AC or DC - What Do Electric Cars Use? Find Out The Difference.

The demand for electric cars in India is growing of late due to fluctuation in fuel prices. These vehicles operate on either AC or DC (Alternating Current or Direct Current). The energy supplied is generally in the form of AC but the batteries present in these vehicles can only store energy in DC. For this reason, every vehicle comes pre-equipped with a converter.

ELECTRIC CARS - WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALTERNATING CURRENT AND DIRECT CURRENT?

ALTERNATING CURRENT CHARGING FOR ELECTRIC CARS:

As mentioned before, every EV has an in-built converter. Technically, the charger is a converter, and it is also known as a “car charger”. As the name suggests, the component modifies Alternating current or AC into Direct Current or DC. This converted current then powers up the battery. This method of powering the battery is very common. Most modern-day electric cars use this charging method. Also, most of the chargers use the power generated by alternating current.

DIRECT CURRENT CHARGING FOR ELECTRIC CARS:

It is a fact that the main powering supplement is AC. The primary difference between the load of an alternating current and a direct current is the power source's (AC) switching position. It is either inside or outside the car. The DC charger features come equipped with a converter, unlike the AC charger. What does this mean though? Well, it means that the vehicle's battery gets directly powered. The energy can be conveniently converted without the presence of an in-built charger.

CHARGING STATIONS – AC AND DC CHARGING:

The majority of the public charging stations offer AC charging, not DC. The generic rate of charging is 22 kilowatts. The charging rate is dependent on the car's power as well as the infrastructure set in place for charging. This proves to be beneficial for charging an electric vehicle at home or office mainly because it takes time to charge.

DC charging stations are usually situated on highways or near public-use charging stations, i.e., places where you do not have much time to stop and charge for longer periods. Nowadays, the DC charging method is preferred one for home charging. It has a lot of potential since it not only offers quick charging but also provides 2-way charging.

PROBLEMS WITH EV BATTERY TECHNOLOGY:

The only weak link in an electric vehicle is how the batteries are used. Some of the major issues with AC-based or DC-based lead-acid batteries are:

• They are quite heavy, i.e., starting at 450+ kilos.
• They are extremely bulky.
• They have a limited capacity.
• They take quite a lot of time to get fully charged.
• They are very pricey.

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