Butt-type couplers recommended for charging electric vehicles

A milestone has been reached in the long effort to establish a single charging standard for electric vehicles. After 18 months of testing and deliberations, a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) task force has adopted a charge coupler design based on butt-type contact technology. The design thus becomes part of the J1772 standard of SAE. The action sets the stage for marketplace competition in inductive charging systems. The task force also considered pin and sleeve technology, which the Japan Electric Vehicle Assn. adopted as the standard in Japan. SAE J1772 will continue to reference this standard.