What Is CHAdeMo Charging And Which EV Cars Use It?

Have you just heard about ChAdeMo chargers and now you are wondering what they are and which EV cars use them?

Well, CHAdeMo chargers are not much different from other EV chargers in the market but there are some slight changes that are really important.

So in this article, we are going to explain everything about CHAdeMo charging in detail.

So, let’s get started.

What Is CHAdeMO Charging?

In 2010, Japan developed and launched CHAdeMO—a fast-charging standard for electric vehicles.

The goal was to offer a dependable and swift way to recharge EV batteries, easing concerns about range and boosting the popularity of electric transportation.

CHAdeMO allows for fast charging using direct current. In this case, a car charges about 80% of the total capacity in its battery within half an hour, depending on the battery size and charging port.

Why is CHAdeMO Becoming Less Popular?

Although the hype around CHAdeMO was quite significant in the beginning, there are now key challenges that it is suffering from.

  • Competition from Combined Standards: Newer standards, like CCS, combine within a single port both AC and DC charging. They are also much more attractive to customers because of the lower infrastructure costs and complexity.
  • Limited Charging Speed: While faster compared to the standard rate of AC charging, it remains slower in output compared to its newer counterparts, the CCS and Tesla Supercharger, which is quickly becoming a problem with the increase in EV battery size and consumers expecting a faster charge.
  • Automaker Support: Most major car manufacturers had already begun to withdraw support for CHAdeMO in favor of competing standards, effectively translating into more new models lacking CHAdeMO ports.
  • Infrastructure Expansion: As more CCS and other types of charging points are built, there is less reason to buy vehicles with CHAdeMO capability.
  • Global Harmonization: Efforts to standardize charging globally might favor more widely used standards, potentially leaving CHAdeMO behind in some areas.

That’s the big challenge that makes CHAdeMO an ugly duckling in the situation, further underlining why it absolutely must evolve to flourish in the future of electric vehicle charging.

Now you know the basics of CHAdeMo charging, it’s time to discuss which EV cars use a CHAdeMo charger.

Which EV Cars Use A CHAdeMO Charger?

While there are not many cars that come with CHAdeMo compatible charging abilities, here are the most common ones:

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is a very affordable EV. It’s ultra-user-friendly and easy to drive. Fast charging on CHAdeMO stations makes the battery very user-friendly for everyday use.

Nissan e-NV200

This electric van by Nissan is perfect for businesses doing deliveries in the city. It’s spacious, emission-free, and can charge rapidly with CHAdeMO, ensuring minimal downtime on the job.

Kia Soul EV

With its iconic design and spacious, boxy interior, the Kia Soul EV is one fashionable ride in the city. The car is prepped and ready for the commute to work with CHAdeMo quick charging.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

It is a plug-in hybrid SUV that is propelled by electricity and gasoline. What comes in handy here is that the Outlander PHEV charges speedily through CHAdeMO, so the driving range of the user becomes very high.

What Does the CCS2-CHAdeMO Adapter Do?

If you own an electric vehicle like the Nissan Leaf, Nissan e-NV200, Kia Soul EV, or Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, and you are encountering difficulties at public or private EV charging stations, a CCS2-CHAdeMO adapter could be the solution you need.

The CCS2-CHAdeMO adapter is part of the chain of compatibility of networks of electric vehicles.

In real essence, the CHAdeMO adapter is designed to make possible a seamless charging connection by allowing the chargers to operate on a CHAdeMO-equipped car while in a CCS2 charging station.

This way, the adapter can be connected to your vehicle’s CHAdeMO port and plugged into CCS2 charging infrastructures, allowing you to use more charging infrastructures.

In summary, CHAdeMO was a pioneer in the realm of fast charging for electric vehicles, providing a reliable and efficient way to recharge EV batteries quickly.

However, the emergence of newer, more versatile standards like CCS and Tesla Supercharger has overshadowed CHAdeMO, causing it to lose popularity.

Despite this, several popular EV models still use CHAdeMO chargers, and adapters are available to enhance compatibility with other charging standards.

For those driving vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, Nissan e-NV200, Kia Soul EV, or Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, CHAdeMO continues to be a viable and effective charging solution.

However, the industry trend towards unified and more efficient charging standards suggests that CHAdeMO will need to adapt to remain relevant in the rapidly evolving world of electric vehicles.