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ITGlossary · EV charging
DC Charging
Fast charging in which the station converts power to direct current and feeds it straight into the battery, typically at 50 to 350 kW.
Technical level:Basic
In DC charging the converter sits inside the station, which is bulky and fed by a powerful three-phase supply. The station communicates continuously with the vehicle's battery management system and delivers as much current as it requests at each moment.
The power does not stay constant: it is high when the battery is fairly empty and drops considerably above about 80%. That is why on a trip it pays to charge, for example, from 10–20% to 80% and then continue driving.
A cold battery accepts much less power. If the car has battery preconditioning, set the station as the destination in the car's navigation so that it switches on before you arrive.
Related terms
- Charging Power (kW)How much energy flows into the battery per hour, which in AC charging depends on voltage, current and the number of phases.
- On-board Charger (OBC)The converter inside an electric vehicle that turns the station's AC into DC and sets the maximum AC charging power.
- Fast ChargingA charging method that restores battery capacity quickly without damage by controlling current, voltage and temperature.
- Battery Charging CurrentThe amount of current supplied to charge a battery, regulated by the UPS system.
- CCS2 (Combined Charging System)The European connector standard that adds two DC pins below a Type 2 plug, allowing fast DC charging through the same vehicle inlet.
- CHAdeMOA Japanese DC fast-charging standard with its own separate connector, now giving way to CCS2 in Europe.