Large Paddle to Small Paddle Adapter
As of 2002, with the retail Rav4EVs on the roads, the most popular production EV charging standard is Small Paddle Inductive (SPI). The original Large Paddle Inductive (LPI) chargers cannot be used in an SPI car. But an SPI can be used in a car with an LPI port with or without the official adapter shown below. Many people ask if the paddle can just be changed from the large to the small - the answer is NO. The entire charge must be changed out - and that is exactly what is happening at many popular sites throughout CA.
As part of a phased conversion to a compact inductive charger paddle, some charging sites in California have been (and are being) converted to the new small paddle inductive (SPI) standard. The smaller paddle is a compromise standard agreed to by GM and Toyota several years ago. In order to allow owners of large paddle vehicles (older Toyota RAV4's as well as all EV1's, Chevrolet S-10 trucks, and Nissan Altras) to continue to use these sites, a paddle adapter is being distributed by SMUD to drivers in the affected areas. By the end of 2001, all public chargers should be converted to the "Gen 2+" paddle standard (should be, indeed!). Below is the instruction sheet provided with the charger paddle adapter (document scan provided by Tom Dowling).
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