Vehicular battery charger, charging system, and method displaying charge time

A vehicle battery charger for charging a battery of a vehicle with electrical power from a source of electrical power, the vehicle having a first controller and an electrical connector for charging the battery of the vehicle, the vehicle charger comprising:

• a flexible power cord coupled to the source of power;
• a plug at a terminal end of the flexible power cord and adapted for releasable mating engagement with the electrical connector of the vehicle;
• and
• a second controller external to the vehicle and connected to the source of power, the second controller configured to:
• control the supply of power to the vehicle while the plug is connected to the electrical connector of the vehicle;
• and
• transmit or receive power line communication signals between the second controller and the first controller along the flexible power cord, the power line communication signals controlling at least one aspect of charging the battery of the vehicle.

A method of charging a battery of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• releasably mating a plug at the end of a flexible power cord to an electrical connector of a vehicle;
• while the plug and electrical connector are in releasable mating engagement, transmitting power line communication signals along the flexible power cord between a first controller of the vehicle and a second controller of a vehicle battery charger;
• and
• responsive to transmitting the power line communication signals, automatically changing a supply of electric power to the battery of the vehicle by at least one of a group consisting of increasing a rate of charge of the battery, decreasing the rate of charge of the battery, starting battery charging, and stopping battery charging.