Consider, for a moment, today’s still-nascent-after-all-these-years electric-vehicle charging infrastructure. There are CHAdeMO chargers (DC fast-current), the SAE’s J1772 (AC current), and then there’s Tesla’s homegrown charging standard, which only works with Tesla products. That’s three different standards, each of which works on some vehicles but not others. This poses a risk to the expansion of electric cars’ appeal?or so says Volvo, which is calling attention to a new standardized charging infrastructure with a “Combined Charging System (CCS).” CCS is derived from J1772 but with CHAdeMO-like DC fast charging capability. The kicker" It uses a single plug design to deliver either AC or DC current at varying power levels to a vehicle’s battery.
Volvo touts the Combined Charging System as a way to slather some homogeneity over the growing EV charging network globally. This makes sense for Volvo and any electrified vehicle maker, except possibly Tesla (which regards its own proprietary charging network as a competitive advantage). Volvo is rapidly expanding its portfolio of plug-in hybrids and, soon, adding a full-blown electric car. A universal charging network that accounts for both regular and ultra-quick charging using the same “Combo2″ plug design, not separate connectors as are necessary today, would certainly help ease customers’ concerns about driving ranges and charging opportunities....