EV charging connector types and speeds

Similar to phone charging cables, car charging cables tend to have two connectors, one that plugs into the vehicle socket and the other into the chargepoint itself.

The type of connector you need varies by vehicle and the power rating ("speed") of the chargepoint. *

· Electric vehicles either have a Type 1 or Type 2 socket for slow/fast charging and CHAdeMO or CCS for DC rapid charging.**

· Most slow/fast chargepoints have a Type 2 socket. Occasionally they will have a cable attached instead. All DC rapid charging stations have a cable attached with mostly a CHAdeMO and a CCS connector.

· Most EV drivers purchase a portable charging cable that matches their vehicle’s Type 1 or Type 2 socket so that they can charge on public networks.

* This guide is based on the UK and may not include complete information for all countries.
** With the exception of Tesla Model X and Model S vehicles to date, which use Type 2 connectors for DC rapids. Adapters that allow to charge these Tesla models via CHAdeMO or CCS connectors are available.

Vehicle side EV connector types

These connector types fit into the socket on your vehicle and can be thought of the same as the phone-side charging connectors on your Apple or Android phone charging cable. Depending on which phone/car you have, different connectors will fit into your phone/car socket.

Slow & Fast Charging

Alternating Current (AC)

Typically used for top-up charging at home, work and destinations, there are two types of AC vehicle-side connectors.

Slow-&-Fast-Charging.jpg
* Some models of Renault Zoe can draw 43kW, giving 145 miles of range per hour (for the Zoe, 43kW is classed as an en route rapid charger).

** Assumes 60kWh full battery electric vehicle (BEV) with a range of 200 miles.

Rapid Charging

Direct Current (DC)

Typically used for en route rapid charging, there are three types of DC car-side connectors. All DC rapid charging stations will have cables with both a CHAdeMO and CCS connector attached and you will simply have to choose which fits to your vehicle socket. To protect the battery, rapid chargers do not consistently charge at their typical power rating.

* Assumes 60kWh full battery electric vehicle (BEV) with a range of 200 miles.

** 150kW CCS rapid chargers will become very common, but across the UK most are still just 50kW.

*** A handful of 350kW CCS chargers exist, however it is not yet common place.

**** 250kW Tesla Superchargers are starting to be rolled out.

Chargepoint side EV connector types

Typically used for top-up charging at home, work and destinations, there is really only one kind of chargepoint socket, though some might occasionally use a traditional 3-pin plug to charge from a wall socket as an emergency backup.

The Type 2 chargepoint socket is universal, and can be thought of in a similar way to the wall socket for charging iPhones or Android phones (i.e. the socket is the same for each, but the cable is specific to the car/phone type).

Slow & Fast Chargers

Alternating Current (AC)

Typically used for top-up charging at home, work and destinations, there is really only one kind of chargepoint socket on slow and fast chargers, though some drivers might occasionally plug into their traditional 3-pin wall socket as an emergency backup.