Switching to electromobility is an exciting step towards a greener future. But beginners in particular often face a small technical hurdle. When you park at a public station for the first time, you might ask yourself: What EV plug types are actually out there and which one fits my vehicle? Don’t worry, the variety of cables and sockets initially seems much more complex than it actually is in practice.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll shed some light on the subject. We’ll show you why the CCS plug is indispensable for fast road trips, what you need the Type 2 plug for in everyday urban life, and what the exotic CHAdeMO is all about. This way, you’ll always find the right charging station connectors straight away and completely stress-free.
To truly understand the different EV plug types, it helps to take a quick look at the basics of charging technology. The electricity from our public mains grid always flows as alternating current (AC). However, the powerful battery in your vehicle can only store energy as direct current (DC). Therefore, the power must be converted.
During relaxed AC charging, an inverter built into the vehicle takes over this task. This is gentle on the battery but takes a lot of time. With rapid DC charging, also known as fast charging, this complex conversion takes place directly within the massive charging station itself. The power flows directly into your battery with enormous power. There are perfectly adapted EV plug types for each of these two completely different performance classes.
The undisputed standard for AC charging in Europe is the Type 2 plug. It is often also called the Mennekes plug after its original development company. When you plug your vehicle into a wallbox in your garage at home after work or charge it during working hours, you are usually using exactly this Type 2 plug.
This technology is ideal for convenient charging on the side. However, if you are travelling in the middle of a busy city centre and quickly need new range for your next appointments, you will hit clear time limits here.
This is where pioneering high power charging (HPC) comes into play. If you, as an EV driver, don’t want to waste any valuable time, the CCS plug (Combined Charging System) is your most important companion. This standard has established itself in Europe and North America as the absolute industry leader for ultra-fast charging.
The brilliant thing about the CCS plug: It builds directly on the proven design of the Type 2 and simply adds two large, powerful direct current contacts in the lower section. When you open the charging flap of your modern electric car, you will therefore usually see a combined socket that can easily accommodate both EV plug types.
Breathtaking charging speeds are possible with the CCS plug. Our modern JOLT fast charging stations use this advanced technology to supply electric vehicles with an output capacity of up to 320 kW. In practice, this means for you:
Alongside the European heavyweights, there is another standard that you will occasionally encounter: CHAdeMO. This direct current plug was originally developed in Japan and was extremely popular with the very first generations of Asian electric cars.
Although it is still quite common globally, the CHAdeMO connection is drastically losing importance in the European market. Most global car manufacturers are now consistently equipping their new models for our latitudes with the more powerful CCS standard. Nevertheless, many older public fast charging stations still offer appropriate charging station connectors to reliably supply existing vehicles with electricity.
Fortunately, using a public charging station in everyday life is incredibly intuitive and super easy. With ultra-fast DC chargers, the heavy cables are always permanently attached to the station. This is because, due to the extremely high currents, they are particularly thick and sometimes even liquid-cooled. So you don’t have to dig your own heavy cable out of the boot.
You park your car, choose the appropriate charging station connectors – in most cases you will reach straight for the CCS plug – connect it to your vehicle and start the charging process conveniently via an app, charging card or credit card. For slower AC charging at small city posts, on the other hand, you usually bring your own lightweight cable for the Type 2 plug.
At JOLT Energy, we know exactly that a carefree everyday life with an electric car requires a reliable, widespread and, above all, ultra-fast infrastructure. That is why we are bringing fast charging downtown, right to you. Our innovative stations integrate seamlessly into the urban environment and offer you as a driver access to state-of-the-art charging technology at all times. Soon, charging your vehicle will be as commonplace and straightforward as parking itself.
A quick note for site owners: Do you own a supermarket, a petrol station or a restaurant in a city centre location? You too can profit from the rapid growth of electromobility! As an experienced charge point operator (CPO) , JOLT plans, finances, and operates premium fast chargers on your premises. Without zero investment required from your side , you upgrade your location, attract affluent EV drivers and generate additional revenue on the side. Contact us and play an active role in shaping the mobility of tomorrow!
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