Fast charging is crucial to the success of electric vehicles (EVs). Consumers expect to charge their vehicles as quickly as they refill their gas tanks, and their purchasing decisions may be influenced by how close a particular EV model comes to achieving that ideal.
OEMs and infrastructure providers are responding to this demand by supporting higher currents — from 500A to 800A and above — and operating voltages of 800V and up. But higher currents result in increased heat generation throughout the charging harness, which can lead to decreases in electrical performance and reliability. If operating temperatures get too high, the system will have to throttle back the current — eventually slowing down charging, thus defeating the purpose of the power increases.
To help keep temperatures low, it is critical that every electrical contact interface along the path of the power distribution network — from the inlet to the battery and beyond — be meticulously designed and manufactured to ensure that it introduces minimal resistance.
Connection system designers and harness manufacturers must collaborate on both design and process control to keep resistances as low as possible. Fortunately, there are measures that they can take to ensure that these interfaces are optimized to withstand harsh conditions over the long haul.
This white paper takes a closer look at some of these interfaces, along with solutions for effectively managing high resistance and excess heat generation.
