It is no rocket science that Electric Vehicles (or EVs) are undoubtedly the answers to some of the world’s most treacherous issues around fuel and mobility. With international markets jockeying for the most optimal and sustainable solutions, the Indian EV scene is heating up and not far behind.
And naturally, the surge of EVs on the road is going to be backed by a resilient EV charging infrastructure. Come to think of it, they can be charged at home from a dedicated socket, just like any other household appliance. Coupled with the added benefit of charging on the go, EVs are a one-stop solution to many commute menaces.
So building from the ground up, it makes sense to understand why EV charging is not as intimidating and twisted as it seems at first glance.
Overnight home charging is one of the more favoured avenues for EV owners. Dedicate a parking space with an ergonomic on-wall charging setup and plug in before dozing off. If you’re able to leverage the off-peak electricity prices or draw energy from clean sources like solar panels, driving will be as economic as it gets.
The wallbox can be set up in the garage/parking space via the installation service from your vehicle manufacturer or third-party vendors. Exicom’s Type 2 AC chargers have been particularly designed for home installations and can even be deployed at public charging stations.
These wallbox chargers are designed and tested to withstand all kinds of weather conditions. And since they are connected to centralized management software, seamless data-tracking is an added plus.
EVs are redefining the space by taking the control from the machine and placing it back into the drivers’ hands. Now car owners can dictate terms and curate a personalised charging experience that suits that driving schedule, budget, and/or mood.
Owing to the vast variety of charging options including home wall boxes, portable chargers, and public charging stations in the town and outskirts, it has become increasingly convenient to pick and choose the right changing mix for maximised range and minimal pit stops.
Travelling shouldn’t just be about reaching from point A to point B with charging range anxiety. There’s a whole world that exists between your home and your destination. Establishments like shopping malls, restaurants, fitness gyms, and supermarkets, are all viable avenues to parallelly run chores while recharging your car battery.
The wholesome EV driving experience is powered by freedom of movement, making it way dreamier than its petrol-induced counterparts.
Analogous to petrol and diesel, Electric Vehicles deal with two standards of energy consumption, namely, alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). Even though the power supplied by the grid transmission lines is AC, EV batteries are designed to store and supply DC power on demand.
In essence, where this AC to DC conversion takes place, makes all the difference. The most common is the “onboard charger” on the vehicle which performs this conversion and feeds it into the car’s battery. On the flip side, some chargers have inbuilt converters that can supply DC directly to the car’s battery, not requiring the onboard charger. DC chargers are also relatively quicker, therefore, are regarded as thrilling breakthroughs in the EV space.
EV owners deploy AC charging for home setups since they have more time at their disposal. On the other hand, DC charging finds more utility on highways or at public charging stations, where passersby are looking for a quick pitstop. However, technological advances are making sure DC charging finds footing in household setups as well.
Exicom’s Harmony range of fast DC charger is a trailblazer in this regard that can charge all types of vehicles from entry-level passenger cars to heavy commercial vehicles. Moreover, integration with payment gateways makes it ideal for fleet operations, parking systems, highways and other scenarios.
It is high time that the half-baked misconceptions and myths around EVs and EV charging are busted. EVs are in a whole different class of themselves and therefore, drawing parallels with fuelled vehicles is an unjustified notion.
EV charging is not easier or complicated, it is meant to be different, and that is where the beauty lies. Adopting a cleaner and adaptable mode of fueling is the future. And transient roadblocks posed by the density of charging stations or time of charging are more a matter of acceptance with time than actual logistics.