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Automotive vocabulary · Electric Vehicles and Batteries

DC fast charging

Meaning in automotive, with examples

nounCommon term

In automotive, DC fast charging means: High-power charging in which the charging station supplies direct current straight to the battery, bypassing the car's on-board charger. Typical power ranges from 50 kW to over 300 kW.

In Turkish: DC hızlı şarj, hızlı şarj

How it is used

Compared with slower AC charging at home or work. Charging speed is highest at a low state of charge and drops as the battery fills, so manufacturers quote times such as 10 to 80 percent in 25 minutes. In Europe the usual connector is CCS2.

Example sentences

  1. With DC fast charging, the battery goes from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes.

  2. In cold weather, precondition the battery before DC fast charging to get full power.

Common collocations

  • DC fast charger
  • peak charging power
  • charging curve
  • AC charging
  • charging stationEquipment that supplies electricity to recharge an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle. It can be a wall box at home, a public AC charger or a high-power DC fast charger.
  • state of chargeHow full a battery is at a given moment, shown as a percentage of its usable capacity. The battery management system estimates it continuously.
  • battery packThe large high-voltage battery that stores energy for an electric or hybrid vehicle. It is made of many cells grouped into modules, with cooling and control electronics in one housing.
  • BMSShort for battery management system: the electronics that monitor the voltage, current and temperature of the cells, keep them balanced and protect the battery from overcharging, deep discharge and overheating.

More terms: Electric Vehicles and Batteries

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