EV Owners and the Rise of Dongles: What You Need to Know

Electric vehicle EV owners prepare yourselves! With a new era of adapters and connectors emerging the EV landscape is rapidly evolving. Consequently staying up to date with the latest technology is key to ensuring seamless connectivity and charging compatibility.

Why Dongles Are Becoming Necessary

• Charging Standards: Different charging networks and stations utilize various connector types. Dongles help bridge the gap between your EV’s charging port and the available infrastructure.
• Connectivity: As EVs become more integrated with smart devices and networks dongles facilitate data transfer and communication between your car and other systems.
• Backward Compatibility: New EV models may incorporate updated technology requiring adapters to work with older charging equipment or accessories.

Common Dongle Types You’ll Encounter

• Charging Adapters: These let you connect your EV to different plug types such as CHAdeMO CCS or Tesla’s connector.
• J1772 Adapters: A common North American standard for Level 2 charging. Use this if the station has a different connector.
• Data Dongles: Some EVs require dongles for specific data connectivity features such as vehicle diagnostics or third-party app integration.

Navigating the Dongle Dilemma

• Research Compatibility: Before purchasing a dongle ensure it’s compatible with your EV model and the specific device or charging station you intend to use.
• Read User Reviews: Check online reviews to gauge the reliability and performance of different dongles.
• Consider Multi-Adapters: Some manufacturers offer adapters supporting multiple connectors reducing the number of dongles you need to carry.
• Keep Organized: Store your dongles in a dedicated space in your vehicle to prevent loss or damage.

The EV charging ecosystem has long been fragmented with multiple standards such as CCS NACS and J1772 in use. As a result adapters and dongles have proliferated to ensure compatibility across different vehicles and charging stations.

General Motors GM has announced three new EV charging adapters to ease the transition from the older Combined Charging System CCS to Tesla’s NACS which many automakers are now adopting. While this move aims to enhance flexibility for EV owners the growing array of adapters is making the EV charging landscape increasingly complex. This transitional period has created confusion especially for new or potential EV owners as they navigate a mix of charging standards and adapter types.

Progress Towards Standardization

• SAE J3400 Standard: In December 2023 SAE International published the Technical Information Report TIR for J3400 which is an EV charging connector standard based on Tesla’s NACS connector. The standardization of NACS as J3400 ensures that any supplier or manufacturer will be able to use manufacture or deploy the J3400 connector on electric vehicles EVs and at charging stations across North America. Transportation Office
• Universal Plug & Charge Protocol: A new universal Plug and Charge protocol set to launch in 2025 aims to simplify EV charging. With this system EV owners can plug in their vehicles while the entire process including payment is handled automatically in the cloud. Moreover the framework has backing from major industry players ensuring wide adoption.

The Road Ahead

While these advancements are promising the transition to a standardized charging infrastructure will take time. In the meantime EV owners may need to rely on adapters to access a broader range of charging stations. The industry’s commitment to standardization and improved connectivity solutions is a step in the right direction aiming to reduce the reliance on dongles and enhance the overall EV charging experience.