ZAPI Announces New Charger Platform

There’s a very common misconception among EV drivers and even people who really should know better, like dealers. When you go to open the trunk of a shiny new EV at a dealership, you’ll see something shiny and new, often in a sealed bag and with its own carrying case: the EVSE. That stands for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, and it’s kind of like a power supply for a laptop (but often much bigger). What do most people call this gizmo? A “Charger.”

Why is it incorrect to call it a charger? Well, that’s because your car has the charger built in. When you plug a J1772 or Tesla plug into the car, that AC power gets fed to the real onboard charger, which does the hard work of converting AC power to DC battery power, and then adjusting voltages to make sure the battery gets a safe charge. That power brick in your trunk? It’s just there to safely supply power to the car’s built-in charger.

(There’s one important exception to this: DC fast charging. In that case, the thing you pull up to at the station really is a charger)

So, the charger for everyday home and parking lot Level 2 charging is both vitally important (you literally couldn’t leave home without it), and it’s something most people never, ever think about. But, when another company jumps into the space and wants to supply chargers to a manufacturer, it’s still a big deal and worth discussing.

ZAPI Group’s recent announcement of Zivan srl (Zivan)’s new charger, CT3.3 Compact Titan, revealed a new comprehensive charging platform. The first model of the charger is a 3 kilowatt (kW) solution that builds on the success of prior models adopted by European original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Last year’s design partnership with Delta-Q Technologies Corp resulted in the creation of this product, which was announced as the XV3300 charger.

The collaboration between Zivan and Delta-Q aims to provide a power electronics platform that both brands can tailor to suit different markets and customer requirements. As the charging experts within ZAPI Group, they designed the charger’s hardware, software, and mechanical durability for use on traditional and emerging electrification markets. This includes construction and industrial OEMs transitioning their products to electric drive.

“We made a significant leap forward in power density with this new platform,” said Steve Blaine Co-CEO & Executive VP, Engineering & Quality with Delta-Q. “Our solutions will make homologating into OEM designs much easier.”

The new 3.3 kW chargers from ZAPI GROUP are designed to meet the needs of customers with electrified applications in global markets. These new products maintain Zivan and Delta-Q’s standards for high-quality ruggedized chargers that can withstand even the most demanding applications.

“We are excited to bring together key charger hardware and software design capabilities from our engineering teams in Delta-Q and Zivan,” said Simone Paterlini, General Manager with Zivan. “This collaboration demonstrates ZAPI GROUP’s commitment to innovation, electrification and driving results for customers.”

Fall means it’s time for the world-famous bauma trade fair, and this year ZAPI GROUP will have a booth (Hall A4, Booth 115) displaying both of its industry-leading products. If you’re not familiar with it, bauma is the largest trade show in construction equipment technology and takes place every 3 years. Attendance figures routinely surpass half a million visitors, which provides ample opportunity to see samples of its product line and get demonstrative insight into how its chargers can be personalized with different housing designs, integrated features, and software options, as well as learn about its competitive manufacturing and logistics options.

“We are pleased with the growth we are seeing from our charger businesses and will continue to invest in Delta-Q and Zivan to pace the accelerating electrification demands from the construction and industrial equipment sectors,” said Mr. Federico Gatti, Managing Director of the ZAPI GROUP.

I know that 3.3 kW doesn’t sound like much in today’s EV market, but it’s important to consider both the global situation and the rise of smaller, more efficient EVs. For many applications, a 3.3 kW charger can still add significant range to a small EV’s battery, and could even be on par with DC fast charging for micromobility and scooters.

Featured image by the US National Park Service (public domain). Image does not depict a ZAPI charger.