Charging station plugs

 

The cable that connects the charging station to the vehicle must have the correct plug at both ends. 

 

There are four types of plugs, two for alternating current (AC) that enable charging up to 43 kW, and two for direct current (DC) that allow fast charging up to 350 kW.

 

 

AC or alternating current charging

 
  • Type 1 is a single-phase plug and is standard for EVs from America and Asia. It allows you to charge the car at a speed of up to 7.4 kW, depending on your car's charging capacity and the power of the electrical grid.  
  • Type 2 plugs are three-phase plugs because they have three extra wires to conduct the current. At home, the highest charging power is 22 kW, while public charging stations can have a charging power up to 43 kW. This again depends on your car's charging capacity and the capacity of the electrical grid.

  

 

DC or direct current charging

 
  • CHAdeMO: This fast charging system was developed in Japan and provides very high charging capacity and bi-directional charging. It allows charging up to 100 kW.
  • CCS: The CCS plug is an improved version of the type 2 plug, with two extra power contacts for fast charging. It supports AC and DC charging. It enables charging at speeds up to 350 kW.
 
In Europe, the type 2 AC charger, a three-phase plug, is the standard, and most charging stations have a type 2 connection. But beware, some charging stations have a fixed cable. A connected cable can be very logical in places where you always charge the same car, such as at home or a fixed parking spot for employees. It is convenient because you don't have to carry a cable in your car. Keep in mind that if you charge your car at a public charging station with a fixed cable, you must check whether the connected cable fits your car's outlet. For example, on the EV charging station map from Plugshare.
  
  

Mobile home chargers

 

Be careful with mobile home chargers and connections to a household 230V outlet due to overload. A household outlet is not designed to deliver a relatively high current for a long time. Mobile home chargers are an interesting interim solution, but for long-term use, we strongly recommend a charging station. Many, usually cheaper, home chargers on the market are of questionable quality.  

 

Let's briefly mention the different charging techniques:

 

-Mode 1 is charging via a regular outlet (220V, max 10A) without limitation and without protection. Mode 1 is not used for charging EVs.  

 

-Mode 2 is charging via a standard household outlet with grounding. The cable connects a 'dumb' outlet with a 'smart' car. With a standard household outlet, the charging current must be limited to 10A. Due to this 10A limit, the maximum charging power is 2.3 kW.   

 

-Mode 3 charging is 'controlled' charging, communication takes place between the car and the charger, and only when a suitable charging current is determined by the car and the charging station is voltage applied to the outlet. To charge at home with Mode 3, you need a modified connection (charging station).  

 

-In Mode 4, direct current DC or DCFC (Direct-current or Direct-current fast charging) is delivered, which is why Mode 4 is also called DC charging or fast charging. Rarely found in people's homes, it is more for businesses and along highways, also due to the very high installation costs.