What are the differences between fast charging and slow charging for electric vehicle charging piles?

Fast charging and slow charging are relative concepts. Generally, fast charging is high-power DC charging, which can charge the battery to 80% of its capacity in half an hour. Slow charging refers to AC charging, and the charging process takes 6 to 8 hours. The charging speed of electric vehicles is closely related to the power of the charger, the charging characteristics of the battery, and the temperature.

With the current battery technology, even with fast charging, it takes 30 minutes to charge the battery to 80% of its capacity. After 80%, to ensure battery safety, the charging current must be reduced, and it takes a long time to charge to 100%. Additionally, when the temperature is low in winter, the charging current required by the battery decreases, and the charging time increases.

A vehicle can have two charging interfaces because there are two charging modes: constant voltage and constant current. Generally, constant current and constant voltage are adopted, which has a relatively higher charging efficiency. Fast charging is caused by different charging voltages and currents; the greater the current, the faster the charging.

When the battery is about to be fully charged, switching to a constant voltage can prevent overcharging and protect the battery.

Whether it is a plug-in hybrid vehicle or a pure electric vehicle, the vehicle is equipped with an on-board charger that can directly charge the vehicle at a place with a 220V power socket. This method is generally used for emergency charging and has the slowest charging speed.

The so-called "flying wire charging" (that is, pulling a wire from a 220V power socket on a high-rise building and charging with a portable charger) is often mentioned. However, this charging method poses significant safety risks. New Travel does not recommend using this method to charge vehicles.

Currently, there are two types of vehicle plugs corresponding to the 220V household power sockets: 10A and 16A. Different models are equipped with different plugs; some come with 10A plugs and others with 16A plugs. The 10A plug is the same specification as our daily household appliances, and its prongs are smaller.

The plug pins of 16A are relatively large, the same size as the empty sockets at home, making it less convenient to use. If your car is equipped with a 16A on-board charger, it is recommended to purchase an adapter for easier use.

How to Distinguish Between Fast and Slow Charging Piles for Electric Vehicles

Firstly, the fast charging and slow charging interfaces of electric vehicles correspond to DC and AC interfaces, namely DC fast charging and AC slow charging. Generally, fast charging has 5 interfaces, while slow charging has 7 interfaces. Additionally, we can also distinguish between fast charging and slow charging from the charging cables; the charging cable for fast charging is relatively thicker.

Of course, some electric vehicles, due to various considerations such as cost and battery capacity, only have one charging mode, so they will only have one charging port.

Fast charging, with a high charging speed, but complex station construction and high costs. Fast charging is usually direct current (also alternating current) that charges the battery in the vehicle directly. In addition to power from the power grid, fast charging piles should also be equipped with fast chargers.

It is more suitable for users to recharge their vehicles mid-journey. However, not every household has the conditions to install fast charging facilities. Therefore, for convenience, the vehicle is equipped with a slow charging function. Also, considering the cost, there are a large number of slow charging stations to increase coverage.

Slow charging is carried out using the vehicle's built-in charging system. Slow charging is beneficial to the battery and ensures a full charge. Moreover, the construction of charging stations is relatively simple, requiring only a sufficient power supply. There is no need for additional high-current charging equipment, and the threshold is low. It is very convenient to use at home, and charging can be done wherever there is a power source.

Slow charging takes about 8 to 10 hours to fully charge the battery. Fast charging has a much larger current, reaching 150 to 300 amps, and can charge 80% of the battery in about half an hour. It is more suitable for mid-journey power supply. Of course, high current charging will have a slight impact on battery life. To increase charging speed, fast-charging stations are becoming more and more common! Most of the charging stations built later are fast-charging ones, and the slow-charging charging piles in some areas are no longer updated or maintained, and are directly abandoned when they break down.