02. Basic concepts and illustration

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AC vs. DC charging – what's the difference?

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  • AC (alternating current): this is the “normal” charging at home and in most public areas. The car’s own charging electronics (on-board charger) convert the current, so the speed is determined by the car and the wall charger together (e.g. 7.4 kW on single phase, 11 kW on three phase).
  • DC (direct current): “flash charging”, where the charger delivers current directly to the battery at high power (50–350 kW). It is faster, more expensive, and places a greater strain on the battery.

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[question]

What does kW mean? Give an everyday example!

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[answer]

A kW is a measure of power. A kettle or hair dryer is about 2 kW. An 11 kW wall charger is like running five kettles at once — for hours. That's why you need dedicated circuitry and proper protection.

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[question]

How do I estimate charging time?

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[answer]

Roughly: battery capacity (kWh) ÷ charging power (kW).
Example: 60 kWh battery ÷ 11 kW ≈ ~5.5 hours (ideal case, without losses).

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