Commercial electric vehicle fleets in North America often rely on DC fast charging, which involves high infrastructure costs and potential utility upgrade delays. Experts suggest that three-phase AC charging, based on the SAE J3068 standard, offers a more efficient alternative for depot operations where vehicles remain parked overnight.
The J3068 standard allows for three-phase AC power transfer, which is common in Europe and Asia. A standard 480-volt, 63-amp configuration can deliver approximately 52 kW of power. By utilizing existing 480-volt three-phase industrial power, fleets can avoid the need for expensive step-down transformers required by traditional J1772 chargers.
Implementing J3068 requires updates to vehicle onboard chargers to accept three-phase power. Some manufacturers are integrating power electronics, such as drive inverters and DC/DC converters, to eliminate the need for separate onboard charging units. Companies like Range Energy are already adopting this approach for electric-powered semi-trailers.
While the J1772 standard was historically adopted in the US for residential use, it lacks the power efficiency needed for heavy-duty fleet applications. Transitioning to J3068 allows fleet operators to leverage existing on-site three-phase infrastructure, potentially reducing the total cost of ownership for charging hardware and installation.
