Interface review
This guide is a buyer checklist for questions to put in front of ev charger suppliers. It reviews electrical and project interfaces. It does not certify a combination, and it does not say that two pieces of equipment will operate together.
Request Factory QuotesConsumer connector descriptions on the Alternative Fuels Data Center page are useful only as field names. Commercial design, code compliance, and a supplier claim still need the file for the proposed item. Operating temperature, if the site is exposed, is a number the plant should state in degrees, not a word such as outdoor-ready.
Decide whether the stall needs Level 2 EVSE or DC fast charging. Ask the quotation to say AC or DC and the rated power of the configuration you will buy. If two ports share a cabinet, ask whether the kilowatts can be delivered at the same time. A maximum on a brochure is not that answer.
Record input voltage, phase, and the current the plant expects the service to provide. The buyer electrical engineer still confirms that the building or depot service can supply it. Voltage in volts and current in amperes belong in the requirement so a 208 V reply is not treated as a 480 V reply.
Name the connector the fleet or the public stall must offer. Where the project uses NACS, CCS, or both, say so. A supplier that offers only one family should mark that limit. The desk will not infer that an adapter is included or that it is acceptable to the vehicle maker.
State the network protocol the back office needs. OCPP is a common request, but the version and the features in scope have to be written. Add the mounting configuration: pedestal, wall, or a dispenser with a separate power cabinet. Cable length and cable management are separate lines if they matter to the stall.
| Field | Value a buyer may need confirmed | Unit or note |
|---|---|---|
| Rated power | Buyer-required Level 2 EVSE or DC fast charging output; supplier to confirm simultaneous port allocation | kW, per port or per cabinet |
| Input voltage | Buyer site supply and proposed model's permitted range, recorded separately | V, with phase written beside it |
| Current | Required AC input current and, for DC fast charging, the separate DC output current limit | A; circuit sizing remains with the qualified designer |
| Connector | NACS, CCS, or both | Vehicle interface, not an adapter assumption |
| Network protocol | Buyer-required OCPP version and network functions, matched to proposed firmware | Version and feature subset |
| Enclosure rating | Project-required rating and standard, with exact-model supplier evidence | Match the garage or surface lot; ratings are not assumed equivalent |
| Operating temperature | Buyer site minimum and maximum, compared with supplier operating and derating limits | °C, from the quoted datasheet |
| Efficiency basis | Ask for the percent and the test condition | % with the stated basis |
| Quantity | Count ports separately from cabinets and sites | units, ports, or sites |
A question about rated power closes when the datasheet for the quoted model states the figure and the test basis the plant is willing to stand behind. A question about footprint closes on the dimensional drawing, not on a photograph of a similar cabinet. A question about safety listing closes only if the record names the same model and the mark the destination requires. Applicable NRTL listing is something to request. It is not a logo this site can place on a product card.
Enclosure rating should be read against the site. A garage and a coastal surface lot are different environments. Ask for the rating and the standard the plant cites, then let the project engineer accept or reject it. Communication compatibility is the same pattern: the protocol name on a family page is not evidence for the firmware on the unit being quoted.
Ask suppliers to return one comparison sheet with the same connector, rated power, OCPP functions and enclosure rating. Keep optional cables, pedestals, software fees, freight and warranty exclusions separate. A lower equipment price can fit a buyer who already has those services; an inclusive scope can reduce coordination gaps. Budget, high-end, mid-range or undecided is the buyer's cost and service preference, not a verified supplier grade. Request MOQ and sample or pilot terms before treating either route as available.
Agree a verification plan with the proposed supplier and the buyer's qualified reviewer: identify the sample model and firmware, request the current datasheet, drawing and applicable listing record, and write the connector, network-function and site-condition acceptance questions. Record what is checked, who checks it, document revisions and deviations before the buyer accepts a configuration. Keep sample cost, shipping and test responsibilities explicit; the sourcing desk does not claim laboratory results or provide engineering approval.
Grid interconnection, panel capacity, structural base, accessibility path, and fire access stay on the buyer side of the line. If a supplier offers commissioning, the quotation should say whether that visit is included, optional, or excluded. Payment terms and warranty years are commercial text to compare. They are not performance results.
When an alternative is offered, require a marked deviation for rating, connector, protocol, mount, accessories, or lead time. Then return to the inquiry labels or the manufacturer field set and send the package from the buyer desk. The long checklist is also the procurement brief.
Repeat the connector, the protocol, the power, and the destination in the form. FREE sourcing support up to 3% is limited by the qualification notice on this site. The guide itself does not award that support and does not set an equipment price.
Qualified business buyers
Eligible sourcing support is up to 3%. The figure is a ceiling for qualified coordination, not a promised equipment discount.
Eligibility applies to qualified business buyers and is confirmed after we review your product, quantity, destination, and sourcing requirements.