Plug types for electric cars: These are available
The different types of plugs for e-cars
There are 5 different types of plugs for charging electric cars. Today, public fast-charging stations are mainly equipped with the CCS connection. But there are also alternatives.
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Type 1 plug: Type 1 plugs are usually found in e-cars from Asian manufacturers. The single-phase plugs allow a charging power of up to 7.4 kW and are therefore not suitable for fast charging. This type of plug is suitable for charging with alternating current - often also referred to as AC for "Alternating Current". In Germany, charging stations with charging cables with type 1 plugs are rare. If your car is equipped with such a plug type, you can use Type 2 charging stations with an appropriate adapter.
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Type 2 plug: This type of connector is a three-phase connector. It enables a charging power of 22kW if you charge your electric car at a wallbox. In addition, fast charging with up to 43 kW is possible at public fast charging stations (the only car that can use this charging power via type 2 is the first generation of the Renault Zoe). The type 2 plug, also known as the Mennekes plug, is the most widely used type of plug in Germany and Europe.
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CCS plug: CCS stands for "Combined Charging System". The plugs are therefore also called combo plugs. This type of connector supports both AC and DC charging. Simple DC fast-charging stations work with 400 volts and deliver charging power from 50 kilowatts. The most powerful CCS fast chargers can charge at 800 volts and thus provide outputs of 350 kW and more.
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CHAdeMO connector: This plug, which is suitable for DC fast charging with a power of up to 100 kW, comes from Japan. The abbreviation stands for "Charge de Move". At most public charging stations, it is only possible to have an output of 50 kW. Only a few cars are compatible with this type of plug – essentially it is the cars of Japanese manufacturers that rely on CHAdeMO. Tesla Model S and X can be charged with this type of plug with an appropriate adapter.
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Tesla Supercharger: This type of plug is a modification of the Mennekes plug, i.e. the type 2 plug, in which direct current is transmitted via this plug. The so-called V2 chargers with an output of up to 120 kW are widespread. Tesla's latest models in Europe rely on CCS instead of the Tesla proprietary connector. The new V3 charging stations provide up to 250 kW of charging power.
The different charging cables for e-cars
In addition to different types of plugs, there are also two types of charging cables. If you want or need to buy a new cable, you should know the different types of cables.
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Mode 2 charging cable: Mode 2 cables are usually included by e-car manufacturers when buying an electric car. This cable variant can be connected to a conventional household socket to charge the battery. Mode 2 cables have an integrated "In Cable Control Box" (ICCB) that enables communication between the charging port and the car.
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Mode 3 charging cable: With a Mode 3 charging cable, you can charge your electric car at a charging station. The type of connector plays an important role here. As already mentioned, the type 2 plug is considered standard in Europe, which is why you will find this type of plug at all charging stations. Depending on which electric car you drive, you will need a Mode 3 charging cable from type 2 to type 2 or from type 2 to type 1 to charge at a public charging station. When buying a type 2 cable, you should pay attention to the correct performance class: The simplest cables are only designed for single phase and allow 3.7 or 7.4 kW of power, depending on the permitted current. Three-phase cables transmit 11 or 22 kW respectively.
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In the next article, we will tell you what to do if the charging cable is stuck.