Protective Covers for CCS Vehicle Charging Inlets

Phoenix Contact has expanded its vehicle charging portfolio with protective covers for universal CCS charging inlets, targeting electric utility vehicles operating in demanding environmental conditions and requiring robust ingress protection.

Protection and environmental suitability
The protective covers are designed to shield the CCS charging interface contact area against environmental exposure and achieve an ingress protection rating of IPX5. This rating indicates resistance to water jets from any direction, which is relevant for utility vehicles exposed to rain, wash-down processes, or outdoor operation in industrial and municipal settings.

By protecting the charging interface against moisture and contaminants, the covers support stable electrical contact conditions and help reduce the risk of corrosion or charging interruptions caused by environmental factors.

Functional design for daily operation
In addition to environmental protection, the covers integrate functional mechanisms intended to simplify daily vehicle operation. When the DC charging cover is lifted, the AC cover opens automatically, reducing the number of manual steps required during charging. This coordinated opening mechanism supports faster and more intuitive handling in mixed AC/DC charging scenarios.

The covers are compatible with the CHARX control vehicle charging controller and support common CCS charging standards. Identical screw-on points for CCS Type 1 and CCS Type 2 interfaces simplify mechanical integration, allowing manufacturers to use a common design approach across vehicle variants and target markets.

Integration of indicators and controls
Optional functional elements can be integrated into the protective covers, including an RGB LED status display and a configurable function button. These components provide visual feedback and user interaction options, such as indicating charging status or enabling manual termination of the charging process.

The LED display and function button are connected via a six-pin MCON connector. LED control is implemented using pulse width modulation (PWM), allowing precise adjustment of brightness levels to ensure visibility under varying ambient light conditions while managing power consumption.

Compliance with vehicle safety standards
The protective covers meet the requirements of UNECE R61, an international regulation governing the safety of external vehicle parts. Compliance with this standard ensures that the design of the covers contributes to the protection of other road users by reducing the risk of injury from external vehicle components.

Meeting UNECE R61 requirements is particularly relevant for utility vehicles operating in public or shared environments, where external components must comply with defined safety criteria.

Mechanical dimensions and application scope
The protective covers have overall dimensions of 170.7 mm × 184.4 mm × 41.0 mm without optional extras and 61.1 mm in depth when additional components are integrated. This compact form factor supports integration into a wide range of vehicle designs without extensive modification of body panels or charging interfaces.

Different variants are available for CCS Type 1 and CCS Type 2, allowing manufacturers to select configurations aligned with regional charging standards and vehicle architectures. This flexibility supports application across diverse electric utility vehicle concepts, from municipal fleets to industrial transport platforms.