2020, the much-discussed question of range anxiety will be pretty much a non-issue, due to larger batteries and increasingly user-friendly charging options,” Maiwald says.

Continental employs more than 230,000 people in 56 countries.