In order to charge an electric car, you need a special cable that connects your EV to the charging station. It is important to understand the different types of EV connectors, sockets and plugs as they vary by country, charging station level, and even EV model.
The most common type of EV charger connection is the SAE J1772-2001 connector, known as the ‘Type 1’ plug. This is the standard home plug for most EVs in Europe and can be found in many public AC charging stations. It is capable of up to 22kW of AC charging power.
Another popular plug is the CCS Type 2, which is most commonly used in Europe for DC fast charging. It combines the standard Mennekes Type 2 plug with two additional high-speed charging pins to enable speeds up to 360 kW.
A few older EVs use the CHAdeMO connector, which is also used for DC fast charging but is less common in the US. It is similar in appearance to the CCS plug, but the wire configuration inside differs, so the connectors are not compatible. The CHAdeMO connector is not as universal or widely used as the CCS plug, however, most Japanese automakers have switched to using CCS in their EVs sold outside of Japan.
For EV drivers in the US, it is likely that most of your public charging stations will have a NACS connector, which is the new standard for DC fast charging in North America. This connector is similar in appearance to the CCS Type 2, but has a single-phase input instead of a bi-phase. The NACS connector is not yet a worldwide standard, but the technology is becoming more widespread as major automakers like Tesla adopt it. EV Charger Connectors