AC vs DC EV Chargers in India - A Practical Guide Read the full AC vs DC EV Chargers in India guide

What AC charging does What AC charging does An AC charge point supplies alternating current to the vehicle. The vehicle's onboard charger converts it to DC for the traction battery, which means the car's onboard limit matters as much as the wallbox rating. A vehicle that accepts 7.4 kW AC will not charge at 22 kW simply because it is connected to a 22 kW post. AC therefore works best where vehicles remain parked for hours: homes, offices, hotels, apartments and destination car parks. Spider Mini and Lite provide 3.3 kW, Smart provides 7.4 kW, Blaze 22 kW, Strike 40 kW and Dash 80 kW across supported multi- vehicle configurations.

What DC fast charging does What DC fast charging does A DC charger performs power conversion outside the vehicle and supplies controlled DC power to the battery. It bypasses the vehicle's smaller onboard AC converter, which allows substantially higher power for compatible vehicles. This is useful at public sites, highway corridors and fleet depots where drivers cannot leave a vehicle for several hours. The number printed on the cabinet is not a promise of constant charging speed: the vehicle, battery state of charge, temperature, connector, power sharing and site capacity all affect the session.

CONNECTOR CHEAT SHEET Connector cheat sheet Type 2 Type 2 is widely used for AC charging on passenger vehicles. CCS2 CCS2 combines the Type 2 geometry with additional DC contacts and is a common choice for passenger-car fast charging. CHAdeMO CHAdeMO serves compatible legacy and fleet vehicles. IS 17017-2-6 covers supported light-electric-vehicle DC use cases. Always check the exact vehicle inlet before ordering hardware. An adapter or familiar-looking plug is not evidence that the vehicle accepts the charger's protocol, voltage range or power.

HOW POWER CHANGES THE SITE DESIGN How power changes the site design 3.3 or 7.4 kW A 3.3 or 7.4 kW home charger may fit an existing residential connection after an electrical assessment. Several 22 kW bays A workplace with several 22 kW bays needs diversity planning because not every vehicle necessarily draws full power at once. 30 kW or larger DC A 30 kW or larger DC charger normally needs a dedicated three-phase review, protection coordination and a clear cable route. Higher power can also change the sanctioned-load discussion, transformer requirements and operating tariff. Select the site architecture before treating charger power as a shopping filter.

HOME AND APARTMENT DECISION Home and apartment decision For overnight parking, estimate the energy that must be replaced each day rather than trying to refill the battery from empty. Daily distance, vehicle efficiency and parking hours provide a more useful answer. Confirm the parking allocation, cable route, metering, earthing and society process. Spider Mini, Lite and Smart are the relevant starting points, but the vehicle's AC input limit and the building supply decide whether a larger unit provides any practical benefit. Read the full AC vs DC EV Chargers in India guide

OFFICE AND DESTINATION DECISION Office and destination decision At an office, hotel, mall or hospital, vehicles often stay for two to eight hours. AC can serve many bays at lower infrastructure cost than installing a fast charger at every space. The design should consider visitor turnover, employee parking, billing policy and whether chargers need load management through SpiderConnect. Blaze and Strike are useful comparison points for commercial AC requirements; the final number of connectors and power allocation should follow a site study.

PUBLIC, HIGHWAY AND FLEET DECISION Public, highway and fleet decision Public and highway locations need a demand estimate based on vehicle types, arrival pattern and the minutes drivers can wait. A fleet depot adds route schedules and the time vehicles return to base. Spider Fast is the 30 kW entry point for compatible four-wheelers, while Ultra, Surge and Hulk address progressively higher-power corridor and depot roles. Spider Base covers supported light-EV cases. A mixed fleet may need more than one connector or charger type rather than one oversized cabinet.

WHY THE ADVERTISED KW IS NOT THE SESSION AVERAGE Why the advertised kW is not the session average EVs change charging power throughout a session. A DC-capable vehicle may accept its highest rate only across part of the battery window, then reduce power as state of charge rises or temperature changes. AC charging is steadier but remains limited by the onboard converter. When comparing chargers, ask what vehicles will use the site and how much energy they need during the available stop. A peak cabinet rating alone cannot predict minutes to full, daily throughput or customer waiting time.

ONE FAST CHARGER OR SEVERAL SLOWER CONNECTORS One fast charger or several slower connectors One high-power DC gun A site budget can sometimes fund one high- power DC gun or several lower-power AC or DC connectors. One fast gun may suit intermittent corridor traffic but creates a queue when two vehicles arrive together. Several lower-power bays Several lower-power bays may serve a workplace or depot more effectively because vehicles remain parked. Compare simultaneous demand, parking turnover, redundancy and revenue policy. Also confirm whether the electrical connection can support all connectors at their maximum rating or needs managed power sharing. Read the full AC vs DC EV Chargers in India guide