New energy vehicle connectors are making rapid progress

Mileage anxiety (fear of being stuck on the roadside after the battery of electric vehicles is exhausted) has been one of the main obstacles to the adoption of electric vehicles. However, with the expansion of charging infrastructure and the improvement of battery technology, this barrier began to decline. According to the electric vehicle database, the average driving range of electric vehicles is 331 kilometers (205 miles), and the highest ranking model is 434 kilometers (269 miles). This makes commuting and errands easily within the scope

At the same time, the electric vehicle charging infrastructure has also expanded rapidly worldwide. Europe plans to add at least one fast charging station every 60 kilometers by 2025. In May 2022 alone, China built 87000 public charging stations. In the United States, California has more than 14627 public charging stations, taking the lead. However, even the sparsely populated North Dakota recently announced a plan to add one charging station every 50 miles along the two interstate highways across the state.

Major developments in battery pack technology for electric vehicles include new battery chemistry using lithium tungsten, zinc manganese oxide, organic silicon electrolyte, gold nanowire gel electrolyte and hydrogen. Researchers from automobile manufacturers, battery and battery pack OEMs are expanding the capacity of batteries to store energy, charge faster and operate at lower temperatures. By improving the cables and connectors, these battery compositions can be supported in the entire electric drive system, thus reducing the size and cables of the component structure, improving thermal management, and transmitting high voltage current in the system faster. TE Connectivity estimates that up to 40% of the total material list of new electric vehicles can be attributed to the contents of battery packs. With the improvement of performance, the cost of battery is also decreasing.

During high power direct current (DC) charging cycles, the main battery connection needs to carry a continuous current of up to 600 amperes in a few minutes, and the peak level during hard acceleration is much higher. In addition, the battery needs to operate reliably for 180000 miles or about 10 years at temperatures between - 40 ° C and+75 ° C, and the connection needs to operate at temperatures of+150 ° C or above to adapt to higher load conditions. This means that the connector must be made of heat-resistant and solid materials, which can withstand high temperature fluctuations for a long time. The charging cycle and operating conditions will exert pressure on the components; Each part of the system must maximize its light weight, high performance and high reliability. Even elements such as solder paste also play a role in maintaining the integrity of the battery management system of electric vehicles.

Another key consideration is the shielding effect. The high-density vehicle environment is busy receiving electronic signals from lighting, automatic control, safety, communication/infotainment and transmission systems. Electric vehicle battery and battery management system are the "brain" of electric vehicle battery system, and electromagnetic interference must be prevented. The board-to-board connectors used between the battery pack and the control, communication and diagnostic systems must be shielded from interference so that each system can operate as efficiently as possible.

"Fast charging is really exciting. With the update of battery technology, fast charging will enable electric vehicles to carry out the long-distance travel we are accustomed to on internal combustion engines. For example, if your battery power is insufficient, HPC station charges at 500A and 1000V, you can obtain about 80% of the power in three to five minutes, which depends on your own battery size, charging state, and whether the vehicle can handle this charging level." Director of Phoenix Contact Electronics Mobile North America said.

Another way to charge quickly is to replace the used battery with a fully charged battery. This strategy is being widely implemented in China. The battery replacement station promoted by the car manufacturer Nio will install new battery packs in three minutes. In other markets, replacement battery cells are used for utilities and work vehicles, such as forklifts, transport vehicles and passenger cars. However, most electric vehicle charging is still carried out through the charging connection embedded in the familiar handheld format. The electric vehicle charging connector provides owners with a "gasoline pump experience" at the charging station.

With the acceleration of the application of electric vehicles, we will see the improvement and price reduction of electric vehicle batteries. The connector technology that facilitates the transmission of energy into these systems will support these developments and the transition to electronic mobility.