Electric Vehicle Charging

Portable EV Chargers – Charge anywhere from a standard domestic socket. Rated 3.7kW.

Fast Portable EV Chargers. Charge at an installed industrial CEE socket. Rated 7.4kW to 22kW.

Home EV Charging Stations. Wall mounted convenience. Rated 7.4kW to 22kW.

Public EV Charge Stations. For shared use, with back-office connectivity and user billing options.

EV Charging Cables and Accessories. Coiled or straight cables for use at public AC charging.

Drive on sunshine and save money with an
electric vehicle and home charger

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charge Station

If you’re looking for a fast, efficient, and convenient home charging solution, look no further than BWireless Energy Systems. We offer Electric Vehicle charging equipment and can create a solution that:

Recoups your daily driving range in just a few hours
Fully charges your battery overnight to avoid time-of-use rates, and has you ready to go by morning
Usually doesn’t require major upgrades to your home electrical service

Now for some perspective: a charger that delivers 50-70 kilometers of range per hour charged is ideal (6.6-10 kW power delivery) for South African drivers who cover about 70 kilometers per day on average. Average daily kilometers are recharged within 2 hours and even a close-to-empty 100 kWh battery can be charged fully overnight. It’s clear, having solar + Electric Vehicle home charging = maximum energy savings.

AC Charging vs DC Charging

AC Charging

Electric vehicles (EVs) are fitted with an onboard charger which converts alternating current (AC), the type of electricity powering home appliances, to direct current (DC), the type of electricity required to charge EV batteries.

An “AC Charger” is essentially an intelligent switch which informs the EV how much power it can draw, determined by the capacity of socket or electrical installation. Once the safety checks are completed it activates the switch to supply AC power to EV. The charge rate is limited by the vehicle’s onboard charger, typically up to 11kW, 3-phase. AC chargers are the most common and cost effective means of EV charging.

DC Chargers or “superchargers” deliver the fastest possible charge rate. The technology is more complex and expensive that AC charging technology since the AC to DC rectifier is located in the charging station. Large DC charge stations can deliver up 350 kW, however the charge rate will be limited to the EV, typically between 50kW and 100kW. The high cost of DC Charge stations and electrical infrastructure limits their application to public charging facilities on national highways or dedicated fast charging facilities.

Safe Charging

Charging an EV involves the transmission of high current which poses a fire/safety risk if not conducted correctly.

Never use an extension cord with a portable EV charger.
Charging from a domestic socket is safe when the electrical installation was performed by a licenced electrician. If in doubt, rather charge at a lower rate (eg. 10 Amps).
If the charger plug and/or the socket become hot during charging, stop charging and have the socket circuit tested by an electrician.
Level 2 Charge Stations must only be installed by a licenced electrician who can issue a CoC for the installation. Ensure that these chargers are installed using a 6mm² power supply cable as they can draw up to 32 Amps continuously for extended periods of time.

Electric Vehicle (EV) Plugs

TYPE 2 AC PLUG

TYPE 1 AC PLUG

TYPE 2 CCS DC PLUG

TYPE 1 CCS PLUG

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Electrical Terms

Amps (A) is the measuring unit for electric current. South African domestic sockets can supply up to 16 Amps current.

Volts (V) is the measuring unit for electrical potential. South Africa’s standard domestic supply voltage is 230 Volts.

Watt (W) is the measuring unit for electrical power. Electric power is calculated by multiplying the voltage by the current. The power rating for a South African domestic socket is therefore 16Amps x 230Volts = 3.7kW.

Kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the measuring unit for electrical power consumption. It is used by electricity utility providers to bill users for the amount of electricity consumed. It is the energy provided in one hour by one kilowatt of power. The capacity of Electric Vehicle batteries is also measured in kWh.

Single Phase Charging vs Three Phase Charging

SINGLE PHASE CHARGING

Single Phase AC is the standard type of electricity supplied to most homes and small businesses, comprising of three conductors, Live (L), Neutral (N) and Earth (E). It is the most common means of charging EVs at your home or workplace, providing a maximum charge rate of 7.4 kW.

THREE PHASE Charging

Three Phase AC is the type of electricity supplied to large consumers of power, including offices, factories, farms and large homes. It comprises of five conductors, three Live (L1, L2, L3), one Neutral (N) and Earth (E). 3-Phase (3P) AC charge stations are rated up 22 kW, although the majority of electric cars only support 11 kW 3-phase charging. A few earlier generation EVs do not support three phase charging.

Industrial CEE Sockets

Industrial CEE sockets are commonly used in factories to supply electricity to high-powered machinery and come in various power variants, distinguished by colour, diameter and number of pins.

While standard domestic sockets can deliver up to 3.7kW of power, CEE sockets can deliver up to 22kW of power for the fastest possible AC charging.

An electrician can install a blue, 32 Amps, 3-pole, single-phase CEE socket in your home for use with our 7.4 kW, Fast Portable Level 2 EV Charger.

For homes and businesses equipped with 3-phase power a red, 16×3 Amps, 5-pole, 3-phase CEE socket will deliver up to 11KW of power, the maximum AC charging capacity of most EVs. If you want to “future proof” your installation consider installing 32×3 Amps, 5-pole, 3-phase CEE socket which delivers up to 22KW for use with our highest rated 22kW 3-Phase Fast Portable.

Charging Levels

LEVEL 1

AC Charging up to 3.7KW

Level 1 chargers plug into a standard domestic socket and can supply up 16 Amps or 3.7 kW of AC power. A level 1 portable EV charger is usually supplied with an EV and provides the simplest, but also the slowest, method of charging an EV.

LEVEL 2

AC Charging up to 22KW

Level 2 chargers can supply between 7.4 kW and 22 kW of AC power and must be installed by an electrician into an electric circuit that can provide the required power. It enables the fastest means of AC charging at your home or workplace.

LEVEL 3

DC Charging 30KW - 350KW

Level 3 chargers, also known as “Superchargers”, can supply up to 350 kW of DC power. They are mainly found at public charging facilities on national highways or dedicated fast charging facilities.

Energy Costs

Whereas the efficiency of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is measured in litres per 100 km, the efficiency of EVs is measured in kWh per 100 km. Larger or higher performance EVs will have a higher electrical energy consumption than lighter or lower performance EVs.

In order to calculate the electrical running costs of an EV, one needs to know:

the average electrical energy consumption (in kWh/100 km) of the EV, ‘x’.
the price of electricity (Rands/kWh) from the electricity supply utility, ‘y’

Energy running cost per 100 km = x*y or
Energy running cost per km = x*y/100

In addition to the cost benefit, lower electrical energy consumption enables more range to be added per hour of charging.

How do I choose a charger?

BWireless Energy can help you choose the correct charger for your electric vehicle. If you have an existing home EV charger, we can install a dedicated 240v outlet for maximum power and faster charging.

Our licenced and professional electrical subcontractors will perform a load calculation to confirm that you’ll be up to standard with your dedicated Electric Vehicle circuit on your Distribution Board and help you decide which options best meet your needs. They will also issue a COC to ensure compliance and safety.

Electric vehicles are here to stay

Electric vehicles (EVs) have officially made their mark as a mainstream revolution. Conventional cars have long been propelled by internal combustion engines burning finite fossil fuels, a concept pioneered a century ago. But today the car industry is accelerating toward all-electric vehicles and the savings and convenience that come with them.

If you’ve joined the EV revolution, BWireless Energy is here to equip you with the exact charger you need to fit your vehicle or an outlet that’s ready to accept any EV charger (purchased separately).

Why consider an electric vehicle?

Try this on for size: never worrying about fuel prices again, charging your tank while you sleep and skipping out on oil changes. Sounds nice, right?

Electric vehicles emit no harmful gases to our atmosphere, and now have the same range as a full tank of fuel. All major automotive companies are investing in electric cars, and many have committed to entirely electric fleets soon. The constantly fluctuating oil market is reason enough to quit the petrol/diesel game and join the “fill up” at home crew.

Have a solar energy system? Even better. The benefits are doubly exciting when you charge your electric vehicle with solar energy: you reduce your carbon footprint almost entirely by powering it with clean energy (vs. fossil-fueled grid power) and you save on that energy.

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