Nxu introduced that its in-house developed megawatt charging answer, referred to as NxuOne, nears subject testing, as the corporate leaves CharIN affiliation, which works on the competing Megawatt Charging System (MCS) normal.

Nxu – for many who aren’t aware of the title – is an Arizona-based firm that originated from Atlis Motor, which a couple of years in the past meant to develop and manufacture an electrical pickup truck. In the present day, Nxu is a publicly traded firm (NASDAQ: NXU), engaged in battery cells (Qcell), battery packs (Qube), battery vitality storage programs (Qube+) and megawatt charging options.

What we see within the prime picture is the corporate’s NxuOne charging connector, which is predicted to supply not solely a really excessive energy degree of 1.5+ megawatts (MW) of direct present charging (and probably up to a couple megawatts sooner or later), but additionally alternating present (AC) charging – single-phase and extra importantly three-phase. Please word 4 huge pins on the plug to help any charging state of affairs.

Nxu acknowledges a necessity to help three-phase charging in lots of industrial car functions and sees its likelihood to problem the upcoming MCS charging connector (which is predicted to go as much as over 3 MW DC) as a result of MCS doesn’t help AC charging.

The Nxu’s photographs additionally recommend that the NxuOne will probably be extra compact (smaller and lighter) than the MCS:

from left: Megawatt Charging System (MCS) and NxuOne, megawatt charging answer from Nxu

Three-Part Charging

There isn’t any dialogue that the EV business wants a correct DC megawatt charging answer, however some would possibly wonder if there’s a want for three-phase AC charging in North America.

Effectively, apparently there’s in lots of industrial car functions. The bottom, single-phase SAE J1772 plug goes solely as much as 19.2 kW (80 A at 240 V) and the Mixed Charging System (CCS1) DC extension doesn’t help three-phase charging. In different phrases, there’s a black space not lined by this pair of charging connectors.

The unlucky lack of help for three-phase charging already brought about a necessity to launch the SAE J3068 charging normal a number of years in the past (in two configurations), which is predicated on the European IEC 62196 Sort 2 (AC) and its CCS2 model for DC charging. The aim of SAE J3068 was to cost medium- and heavy-duty electrical automobiles in North America from three phases (so long as they’ve three-phase onboard chargers). There are a lot of industrial three-phase installations accessible, as much as 133 kW at 160 A and 480 V or as much as 166 kW at 160 A and 600 V in Canada.

That is the place we all the time return to the start and our start line that solely a charging connector that’s common sufficient to help all charging situations could be the final word one. The European IEC 62196 Sort 2 with CCS2 model was a great (not excellent) candidate for that. It is simple, and close to costless, to maintain unused pins on a plug, in comparison with including a further plug normal simply to deal with some uncovered functions. Now, simply think about somebody who’s utilizing SAE J3068 on its truck fleet, however with out a CCS1 inlet, it may possibly’t use common charging infrastructure, a minimum of not with out an adapter.

Tesla’s North American Charging Commonplace (NACS) doesn’t help three phases as both, and that is most likely its greatest flaw or mistake as a result of with only a 10-25 % dimension enhance, we’d have a probably excellent plug not just for North America however for all international markets. That is the one time when perhaps Elon Musk’s staff was not wanting far sufficient (alternatively, they’d lots on their thoughts when launching the Mannequin S on the time). With a three-phase NACS, we might have only one plug for all light-duty electrical automobiles on the planet.

New Battle? MCS, NxuOne or Tesla?

The NxuOne charging connector is an attention-grabbing idea, which on paper checks most if not all bins – AC (as much as three phases), DC at greater than 1.5 MW (a couple of MW sooner or later, as we perceive), and supporting high-voltage (past 1,000 V).

In fact, we’re very cautious about it (the prototype unit even doesn’t look as small because the idea one within the photographs), but it surely may very well be a candidate for heavy-duty automobiles and industrial functions.

Contemplating the ongoing transition from the CCS1 to the NACS charging connectors for electrical automobiles, evidently we have now a second “battle” between the MCS and NxuOne. We guess that CharIN’s place on MCS is just too sturdy to be challenged by a start-up, however in the long run, the most important EV teams will dictate their phrases anyway.

“Reflecting current developments within the EV charging business, the Firm additionally introduced its intent to go away CharIN (Charging Interface Initiative e.V.), the worldwide affiliation that has been accountable for creating the Mixed Charging System (CCS) and Megawatt Charging System (MCS) requirements. Closing publication of the MCS normal just isn’t anticipated by CharIN till 2024.”

One of the crucial attention-grabbing issues will probably be Tesla’s subsequent transfer. The corporate up to now makes use of some proprietary charging connectors on the Tesla Semi electrical vans. Under we will see the present charging inlet (left picture) and the preliminary prototype (proper picture). Compatibility with the MCS sooner or later has not been confirmed.

Right here is the Tesla Semi’s charging plug (prepared for 1+ MW charging utilizing new V4 charging cable and stalls):

Tesla’s preliminary prototype:

Nxu NACS Assist

By the way in which, Nxu intends to help the NACS charging connector for light-duty automobiles as effectively, though noting “near-term” use, and believing that the NxuOne could be the long-term answer:

“The current adoption of Tesla’s North American Charging Commonplace (NACS) by business leaders Ford, GM, Rivian, and Volvo underscores the pressing want for dependable and high-powered charging options to fulfill rising demand throughout all market segments. Nxu endorses the market’s shift to NACS and confirms the Firm will provide each NACS and NxuOne connectors at future charging stations.”

In the meantime, Munro Reside‘s Sandy Munro and Cory Steuben just lately had a possibility to go to Nxu’s headquarters in Arizona and present us glimpses of what Nxu is doing, together with the NxuOne plug.