TE News: TENDUR

TENDUR ultra anti-abrasion high-voltage plating addresses demand for consistent high-performance charging over the vehicle’s lifetime

Lengthy charging times and the lack of availability of high-powered charging stations are still concerns for many potential electric vehicle (EV) drivers. When it comes to long-term convenience, reliability and safety, connectivity plays a vital role in helping to eliminate customer anxieties. Keeping this top of mind, TE Connectivity (TE), a world leader in connectivity and sensors, has introduced the all-new TENDUR surface plating technology designed to provide advanced abrasion resistance that allows for consistent high-performance charging over the course of an EV’s lifetime. This innovative technology reduces wear and tear on electrical terminals, which can lead to longer charging times. 

“In today’s world, convenience, safety and the desire for universal connectivity are driving an ever-increasing number of data dependent cloud/sensor-based applications within vehicles. However, some consumers, despite their environmental concerns, are still reluctant to fully embrace electro-mobility,” said Alberto Alamo Alonso, product manager at TE. “With our new TENDUR plating technology charging efficiency is maintained throughout the life of an EV, which in turn creates a better overall customer experience.” 

For automotive manufacturers, the goal is to provide safe, reliable charging that can deliver up to 300 kilometers of driving range in about 10 minutes. This requires high-powered charging (HPC) stations that can deliver DC power at currents of 500 amps or more. However, these high current levels often generate heat that can exceed safety thresholds, causing the charging apparatus to throttle back the current, a process referred to as “de-rating,” which slows charging speed. What’s more, the condition of the charging equipment is also a factor. Public charging plugs can be damaged by abuse or exposure to abrasives such as dirt or salt, which can be transferred to the vehicle’s charging inlet as well as to other vehicles.

One of the best ways to reduce heat and mitigate damage caused by wear and tear is to consider the metallic plating that protects the charging inlet contact zone. Having the right surface technology is critical to maintaining high charging performance over the long term. TENDUR plating combines the electrical conductivity performance of silver with the self-lubricating advantages of graphite particles, which minimize abrasion on any part of the contact zone, during mating, to negligible levels. In addition, TENDUR plating retains all the electrical performance properties of alternative hard-silver elements such as silver-copper, silver palladium and silver antimony.