Eight US and European automakers – Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, GM, Porsche and Volkswagen – will participate in a display at next week’s EVS26 show to demonstrate the Combined Charging System. The new charging standard, developed by the International Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), integrates AC and DC charging on a single plug. Chargers using the standard will be available by the end of 2012, and automakers will incorporate it into vehicles starting in 2013.

The Combined Charging System integrates one-phase AC charging, fast three phase AC-charging, DC charging at home and ultra-fast DC charging – the latter allows most EVs to charge in as little as 15-20 minutes. The system was developed for all international vehicle markets and includes uniform standards for electrical systems, charge controllers, package dimensions and safety mechanisms, as well as a common broadband communication method.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) has also embraced the Combined Charging System. The competing CHAdeMO standard is well established in Japan, so the EV market may be destined to deal with one standard for North America and Europe, and another for Asia. However, many existing vehicles and chargers in the US market use CHAdeMO, so both standards will probably be used side by side for the foreseeable future.