User protection, product reliability stressed in EV charging cable assemblies

Suppliers of charging cable assemblies highlight safety and performance features to match continuous upgrades in electric vehicles.

Product safety and reliability remain priorities in mainland China's production of cable assemblies used in charging electric vehicles. Makers are now also ensuring user protection is emphasized in equal measure. Besides standard attributes such as flame retardancy, and resistance to dust, water, oil and chemicals, they are including features that prevent incorrect insertion, and safeguard against accidental dropping and contact. Jiangsu Cebea developed a special beryllium bronze spring to eliminate electric arcs during hot plugging and ensure up to 100,000 mating cycles. The company secured national patents for this.

On the emergence of wireless charging solutions with advantages of space-saving, low maintenance cost and greater convenience, mainland companies are divided. Some acknowledge the threat, especially as carmakers such as Tesla, Audi, BMW, Benz and BYD have integrated the technology in recent rollouts and amid upbeat projections. In the mainland itself, the market projection for wireless charging is $1.5 billion by 2020, according to a report posted on Sohu News.

Other manufacturers stay positive of current methods, citing issues of high loss and electromagnetic radiation, reduced efficiency, long charging and high installation cost in the wireless option. They are certain the wired line will remain strong in the next two years and will not be replaced completely in the long run.

The mainland's EV charging cable assembly industry achieved 5 percent annual sales growth in the past two years, a trend forecast to persist the rest of 2018 and throughout 2019. Despite the limited increase in orders locally and abroad, the majority of suppliers have signified readiness to a rise in orders in 2019.

The region is one of the world's largest production bases for charging cable assemblies for electric vehicles. More than half of output is exported, mainly to North America, Europe and East Asia.

About 300 companies constitute the manufacturing pool there, and more than 80 percent are local operations. Some have the in-house capability to turn out the plugs, while others outsource them. The line accounts for 10 to 40 percent of suppliers' shipments.

Entrants are expected to increase the maker base and intensify competition. They will most likely set up production facilities in the coastal cities, where over 90 percent of the companies are based. The key areas include Shenzhen, Ningbo, Yueqing and Suzhou.

Standard lineup

Mainland companies offer EV charging cable assemblies with charging voltage of 220 to 250VAC and rated current of 10 to 63A.

The connectors have four or seven contacts made of copper and plated with silver, and UL94V-0-rated thermoplastic insulators.

The cables use bare-copper conductors, and thermoplastic insulation and jackets. These come in sizes of 8 to 24AWG.

Units are flame-retardant, and can withstand heat, cold, abrasion, UV radiation, and chemical and solvent reaction. Water resistance ranges from IP55 to IP65. The typical life span exceeds 10,000 cycles.

The majority of suppliers secure industry certification such as CE, CSA, GB/T 20234.2-2011, IEC 62196, RoHS, TÜV, UL and SAE J1772.

Locally available materials are used except thermoplastic, which some makers obtain from foreign providers. Interviewed Taiwan supplier Chung Kwang Electric Wire & Cable Co. Ltd sources all inputs from Germany and the US.

There had been no significant adjustments in material costs in past months, keeping the prices of EV charging cable assemblies flat. This will also be the expected trend through 2019, although some suppliers may lower their quotes to cope with competition as more players enter the line.

The products in this gallery have been handpicked by our mainland China-based market analyst for representing current trends in EV charging cable assemblies from mainland China and Taiwan makers.

IP65-rated EV charging cable assembly

This 250VAC, 16, 32 or 63A EV charging cable assembly from Aceharness Ltd, ACE0701-6 model, is IP65-rated and IEC 62196-2 2010-compliant. Its copper alloy contact pins are encased in a shell made of glass fiber-reinforced PC. The core is of PBT with 20 percent glass fiber. Operating temperature is -30 to 50 C.

The minimum order is 200 units. Delivery is within 7 days.

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EV charging cable assembly meets SAE J1772

The CKW-J1772 model from Chung Kwang Electric Wire & Cable Co. Ltd is an EV charging cable assembly with 120 to 240VAC and 30A rated voltage and current. It has a ground, two power and two signal poles, and comes in EVE and EVT types with 3x10AWG and 2x16AWG construction. Operating temperature is -40 to 50 C.

The unit complies with SAE J1772 and RoHS requirements. It is resistant to heat, moisture, abrasion, crush, UV light, oil and solvents. The order quantity is negotiable. Delivery is within 10 days.

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Flame-retardant EV charging cable assembly

Jiangxi Hejia Technology Co. Ltd's model EVRP-#6027 flame-retardant EV charging cable assembly meets ISO 6722/GB/T 25085-2010 and QC/T 1037-2016 requirements. Its rated voltage is 750 or 1,400V and operating temperature -40 to 105 C.

The shielded unit has built-in protection against high and low temperatures, and is resistant to cracks, oil, acid, alkali, water and wear. The 1,000m minimum order is delivered within 14 days.

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EV charging cable assembly rated at 450/750VAC

Tianjin Wanbo Wire & Cable Co. Ltd offers model EV-YJYJ EV charging cable assembly, which is rated at 450 or 750VAC, 16 to 63A. The product has an outer diameter of 13.5 to 30.5m. Its temperature range is -40 to 50 C.

The minimum order for this GB/T18487.1-2001- and GB/T 20234-compliant product is 500 units. Delivery lead time is 20 days.

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