[Dr.G]

From @Zoomit's post, I learned the Bolt will be coming with an SAE combo charger, like the Chevy Spark EV. This is my first EV, so I have to admit that I am a bit confused about the different plug standards. Where will I be able to charge the Bolt? Which charging networks? Which other vehicles use the SAE combo?

Please educate me -- I would like to learn.

 

[Jerry]

From @Zoomit's post, I learned the Bolt will be coming with an SAE combo charger, like the Chevy Spark EV. This is my first EV, so I have to admit that I am a bit confused about the different plug standards. Where will I be able to charge the Bolt? Which charging networks? Which other vehicles use the SAE combo?

Please educate me -- I would like to learn.

From what I understand these are compatible:

• AeroVironment home charging station for the Nissan Leaf[28]
• BTCPower (Broadband TelCom Power, Inc.)[29]
• Bosch Power Max home charging stations
• ClipperCreek products include CS-40,[30] LCS-25[31] and LCS-25p,[32] HCS-40.[33] The product with highest charging amperage is CS-100.[34]
• ChargePoint CT4000 newest intelligent charger,cable management,driver services CT500, CT2000, CT2100, and CT2020 families of ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations[35]
• EATON [2] Pow-R-Station Family of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations [36]
• ECOtality Blink home wall-mount and commercial stand-alone charging stations[37][38]
• Electric Motor Werks JuiceBox Open Source 15 kW 60 A EVSE
• EVSEadapters EVSE240V16A 240V 16A Portable Level 2 EVSE
• EVoCharge – Retractable Reel EVSE’s designed to support Residential, Commercial and Industrial Markets.
• GE Wattstation available in 2011[39]
• GoSmart Technologies ChargeSPOT line of charging stations
• GRIDbot's "UP" family of charging stations
• Hubbell PEP Stations - http://www.hubbell-wiring.com/press/pdfs/WLDEE001.pdf
• Leviton evr-green home charging stations at a range of power levels, with separate pre-wire kit that allows one to plug into a NEMA 6 240 V receptacle[40]
• Schneider Electric / Square D EVLink Charging Solutions for residential, commercial, and fleet charging solutions.
• Siemens VersiCharge for cost effective residential, semi-public, and fleet level 2 EV charging.
• SemaConnect ChargePro Charging Stations
• Shorepower Technologies ePump line of fully customizable EVSE; indoor and outdoor solutions for cars and trucks.
• TucsonEV - J1772 Adapter Boxes, Inlets and Plugs with and without cord, 70 A and 30 A. We will soon have a J1772 Compatible EVSE for up to 240 V/30 A
• CIRCONTROL CIRCARLIFE product range includes EV charging infrastructure with post and wall mount units with J1772 standard
• OpenEVSE Project - Open Source Design for EVSE.
• eStation Level-2 Charger by Vega. Part of chargeNET network in Sri Lanka

Keep in mind this is our first EV as well, so we're learning on the fly. Found on Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_J1772#Combined_Charging_System_.28CCS.29

 

[Jerry]

Vehicles using SAE combo: the Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid and Smart EV.

And found this RE: CCS, again from Wiki

SAE is developing a Combo Coupler variant of the J1772-2009 connector with additional pins to accommodate fast DC charging at 200–450 Volts DC and up to 90 kW. This will also use Power Line Carrier technology to communicate between the vehicle, off-board charger, and smart grid.[11] Seven car makers (Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen) had agreed to introduce the "Combined Charging System" in mid-2012.[12] The first vehicles using the SAE Combo plug were the BMW i3 released in late 2013, and the Chevrolet Spark EV released in 2014.[13] In Europe, the combo coupler is based on the Type 2 (VDE) AC charging connector maintaining full compatibility with the SAE specification for DC charging and the GreenPHY PLC protocol.[14]

 

[Dr.G]

In your first post, I am pretty sure those are what are called 'EVSE', which are basically the charging stations you can install in your home to power up the EV. I think I'm right on that --

What I am unclear about is when you're out in the wild, and you see a charging station, how do you know if you can charge the Bolt there? Do you need to use an app to find only the specific charging stations out there that accept SAE Combo?

 

[Dr.G]

Vehicles using SAE combo: the Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid and Smart EV.

So is it correct to say that anywhere a Leaf can charge, so too should a Bolt be able to charge? If so, this is relieving to know, because I'm pretty sure Leaf owners have no problem finding places to charge.

 

[Jerry]

So is it correct to say that anywhere a Leaf can charge, so too should a Bolt be able to charge? If so, this is relieving to know, because I'm pretty sure Leaf owners have no problem finding places to charge.

The way I'm understanding things is that CCS is a derivative/capability of SAE J1772. CCS adds extra pins to the traditional J1772 connector in order to facilitate DC fast charging...

 

[Zoomit]

These are a pretty good place to start:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charging_station

http://evobsession.com/electric-car-charging-101-types-of-charging-apps-more/

http://evobsession.com/electric-car-charging-capabilities-comparison-of-27-models/

 

[Breezy]

All electric vehicles in North America use the J1772 plug for typical AC charging, with the exception of Tesla which includes an adapter. So the Bolt will be able to charge at any public AC charging station. This will fully charge the Bolt from empty in about 9 hours.

SAE Combo, also known as Combined Charging System (CCS), is a DC fast charging standard. Like Jerry said, it's a J1772 connector with two DC charging pins added below. This will charge the Bolt to 80% in 1 hour.

CHAdeMO is another DC fast charging standard, used by the Nissan Leaf. CCS and CHAdeMO are not compatible, although a lot of new fast charging stations have two separate plugs: one for CCS and one for CHAdeMO.

Finally, the third DC fast charging standard is the Tesla Supercharger, for Teslas only.

 

[Shuto]

Well I wonder when Elon is going to come good on his promise to open superchargers up to other manufacturers...

 

[Dr.G]

Thanks everyone!

 

[igotzzoom]

The Leaf is J1772 Level 2 compatible, but not CCS. For high-power DC charging, it uses the CHAdeMO protocol.

 

[David Reeck]

Bolt charging

On this forum, a reader stated that a Bolt (which has a 60 kWh battery) could recharge in 9 hours with a J772 charger. NOT true is the level 2 charger is the 3 kW variety, but true if it is a 7 kW level 2.

 

[David Reeck]

The CCS chargers that were installed for the BMW i3 are only 24 kW, not the 80-90 kW range.
Note: not all CCS are created equal.
Their power level can range from 24-90 kW.
Note: not all J772 chargers are 7kW, some are 3.2 kW.

 

[devbolt]

In the 18 months since this thread was originally started a lot more information has come out about the charging capabilities of the Bolt. As well as a lot more info about the different levels of EVSEs that are available, including the range of kW capabilities of those various EVSEs.

 

[DucRider]

On this forum, a reader stated that a Bolt (which has a 60 kWh battery) could recharge in 9 hours with a J772 charger. NOT true is the level 2 charger is the 3 kW variety, but true if it is a 7 kW level 2.

The Bolt charger is 7.2 kW, so the ~9 hour figure is correct.

Note: not all J772 chargers are 7kW, some are 3.2 kW.

I think you are confusing the EVSE with the charger? The charger is in the vehicle and uses the current provided by the EVSE to charge the batteries.

If you plug the Bolt into an EVSE with less than 7.2 kW, charging will be slower (how much depends on the power level - amps - and voltage of the EVSE). When you plug a vehicle into a J1772 EVSE, the EVSE "advertises" to the car how much amperage it has available. The charger (which is built into the car) then controls the session and will not attempt to draw more current than the EVSE can provide.

Charging rates can be reduced due to battery SOC and temperature (among other factors), so you will not always get the maximum that the EVSE and/or charger are rated for. In a very hot garage, the charger may reduce the charge rate (or even suspend the session) as a function of the battery management system.

The only J1772 charger (that I'm aware of) greater than 7.2 kW is the Mercedes B250e. Its charger is 9.6 kW.

A car with a 3.3 kW charger (i. e.first gen LEAF's) that is plugged into a 32A (7.7 kW) EVSE can only charge at 3.3 kW. A car with a 7.2 kW charger (like the Bolt) that is plugged into an EVSE that only provides 3.3 kW will be limited to the 3.3 kW the EVSE can provide.

The limit is the lower of the EVSE or the charger (which is part of the car).

 

[devbolt]

2012-2014 RAV4-EV can also charge at 40A/9.6kW.

 

[David M O'Rourke]

The only J1772 charger (that I'm aware of) greater than 7.2 kW is the Mercedes B250e. Its charger is 9.6 kW.

technically correct - but the Tesla comes with a J-1772 adapter which allows the car to use J-1772 public chargers - and while the Tesla charge connector is physically different in shape it is a J-1772 protocol compatible charging systems. Tesla's can be configured with onboard/in-car chargers that support upto 80/72 amps - I've actually charged my Model S @ 72 AMP's with a J-1772 charger in San Luis Obispo public parking garage via the Tesla J-1172 adapter.

 

[Dimitrij]

Which charging networks?

Fortunately, so far I haven't had the need to fast-charge just to get home, because to do so may be a little challenge in itself. In public places it's very common for ICE cars to hog in the EV charging bays "Oh look, here is a parking spot, with some stupid green emoji, painted on it. Let's park here".

The charging stations I have tried to use did not work correctly on half of the occasions; most of the boo-boos were fixed over the phone, though.

To fast-charge (which I did just to explore the method) without the network-specific RFID card and subscription was $10.00, after a long phone call to the customer services. If you go from let's say half-battery to 90%, it's 24 kWh, that is $0.42/kWh or $14.04 for the equivalent of a gallon of gas (33.7 kWh = 1 gallon). But even with the RFID card it's still 5 coins.

Check out this number to call at one of the comatose stations:

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