- ChargePoint announced a new generation of Level 2 chargers with variants designed for commercial, residential, and fleet applications.
- The new chargers will allow for bi-directional charging and enable series-wiring that can split up to 19.2 kilowatts between two chargers.
- The new chargers will use ChargePoint’s Omni Port, which combines both J1772 and NACS charging plugs in one system.
ChargePoint is launching a new generation of Level 2 chargers with variants designed for commercial, residential, and fleet uses. The new chargers will all be equipped with ChargePoint’s Omni Port, which allows for quickly switching between a SAE J1772 connector and Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug.ChargePointMore important than the swappable plug is that the new charging equipment enables series-wiring that lets families with two electric cars to daisy-chain chargers and split up to 19.2 kilowatts between two units without having to run a second 240-volt line to their garage. This sharing, which is also possible with other Level 2 home chargers such as Tesla’s Universal Wall Connector, means that families can purchase one charger now and leave the option open to installing a second one down the line if they purchase a second EV. Speaking of 19.2 kilowatts, the new ChargePoint units will now be able to charge at this maximum Level 2 rate, up from a peak of 12 kW today, although this requires a dedicated 100-amp circuit. Along with the sharing capability, ChargePoint says, the new units enable dynamic load balancing to adjust the charging rate according to your household’s real-time energy usage to avoid exceeding the limitations of your electrical service, although the company hasn’t elaborated on how that will work. Some competitors, such as Emporia, also offer this feature. The new ChargePoint charging equipment is also capable of bi-directional charging in the same way as Ford’s Charge Station Pro home charger. While this is a welcome change, the new ChargePoint charging hardware only accounts for one portion of the bi-directional charging equation. We’ve got a more thorough breakdown of the necessary steps here, but in short, you’ll also need some sort of home-integration system to convert your car’s DC electricity into the AC that your home uses, and to disconnect from grid power. The first examples of the new chargers are slated to arrive in Europe this summer but won’t be available in North America until the end of 2025. More on EV ChargingJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
Source: caranddriver.com
