Whether you are planning your home or business EV charging station, or a public charging station, it is important to understand the various connector types available for electric vehicle charging. There is no “one-size fits all” plug type, and connector compatibility varies by region.
For instance, the standard connector used in North America for AC charging is known as a J1772, also referred to as a CCS Combo 1 or EVSE connector. This connector has seven pins and is designed to support slow charging at a maximum power output of 7.4kW (although some EVs can use up to 22kW at a home or public charge point).
The Mennekes plug, which is commonly used in Europe, has a different design with seven pins and can carry three-phase power. It has an automatic locking mechanism, making it more secure than a regular plug as it cannot be removed or tampered with during the charging process.
In some regions, you can find chargers that use a Mode 4 connector, which is designed for high-power DC fast charging. This can reduce charging times from hours to minutes, but it requires a permanent connector that is liquid-cooled and engineered to handle the higher power output.
A few older EV models are compatible with the CHAdeMO, which is another DC fast-charging protocol. However, as Japanese automakers have shifted to adopting the CCS connector for their European cars, you may find fewer CHAdeMO ports in the future. EV Charger Connectors