Picking your ideal electric car charger
Not all electric cars use the same charger, so what’s the difference, and how can you choose your ideal charger?
The top electric car models on the market today come with various connectors and support for superfast DC charging, but only if your cable supports it.
Let’s look at the main types of electric car charger connectors and why you might pick one over another.
Types Of Electric Car Chargers
We’ll start with the most ‘basic’ option and work our way up to the ultra-rapid EV charging options:
3-Pin Plug
Theoretically, you can charge an electric car from a standard 3-pin wall socket, allowing you to plug in and charge up at home, in your garage, or when visiting friends.
There are some caveats to this. A single-phase power supply should provide about 2.3-3.0 kW of power via alternating current, so charging is very slow. Adding significantly to your vehicle’s range can take as much as 12 hours.
According to EDF Energy, half an hour of charging from a standard 3-pin wall socket will give you about five miles of range, so if possible, it’s a good idea to use a dedicated EV charge point.
Type 1 Connector
A Type 1 plug supports single-phase charging at a power rating of 3-7 kW, and you’ll need a Type 1 charge point in order to plug in.
This is a fairly outdated connector type now, but it was common on early electric cars. At 2-3 times the power of a 3-pin wall plug, charging speeds are also 2-3 times faster.
As a result, you can add about 12 miles of range for each half-hour of charging, depending on the exact power output of the charge point.
Type 2 Connector
A Type 2 connector supports a much more comprehensive range of power ratings, from 3 kW up to around 42 kW AC, and supports three-phase power supplies.
The result is significantly faster charging. Again it depends on the power of the charge point, but at the top end, you can gain 75 miles of range from just half an hour of charging.
With these much greater capabilities, Type 2 has become the European standard, and has the benefit of locking into place when connected to a power supply.
Chademo Connector
CHAdeMO is named after the Japanese phrase “O cha demo ikaga desuka”, which means “Let’s have a cup of tea.” It’s a reference to the rapid charging supported by CHAdeMO.
There are three generations of CHAdeMO with different specifications:
- Gen 1: 62.5 kW, 500 V, 125 A DC, providing 75 miles of range in 30 minutes
- Gen 2: 400 kW, 1 kV, 400 A DC
- Gen 3 (in development): 900 kW
As the origin of the name suggests, CHAdeMO is relatively popular in Japan and can be found on models like the Nissan Leaf, but it has yet to find favour to the same extent in Europe.
CCS (Combined Charging System)
CCS connectors take an AC Type 1 or Type 2 plug and add high-power DC pins to the connector. DC (Direct Current) can supply power much faster to the EV, boosting the range and the charge level in less time.
CCS supports a power rating from 50 to 350 kW DC and at the top end of that scale, your vehicle can gain around 200 miles of charge from half an hour of being plugged in.
DC connectors allow the ultra-rapid ‘flash and dash’ charging necessary to top up an electric car’s battery mid-journey, without significantly delaying the rest of the drive. Like CHAdeMO, charging does take just long enough to have a cup of tea.
Tesla Supercharger
Tesla Supercharger charge points in Europe typically offer a choice of cables: Type 2 (compatible with the Tesla S and Tesla X) and CCS Combo 2 (compatible with Tesla Model 3).
In November 2021, Tesla launched a pilot scheme to trial access to Tesla Supercharger charging stations for non-Tesla vehicles. This is open only to vehicles with a fully compliant CCS connector and only if the cable is long enough to reach the car’s charging port when the vehicle is parked correctly in the bay.
Tethered Vs. Untethered EV Chargers
If you’re unfamiliar with the terms ‘tethered’ and ‘untethered’ concerning EV chargers, don’t worry — they’re not complicated.
Tethered EV Chargers
Tethered chargers have a cable that plugs directly into your car. Your vehicle must take the correct type of plug (e.g. Type 1 or Type 2) to attach the cable, so tethered chargers are the less versatile option.
They’re also bigger and bulkier because they must accommodate the charge point and cable, but a tethered charger means you don’t need to have your car’s charging cable close at hand.
Untethered EV Chargers
With an untethered charger, the charge point has no cable but instead offers a plug that your vehicle’s charging cable plugs into. Depending on the charger, they may support one plug type or offer multiple options.
An untethered charger can be smaller and sleeker without the cable as a permanent addition. Remember, you will need a charging cable compatible with your car and your charger.
Look And Style
Finally, there are ‘designer’ charge points to think about. If you want a dedicated EV charge point at home, you can get it in a wood, stone, or brick finish for an additional fee to help it blend in with your masonry.
The technology inside is basically the same — you’re just paying extra for the camouflaged exterior. It’s worth shopping around for a charge point that’s as small, slimline, and aesthetically appealing as possible.
Which Is Best?
So, which type of electric car connector is best? To an extent, it depends on where you intend to charge your vehicle. If you’re happy charging it slowly overnight or during the work day, a standard AC connector,, might be sufficient. A 3-pin wall plug is not a recommended option due to the long length of time to charge.
However, making a case for those being the ‘best’ option is tricky. DC charging is much faster and allows you to top up your range while on the road, without needing to book into a hotel solely to wait for your car to charge.
CCS Combo 2 — a Type 2 AC connector with added DC pins, is fast becoming the European standard. It offers good compatibility over a wide range of power ratings. At the top end, it can substantially juice up your battery level in as little as 20-30 minutes.
Alternatively, if you choose a Tesla, you’ll get the standard connector type fitted to your model and full access to the Tesla Supercharger network and Destination Chargers.
Finding A Compatible Charge Point
Whatever connector type you choose, knowing what you’ve got and where you can plug in is important. There’s nothing worse than coasting into a charging station on your last 1% of battery, only to find none of the charge points are compatible with your cable.
Apps can help massively with this. The Tesla app will help you find an open Supercharger station within range before your vehicle runs flat. Third-party apps like Zapmap can also do the same for other electric vehicles
The top models of electric cars coming onto the market will typically use the ‘best’ charging connector currently available. This should be compatible with most of the charging infrastructure, so upgrade your car regularly for total peace of mind.
