Influence of Inductance on Conductive Charging Systems for Vehicles : A Study of Cable-Induced Inductance and Its Effects on Charging Infrastructure

Sammanfattning

As Electric Vehicles (EVs) increasingly demand fast and high-power DC charging in Voltage class B (VCB), the electrical integrity and safety of charging systems become important. A technical challenge rises from cable inductance in long conductive charging paths, which can lead to significant voltage transients and threaten component reliability during events such as short circuits or load dumps. The study combines analytical modeling, simulation, and empirical measurements to evaluate inductance values and their system impacts. Using tools like Vector Network Analyzers (VNA) and LCR-meters, multiple physical configurations were tested across a wide range of inductance values, including controlled setups using nichrome wire and spooled cables to emulate worst-case conditions. Results were validated through simulation models incorporating lumped and distributed circuit representations. Findings confirm that higher inductance values correlate with increased voltage overshoot and slower current transitions. Additionally, the developed measurement methodology showed high consistency with theoretical models, maintaining less than 10% deviation from reference values. This work proposes an inductance estimation method suitable for real world implementation and contributes to safer Electrical Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) designs. It further provides groundwork for optimizing cable configurations and advancing future research into over voltage protection mechanisms.