Output voltages to electric vehicles: which statement is true?

• A. Shall be a maximum of 240 V for single-phase systems and a maximum of 480 V for 3-phase wye systems.
• B. Shall not exceed 600 V AC.
• C. Are not specified.
• D. Shall not exceed 1000 V DC.

Answer: (C)

The thing this item tests is that the voltage delivered to an electric vehicle is not set by a single universal maximum in the safety standards. In EV charging, the actual output voltage depends on the vehicle’s battery system and the chosen charging mode, with the EVSE and the vehicle communicating to agree on the appropriate voltage and current. Safety standards focus on safe connection, isolation, protection, and the control signaling that governs charging, rather than prescribing a fixed universal voltage the charger must always output. Because the voltage the vehicle accepts can vary widely—from lower AC levels used for overnight charging to high DC levels used in fast charging—the standard does not specify a single maximum output voltage. That’s why the correct understanding is that output voltages are not specified.