Charging Plugs for Electric Cars: A Fork in Road : Autos: Manufacturers don’t agree on the vital equipment. Two systems have already been developed.
The world’s big auto makers can’t agree on how electric cars will be plugged in.
Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Corp. and four major Japanese car companies decided this week to use plugs similar to those on household clothes dryers.
General Motors Corp. is holding out for a system developed at its Torrance subsidiary, Hughes Power Control Systems. That method uses an electromagnetic connection that looks something like a compact disc with a handle attached.
The disagreement could result in two kinds of charging systems for electric cars, which are due to become available in 1998 as mandated by the California Air Resources Board. Electric power utilities could be forced to invest in duplicate systems, with consumers left to sort them out.
“It would be more efficient from society’s standpoint if the industry and stake holders sort that out, but it may end up being a market decision,” said Lawrence Simmerling, manager of Ford’s electric vehicle component and system engineering department.
Investor-owned electric utilities have asked the state Public Utilities Commission for permission to use more than $200 million of ratepayer funds over six years to prepare for the introduction of electrically powered vehicles.
Southern California Edison Co., which expects to run most California electric cars, wants to spend $12 million to $14 million of ratepayer funds over six years to build roughly 200 demonstration charging stations. It would prefer that the car makers agree on a standard recharging apparatus.
“Hopefully that decision will be over by then,” said William R. West, Edison manager of regulatory and legislative affairs.
Though both sides deny having economic anxiety about the rivalry, Hughes has already invested more than $10 million in developing its system. Three states currently have laws requiring that electric cars be made available in the next few years. One or two chargers per car will be needed, so there could be demand for more than a million units by 2003, said Dick Bowman, Hughes program manager of electric vehicle infrastructure. Hughes estimates that its charging units will retail for about $1,000 each.
“After 1998, there would be a significant waste to have more than one system,” Bowman said.
Ford and Chrysler were joined by Honda Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. in agreeing on a so-called conductive system, which works much like a conventional plug. The Hughes charger uses electromagnetism to pass along power via what is called an inductive system.
Engineers see advantages and drawbacks to both systems. The more conventional plug would require that each car carry its own charging system, but installing the garage connection would be inexpensive. The Hughes system would put much of the charging mechanism on the garage wall, which would reduce the costs of buying successive electric cars.
“The reality is that they are going to have to compete for the market,” said Cece M. Martin, deputy director of the California Electric Transportation Coalition, which represents the investor-owned utilities.
