EV Charging Connector Types Explained (Type 2, CCS, CHAdeMO)

The connectors you'll actually meet

Type 2 (Mennekes)

The UK and European standard for AC charging. Used by home wallboxes, workplace chargers and most public slow and fast chargers. Seven pins in a rounded housing with one flat edge. Every modern EV sold here has a Type 2 inlet.

CCS (Combined Charging System)

The standard for DC rapid charging. It's a Type 2 plug with two extra large pins added underneath, which is why the socket on the car looks like a Type 2 with an extra section below it. Fitted to essentially all modern EVs, and what nearly every new rapid charger installed in the UK provides.

CHAdeMO

An older Japanese DC rapid standard, a separate round connector. Now largely obsolete in Europe. Still found on the Nissan Leaf across its generations, and on a handful of other older Japanese models. More on why this matters below.

Type 1 (J1772)

An older five-pin AC connector found on some early EVs and grey imports. Rare in the UK, and needs an adapter cable to use Type 2 infrastructure.

Three-pin domestic plug, the "granny cable"

The lead most EVs come with. Around 2.3kW, so extremely slow, and best treated as an emergency backup rather than a charging strategy. Not something to rely on nightly, and it puts a sustained load on a domestic socket.

What about Tesla?

In the UK and Europe, Tesla uses standard connectors. The Model 3 and Model Y take Type 2 for AC and CCS for DC, so they use the same public infrastructure as everything else. Superchargers in the UK are CCS.

Older Model S and Model X used a Tesla-specific arrangement carrying DC over a Type 2 connector, so if you're looking at an early one, check what it actually accepts.

The proprietary NACS connector is a North American matter and doesn't affect UK buyers.

The CHAdeMO problem, and why it matters used

This is the practical reason to care about connectors, and it's genuinely useful when buying.

CHAdeMO has lost the standards battle in Europe. New rapid chargers are being installed as CCS, and existing CHAdeMO units are gradually being retired rather than replaced. That means the rapid charging network available to a CHAdeMO car is shrinking over time, and will keep shrinking.

For a Nissan Leaf, which is the UK's most bought used EV, this has real consequences:

• Slower AC charging via Type 2 is unaffected, so home and destination charging carries on as normal
• Rapid charging options on long journeys will get thinner year by year
• It's a factor in long-term resale value that most sellers won't mention

It doesn't make a Leaf a bad buy, particularly for someone charging at home and driving locally. But if you're planning regular long trips relying on public rapids, it's worth knowing before you commit rather than after.

Which cable do you actually need?

A Type 2 to Type 2 cable. This is the one to own. Many public AC chargers are untethered, meaning there's a socket but no attached lead, so you need to bring your own. Most cars come with one, but check when buying used, because it's a couple of hundred pounds to replace.

A three-pin granny cable. Useful as a backup. Usually supplied.

Nothing for rapid charging. DC rapid chargers always have their cables permanently attached, so there's nothing to carry.

Charging speed by connection

Worth knowing: your car's own onboard charger caps AC speed. Plugging a car with a 7kW onboard charger into a 22kW post gets you 7kW, not 22kW. That's a car limitation, not a charger fault, and it catches people out.

What to check when buying used

• Which DC standard does it use? CCS is future-proof, CHAdeMO is not.
• What's the maximum DC charging rate? Some older or cheaper EVs cap out around 50kW, so an ultra-rapid charger won't help them.
• What's the onboard AC charger rated at? 7kW is common, 11kW or 22kW is better if you have three-phase supply.
• Is the Type 2 cable included? Not a dealbreaker, but it's a real cost.
• Does the charging flap and latch work properly? Test it.

Our check reports a car's battery health picture, capacity and WLTP range from just the registration, so you can confirm the battery side of the story before you view the car.