Types of Connectors
In order to charge your electric vehicle, you will need to know what kind of connector your car has (and what kind of cables you need to have with you). Semi-fast cables are often (but not always) included with the car. Fast chargers always have a cable connected to the charger. At other charging stations, you may be expected to have your own cable with you. Maps of charging stations will typically allow you to filter by the type of connector at the station.
Charging Speeds
These are the basic types of connectors. In general, fast chargers (e.g. 50kWh DC) can charge a battery to 80% in under 45 minutes. Semi-fast (7-22kWh AC) can charge a battery in 3-4 hours. Slow AC chargers (3kWh) have a charging time of around 6-8 hours.
More details about types of EV connectors
Type 1 (slow AC)
- Type 1 is a single-phase plug for normal charging used by some Asian automobile manufacturers.
Type 2 (slow AC)
- Type 2 connector is also known as Mennekes and can charge both 1-phase and 3-phase. It origins from Germany and is the standard in Europe for normal / semi-fast charging.
CCS (slow AC and fast DC)
- Combined Charging System (or CCS) follows the European standard with a Type 2 AC outlet charging, but also has a special outlet for fast charging with direct current. A vehicle with this type of contact supports both fast and normal charging into the same socket in the car.
CHaDeMO (fast DC)
- A Japanese standard for quick charging with direct current, and most Asian cars with quick charging capabilities use CHaDeMO.
Tesla SuperCharger (fast DC)
- Tesla chargers use their own plugs and sockets for SuperChargers. Adaptors are available for Teslas to be able to charge with CHaDeMO connectors.
Schuko (slow AC)
- A regular grounded household contact.