Electric vehicles are a promising solution to climate change, pollution, energy depletion, and resource exploitation. If you’re thinking of buying an electric vehicle, you have to purchase an apt charger for it. If you want to buy an EV charging cable, you’ll have to consider several factors. What should you know before you make your purchase? Read this article to find out.

EV Charging Cable: What You Need to Know

Do you want a single EV charging cable that ensures the fastest transmission of charge via any charging point? If so, you need to know three things:

• The capacity of the cable’s onboard charger
• What to do if the vehicle has a Type 1 or Type 2 inlet
• A Mode 3 cable is essential

Pick a Home Charger!

The first and foremost thing: you should install a home charger. The best home chargers come with fixed cables and outlets. However, if you travel away from home, you’ll need a cable as the home charger won’t be there to save you from the crisis.

Pick a Mode 3 Charging Cable for Your Electric Car

Although the Mode system ranges from one to four, you must choose the Mode 3 cable. The Mode 3 EV chargers are popular worldwide and can be used at every public charging station (point) in Australia. Also, know these things:

• Mode 1 charging cables have become obsolete and are no longer used by EV owners.
• Mode 2 charging cables are customary emergency cables, mostly given as an accessory with the electric vehicle.
• These cables are not designed for regular use and should only be considered when there’s an emergency with no charging point available around you.
• Mode 3 is the latest customary EV charging cable that’s ideal for charging your vehicle at any regular charging facility.
• Roadside fast EV chargers use the system of Mode 4.

Go For The Right “Type”

With respect to EV cables, Type means the electric vehicle’s side-plug design. This design can either be a Type 1 or Type 2. The current trend and standard are the Type 2 EV charging cable. If your EV is relatively new, there are high chances of having it. You can find Type 1 inlets on Asian EV brand models that are old.

Pick the Right kW, Amp, and Phase!

Having the right kilowatts and amps and knowing whether you’ll require a phase-3 or phase-1 cable has always been challenging for new EV owners. But now, you can easily make the correct decision.

To get a charging cable that ensures the fastest charge at every charging point, you must know your onboard charger’s capacity.

Check this table to choose a charging cable whose kW rating is equivalent to or more than the onboard charger’s capacity. Remember that any 3-phase cable can leverage the 1-phase.

If you only need to use the charging cable at home, you should consider your home charger’s kW output capacity. If your home charge’s capacity is less than that of the electric car, you can take help from the table above to pick an affordable and lighter charging cable with the required specifications.

So, get the most out of this article to make an informed and smart buying decision when shopping for an EV charging cable.