Type 2, CCS, CHAdeMO, NACS: the connector guide

Every EV has an inlet for slower AC charging and, on most cars, a way to take fast DC charging. In Europe and the UK the standard pair is Type 2 for AC and CCS2 for DC. CCS2 is a Type 2 inlet with two large DC pins added below, so one socket on the car does both.

AC charging: Type 2

Home wallboxes and most destination chargers use Type 2. On a single-phase home supply that usually means up to 7.4 kW. Three-phase supplies can deliver 11 or 22 kW, but the car's on-board charger sets the real limit.

DC fast charging: CCS2

Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers use CCS2. Power depends on the charger, the car and the battery's temperature and state of charge, which is why two cars on the same 150 kW charger can see very different numbers.

CHAdeMO

An older DC standard from Japan, found on earlier cars such as the first-generation Nissan Leaf. New installations in Europe increasingly leave it out, so CHAdeMO drivers should check a site before relying on it.

NACS (SAE J3400)

The connector Tesla developed, now standardised as SAE J3400 and adopted widely in North America. It carries both AC and DC in one compact plug. In Europe, Tesla cars use CCS2.