What are the different types of electric vehicle plugs?
2023-01-13
For many potential buyers of electric vehicles, one of the most confusing aspects of ownership is multiple charging connectors. Unlike traditional internal combustion engines, which use similar fuel nozzles to receive fuel, electric vehicles have at least five different plugs, and different manufacturers are committed to one or even two systems. However, as our convenient guide shows, it is simpler than it looks, and it may be simpler in the future.
Type 1 plug
This five-pin connector is widely used in North America, but it has been largely replaced by Type 2 in the UK and Europe. In other words, you will still find it on some older EVs, such as the first-generation Nissan Leaf and Kia Soul EV, while the plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV continues to use this connector. The system is only designed for AC (alternating current) slow and fast charging, which means it can accept anything between 3 and 7 kW. Although you are unlikely to find a tethered (charging cable permanently connected to the charger) Type 1 public charger, electric vehicles equipped with this system should have an adapter that can plug them into unlimited charging points.
Type 2 plug
So far, the most common plug type 2 in Europe is sometimes called Mennekes to respect the German companies that design connectors. The recent EU legislation means that most automobile manufacturers must now use this seven-pin plug as the standard configuration of their electric vehicle models, which means that almost all tethered public charging stations will be equipped with type 2 plug.
Like Type 1, the system is designed for slow and fast charging. However, it can also handle 22kW supplied by three-phase power supply, but you need to check whether your car can accept this charging rate. The latest Renault Zoe can also handle charging up to 43kW at one of the rare AC fast charging stations, while Tesla Model S and Model X use the improved Type 2, allowing them to charge the wall box in the company's supercharger network and domestic.
Unlike the Type 1 connector, Type 2 can be locked on the vehicle to ensure that no one can charge the vehicle and disconnect the vehicle when you leave the vehicle.
Combined plug (combined charging system, or CCS)
The combination system, or CCS in common use, is the most popular DC (DC) fast charging connector. Most new pure electric vehicle models are equipped with this type of socket, which basically allows you to charge on public DC fast charger and household AC device. This is also the system that Tesla began to adopt in Europe, making it the standard configuration of Model 3. In addition, Telsa also provides CCS adapters for Model S and Model X, so they can use this type of charger.
Type 1 plug
This five-pin connector is widely used in North America, but it has been largely replaced by Type 2 in the UK and Europe. In other words, you will still find it on some older EVs, such as the first-generation Nissan Leaf and Kia Soul EV, while the plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV continues to use this connector. The system is only designed for AC (alternating current) slow and fast charging, which means it can accept anything between 3 and 7 kW. Although you are unlikely to find a tethered (charging cable permanently connected to the charger) Type 1 public charger, electric vehicles equipped with this system should have an adapter that can plug them into unlimited charging points.
Type 2 plug
So far, the most common plug type 2 in Europe is sometimes called Mennekes to respect the German companies that design connectors. The recent EU legislation means that most automobile manufacturers must now use this seven-pin plug as the standard configuration of their electric vehicle models, which means that almost all tethered public charging stations will be equipped with type 2 plug.
Like Type 1, the system is designed for slow and fast charging. However, it can also handle 22kW supplied by three-phase power supply, but you need to check whether your car can accept this charging rate. The latest Renault Zoe can also handle charging up to 43kW at one of the rare AC fast charging stations, while Tesla Model S and Model X use the improved Type 2, allowing them to charge the wall box in the company's supercharger network and domestic.
Unlike the Type 1 connector, Type 2 can be locked on the vehicle to ensure that no one can charge the vehicle and disconnect the vehicle when you leave the vehicle.
Combined plug (combined charging system, or CCS)
The combination system, or CCS in common use, is the most popular DC (DC) fast charging connector. Most new pure electric vehicle models are equipped with this type of socket, which basically allows you to charge on public DC fast charger and household AC device. This is also the system that Tesla began to adopt in Europe, making it the standard configuration of Model 3. In addition, Telsa also provides CCS adapters for Model S and Model X, so they can use this type of charger.
