Anyone who has read about charging electric vehicle batteries at least once in their life has noticed that there are DC and AC chargers. There are several key differences between AC and DC chargers, from performance to application.
When we talk about “classic” current, the one connected to the home socket, we are talking about alternating current (AC). The reason for this is that in this way the transmission of electricity is much easier due to lower losses, but when charging the batteries of electric vehicles this is a problem because the batteries must be charged with direct current (DC). Therefore, every electric vehicle has an on-board rectifier, a device that converts AC to DC.
When we talk about AC chargers of electric vehicles, the conversion of AC to DC takes place in the internal rectifier of the vehicle and the maximum charging power in this case is 22 kW, and in the vast majority of vehicles even less. The reason for this relatively low power is the limited dimensions of the internal rectifier. Therefore, AC charging is mainly intended for charging the car overnight or for a longer period during the day when you do not need the vehicle.
However, when we talk about DC chargers of electric vehicles, the conversion of AC to DC takes place in the charger, ie the rectifier is located inside the charger. Since the charger does not have limited dimensions of the rectifier as an electric vehicle, the charging power of DC chargers is much higher, with some devices reaching over 400 kW. This makes DC vehicle charging ideal for short stops during longer journeys where you can charge the vehicle in less than 30 minutes (eg DC chargers are most often installed at motorway stops).
All things considered, each of these two types of electric vehicle chargers has its advantages and disadvantages. If you do not know which charger is ideal for your needs, feel free to contact us, AleDo TECH d.o.o. it will help you remove ambiguities and choose the optimal solution for you.