All Types of EV Connectors in Global Market

Before buying an electric car, make sure you know where to charge it and that there is a nearby charging station with the correct type of connector plug for your vehicle. Our article reviews all types of connectors used in modern electric vehicles and how to distinguish them.

When buying an electric car, one may wonder why car manufacturers do not make the same connection on all EVs for the convenience of owners. The majority of electric vehicles can be categorized by their country of manufacture into four main areas.

• North America (CCS-1, Tesla US);
• Europe, Australia, South America, India, UK (CCS-2, Type 2, Tesla EU, Chademo);
• China (GBT, Chaoji);
• Japan (Chademo, Chaoji, J1772).

Therefore, importing a car from another part of the world can easily cause problems if there are no nearby charging stations. While it is possible to charge an electric car using a wall socket, this process will be very slow. For more information on charging types and speeds, please refer to our articles on Levels and Modes.

Type 1 J1772

Type 1 J1772 Standard Electric Vehicle Connector is produced for the USA and Japan. The plug has 5 contacts and can be recharged according to Mode 2 and Mode 3 standards of a single-phase 230 V network (maximum current of 32A). However, with a maximum charging power of only 7.4 kW, it is considered slow and outdated.

CCS Combo 1

CCS Combo 1 connector is a Type 1 receiver that allows the use of both slow and fast charging plugs. The proper functioning of the connector is made possible by an inverter installed inside the car, which converts alternating current into direct current. Vehicles with this type of connection can charge at maximum “rapid” speed, up to 200 A and power 100 kW, for voltages ranging from 200-500 V.

The Type 2 Mennekes

The Type 2 Mennekes plug is installed on nearly all European electric vehicles, as well as Chinese models intended for sale. Vehicles equipped with this type of connector can be charged from either a single or three-phase power grid, with the highest voltage being at most 400V and the current reaching up to 63A. Although these charging stations have an upper limit capacity of up to 43kW, they typically operate at lower levels – around or below approximately half that amount (22kW) when connected to three-phase grids or about one-sixth (7.4kW) when using single phase connections – depending on network conditions during use; electric cars are recharged while operating in Mode 2 and Mode 3.

CCS Combo 2

CCS Combo 2 is an improved and backward compatible version of the Type 2 plug, which is very common across Europe. It allows for fast charging with power up to 100 kW.

The CHAdeMO

The CHAdeMO plug is designed for use in powerful DC charging stations in Mode 4, which can charge up to 80% of the battery in 30 minutes (at a power of 50 kW). It has a maximum voltage of 500 V and a current of 125 A with a power output of up to 62.5 kW. This connector is available for Japanese vehicles equipped with it and is very common in Japan and Western Europe.

CHAoJi

CHAoJi is the next generation of CHAdeMO plugs, which can be used with chargers up to 500 kW and a current of 600 A. The five-pin plug combines all the advantages of its parent and can also be used with GB/T charging stations (common in China) and CCS Combo via adapter.

GBT

GBT Standard plug for electric vehicles produced for China. There are also two revisions: for alternating current and for direct current stations. The charging power through this connector is up to 190 kW at (250A, 750V).

The Tesla Supercharger

The Tesla Supercharger connector differs between European and North American versions of electric cars. It supports fast charging (Mode 4) at stations up to 500 kW and can connect to CHAdeMO or CCS Combo 2 via a specific adapter.

In summary, the following points are made: It can be divided into three types based on acceptable current: AC (Type 1, Type 2), DC (CCS Combo 1-2, CHAdeMO, ChaoJi, GB/T), and AC/DC (Tesla Supercharger).

.For North America, select Type 1, CCS Combo 1 or Tesla Supercharger; for Europe – Type 2 or CCS Combo 2; for Japan – CHAdeMO or ChaoJi; and finally for China – GB/T and ChaoJi.

.The most advanced electric car is Tesla which supports almost any type of high-speed charger through an adapter but will need to be purchased separately.

.High-speed charging is possible only through CCS Combo, Tesla Supercharger, Chademo, GB/T or Chaoji.