Smiths Interconnect has introduced the advanced Hypertac Green Connect socket to meet the increasing demand for ultrafast charging in battery electric vehicles. According to the company, the new socket demonstrates a significant leap in connector technology, offering unprecedented energy transfer, durability, and long-term performance.
Infrastructure for ultrafast Combined Charging System (CCS), particularly in highway services and major forecourts within cities, is pivotal for continued adoption of battery electric vehicles. However, there is room for improvement among all ultrafast CCS by mitigating the power loss due to Joule’s heating of DC+ and DC- sockets within the CCS plug that results in increased charging time. While power loss may seem innocuous given its prevalence currently in the industry, if not addressed, it can ultimately become one of the major reasons for the vicissitudes of slow adoption of BEVs.
As EV adoption accelerates and demand for ultrafast charging increases, the Hypertac Green Connect contact is designed to future-proof charging infrastructure. Its key features include:
- Compliance with Industry Standards: The Hypertac Green Connect contact is engineered to meet the rigorous specifications of IEC62196 and SAE J1772, ensuring compatibility with global EV charging standards. This positions it as a versatile solution for various charging networks and EVs across the globe.
- Boosted Energy Transfer Performance: Capable of delivering up to 90% more transfer of energy at 500 Amp boost mode, the Hypertac Green Connect socket offers unmatched low-contact resistance and temperature rise even after 10,000 insertion and withdrawal cycles. This represents a significant improvement over conventional connector technologies, allowing Hypertac Green Connect to deliver more energy efficiently, bringing delight to both the Charge Point Operators (CPOs) and the BEV users.
- Long-Term Durability: Designed for ultrafast high-power charging, the Hypertac Green Connect excels in boost mode (overload phase of charging), consistently transferring more energy with less degradation over time than other technologies that decrease their electrical performance as mating cycles increase. The sockets are built to endure up to 60,000 mating cycles – a lifespan far exceeding alternatives in the market – ensuring that CPOs can rely on the same connector for extended periods without degradation in the plug’s performance.
- Low Insertion and Extraction Force: its innovative design minimizes insertion and extraction force, making the ergonomics of the plug more user-friendly while reducing wear and tear on the connector. This feature ensures that operators can maximize the lifecycle of the connector, minimizing downtime and maintenance costs, while enhancing overall operational efficiency.
- Fully RoHS and REACH compliant materials: the solution is lead-free and beryllium-free. The removal of beryllium and lead from the Hypertac Green Connect provides transformative operational and environmental advantages. These materials typically require extensive compliance management, including certifications, declarations of meeting regulatory thresholds, and the handling of exemptions—all of which are time-consuming and expensive. By eliminating beryllium and lead entirely, we significantly reduce the burden of compliance documentation. More importantly, this change enhances the safety of our manufacturing process and protects our customers, as hazardous substances are fully removed. Additionally, it eliminates the future costs associated with environmentally-safe disposal of these materials.
“The Hypertac Green Connect contact technology is expected to bring a sea change in the BEV charging industry helping particularly the CPOs and the BEV users. With its unrivalled performance to transfer energy at boost mode, long-term durability, and compliance with global standards, we are setting a new benchmark for high-performance connectors that will meet the needs of an evolving market.”
Mark Kelleher, Connectors BU Director at Smiths Interconnect
