Skip to main content
Customer
Business
About us
Sign in

EV Charging Connectors Explained: Type 1, Type 2, CCS, and CHAdeMO

One of the first things new electric car owners notice is the plug. Unlike the single, universal petrol nozzle, the world of EV charging has a few different connectors. At first, this can seem confusing, but in reality, the UK market has become very standardised. Understanding the various types of EV charging plugs is a simple way to ensure you can always connect to the correct charger. This guide will demystify the EV plug types you'll encounter in the UK, explaining what they are, what they're used for, and why you'll likely only ever need to worry about two of them.

A Quick Guide to EV Plug Types and Compatibility:

The most important thing to know is that plugs are different for AC (slower) and DC (rapid) charging:

  • AC (Alternating Current): This is for your slower "destination" charging at home, work, or the supermarket.
  • DC (Direct Current): This is for high-speed "en-route" charging at rapid and ultra-rapid public charging stations, such as those on motorways.

In the UK, you will primarily see four types of connectors:

Type 2 Connector: The UK Standard for AC Charging:

  • What it looks like: A 7-pin, D-shaped connector.
  • What it's for: AC (Slow and Fast) charging.

If you are buying a new EV in the UK today, this is the plug you will use for all your AC charging. It's the mandated standard across Europe. You'll use this plug to connect to your 7kW home wallbox and to 22kW public chargers at supermarkets and car parks.

CCS (Combined Charging System) Connector: The UK Standard for DC Charging

  • What it looks like: A Type 2 connector with two large "prongs" (pins) added underneath.
  • What it's for: DC (Rapid and Ultra-Rapid) charging.

This is the "combo" plug that gives it its name; it combines the AC charging pins with two high-power DC charging pins. This is the dominant standard for all new cars in the UK and Europe, including Tesla, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, and Ford.

When you pull up to a 50kW or 150kW charger at a Shell Recharge Station, this is the plug you will almost certainly be using. The cable is always tethered to the charging unit due to its size and power.

CHAdeMO Connector: The Japanese DC Standard

  • What it looks like: A large, circular connector with multiple pins.
  • What it's for: DC (Rapid) charging.

CHAdeMO was an early DC charging standard, primarily championed by Japanese manufacturers. You will find this plug on older (and some new) Nissan Leafs, the Nissan e-NV200 van, and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

This standard is being phased out in the UK and Europe in favour of CCS. However, the CHAdeMO-equipped cars on the road will remain for a long time, so most public rapid charging stations (including Shell Recharge) will continue to offer both CHAdeMO and CCS connectors to support these drivers.

Type 1 Connector: The Legacy AC Plug

  • What it looks like: A 5-pin, circular connector.
  • What it's for: AC (Slow and Fast) charging.

This was an early standard for AC charging, common on first-generation EVs like the original Nissan Leaf (2010 to 2017) and cars imported from the US or Asia. You will very rarely see this on new cars in the UK.

If you have a car with a Type 1 socket, you likely already own a "Type 1 to Type 2" adapter cable. This allows you to plug the Type 2 end into a standard public charger and the Type 1 end into your car.

Which Connector Does Your EV Use?

  • If your car is new (2018+): It almost certainly has a Type 2 socket for AC charging and a CCS socket for DC charging.
  • If you drive a Nissan Leaf, you have a Type 2 AC socket and a CHAdeMO DC socket.

The good news? It's not as confusing as it sounds. Public chargers are built for this. A typical rapid charging unit will have two tethered cables: one with a CCS plug and one with a CHAdeMO plug, covering 99% of DC-capable cars.

How Different Connectors Affect Charging Speed:

The connector itself is just the "doorway." The charger provides the power (kW). However, the connector type determines the power you can get.

  • You can only get Slow/Fast AC power (up to 22kW) from a Type 1 or Type 2 plug.
  • You can only get Rapid/Ultra-Rapid DC power (50kW+) from a CCS or CHAdeMO plug.

This is why your car has two different charging "inlets," even though they are combined into a single flap (like the CCS system). For more details on your specific setup, you can always visit our EV charging Help and Support page.

Find the Right Plug, Every Time, with the Shell Recharge App

Worried you'll show up at a charger only to find it has the wrong plug? The Shell App eliminates this guesswork. When you search for chargers, you can filter by connector type. Simply tap "CHAdeMO" or "CCS" in the app, and the map will only show chargers with the exact plug you need. It's the easiest way to ensure you're constantly navigating to a compatible charger, saving you time and frustration.

What’s Becoming the Global Standard?

The "plug war" is primarily over in the UK and Europe.

  • AC Standard: Type 2 is the undisputed winner.
  • DC Standard: CCS is the clear winner and the standard for all new cars.

This standardisation is key to making public electric vehicle charging simple and accessible for everyone.

In the UK, it's simple: Type 2 is your plug for AC (home/destination) charging. CCS is the modern standard for DC (rapid) charging. CHAdeMO exists for specific models, and Type 1 is a fading legacy. Know which DC plug your car has, use an app like Shell Recharge to filter for it, and you'll never have a problem finding the proper connection.