Types of electric vehicle (EV) charging plugs

An EV charging point on a wall is not the only factor to consider when looking at electric vehicle charging holistically. The other key elements are the plugs and ports on the charger itself as well as the car.

With different pins for electricity transferral and data connections, electric vehicles and charging stations use these variations in the most efficient way to transfer the flow of electricity. However, with different cars comes different types of connection.

 

Here, we outline a basic overview of these EV type connections:

Type 1

This five-pin design is no longer as commonplace in Australia and is often found on older models of the Nissan Leaf or Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and some BMW and Toyota models. This type is also known as J1772 or SAE J1772. This is for standard AC charging up to 22Kw and can deliver around 40km per hour.

Type 2

This is the standard type used in Australia and comprises a seven-pin design. Found on almost all current battery electric vehicles (BEVs) sold in this country, it can be known by its brand name Mennekes plug or IEC 62196.Similarly to the Type 1 connection, this plug is for standard AC charging up to 22Kw and can deliver around 120km per hour. Many Tesla, BMW and Volvo models use this type of connection.

CHAdeMo

CHAdeMO actually stands for ‘charge de mode’ and was developed back in 2010 by a partnership between Japanese electric vehicle manufacturers and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). This is used for rapid DC charging up to 350Kw and can often be used for Nissan, Toyota and Mitsubishi models.

Combined Charging System (CCS)

Another rapid DC charging connection is the CCS, also charging up to 350Kw. This comprises two large pins at the bottom with three smaller pins above. 

Currently there are two types of CCS: 

  1. CCS1 is compatible with the Type 1 connection; 
  2. CCS2 is compatible with the Type 2 connection. Many electric vehicles in Australia, have a CCS2 port, also known as a CCS Combo, which means it can plug into either a Type 2 charger, for instance at home, or a CCS fast charger when out shopping or commuting. 

Adaptors

With adaptors now available, cars with only one plug type can connect to a different type of charger, depending on the car. It’s important to note that while an adaptor may allow a car to charge from a rapid charger, the car’s battery will only charge at its own maximum rate.