Automakers agree on common plug to recharge electric vehicles
By Darren Murph 
posted April 19th 2009 4:24PM
posted April 19th 2009 4:24PM
Just hours after General Motors put forth a proposal for a standardized plug for electric vehicles, in flies this. German energy firm RWE has stated that a cadre of respected automakers and energy firms have all come together in agreement on a three-point, 400-volt plug that will enable electric cars the world over to be recharged anywhere, regardless of which recharging station they stop at. Caroline Reichert, an RWE spokeswoman, noted that the idea here is to ensure that "a car can be recharged in Italy in exactly the same way as in Denmark, Germany or France." We're told that the agreement includes nods of acceptance from the likes of Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Fiat, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Eon, Vattenfall, EDF, Npower, Endesa and Enel, and while there's no time frame for when it'll be introduced, we're pretty stoked to hear that at least something has been decided upon.
I can imagine traveling down that tunnel, and getting mutated into some sort of Super Villain to battle Spiderman of the Fantastic Four.
I agree, US plugs are weak and unsafe, maybe thats why they use 110V and europe uses 240V.
Some hotels ive stayed at in europe had sockets that were loose and falling of the wall because they were only held in place with clips, no screws at all!
I live in the UK and, in my opinion, the plug / socket here is the most robust and safest in the world. Sockets are always fastened on to the wall with screws, not stupid clips and no other country uses a fuse in their plug.
Remember this is only the car end plug so all cars will use the same (on the car end) on the other end you use (in the USA) either a 110 plug and use the receptical already in your garage or put on a 220v adaptor if you have it available and charge it faster. The car will have a charger built in that will know which you have and charge accordingly. when charging stations are built all cars will be able to connect with this common connector.
I'm just glad it wasn't an VHS v. Beta war until the nasty finish. I wonder if GM will hold "licensing fees" for it's proprietary plug and this is what will keep them in business for the next decade?
The plug and extension chord will cost about $400.00. Stupid. We already have high voltage commercial, grounded outlets, plugs and extension chords. Use them.
Why hasn't someone come up with wireless charging for EVs? Like something to park that slowly charges while your at home. Touchstone?
EMF fields that large are not something I'm willing to put up with just for convenience.
ok then, someone design a EV plug that will automatically juice your car after a certain time sitting in your garage. Employ automated rendezvous and docking technology from NASA to connect a plug tolerant to within a few feet of positional offset and disengage freely when your ready to bounce. Is that any less imaginative?
Plugs are so 00's.
what about Honda?
Apparently Apple will be using a different plug for their iCar. Come on Steve Jobs, do you have to do everything differently?
hey, this is great. Things like this need to get done so that people can move forward. It will be incredible when these plugs are as common as gas pumps today. Maybe we can even have them in the home or something
Considering the short range of the cars, and the slow recharging time, I fully expect you'd do this in your garage. You'll be plugging it in along with your laptop and phone and iPod every night. And getting up in the morning "Ahhh f***, the switch was off at the wall"
It is somewhat pointless for all this R&D for one plug for these ev cars, why not just use the electrical industry standard for each country. They already have region specific cars. Tesla's idea seems to be on point, use 240 volts for charging but include a adapter to step down the voltage to 110 volts incase you have charge on the go.
The soultion will be a special socket in the USA in homes that has at least 240 vs the 120, even if its more than that the better
they got 1 too many plugs in that picture... lol
We already have high current, grounded outlet standards, plugs and cables. Make all electric cars 220V/240V and don't make a new and expensive extra gadget. Build in a 110V to 220V transformer when only home outlets are availablle.
Also, GM should worry about its future, as it is, it has none. They should not worry about plugs for cars they don't make. Since GM became Government Motors, nobody cares what they want or say. GM should hire Obama for CEO, since he fired Wagoner and we don't want him as US President any more.
This is excellent news. Compatibility is one of the biggest hurdles.
Woot! About time! Then I'll be able to drive from the US to Russia! on one standard!
How long will it take to charge a car? Electric cars sound great until you actually have to travel somewhere. 240 miles or so on a charge is nothing. That wouldn't even get me home to visit my parents. It's nice that we'll finally having a place to charge them, but if it takes a few hours to charge it's not worth the trouble.
@LS2LS7
Nokia has a number of phones out with micro usb charging.
I don't think living under a rock is healthy in the long run.
Why not post on GM's blog and let them have it? This is very innovative, lets change the plug on the charger to make the consumer pay more for extras!
http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/archives/2009/04/plug-in_standards_necessary_for_consumer_acceptance_of_electric_vehicles_like_the_chevy_volt.html#comments
When I read "Endesa and Enel" I thought it said Edsel and I though "It's doomed."
The plug shown looks like a 4 point (Pin?) but the text indicates a 3 point convention. Who put this information together- a windows support employee?
AND Europe has different outlets than the states, so do we get a 2 prong plug that doesn't work anywhere but NA?
We should have battery stations not recharge stations who wants to wait around while their car charges. Lets standardize battery size / shape,
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