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Guide to electric vehicle charging, plug types and cables
If you buy an electric vehicle you need to understand the different types of EV chargers and EV plugs. Here is a guide to what's required to recharge an EVs high-voltage battery.
As electric cars become more popular in Australia, new and would-be EV owners need to consider how electric vehicle charging works at home and on the road to ensure they’re always ready to roll.
A lot depends on the EV model you’re driving and the charging points you have access to. You'll find all the information you need in this guide. Rest assured that keeping an EV topped up with plenty of charge and driving range soon becomes a simple, routine process.
In this article
Universal Type 2 chargers are the most common connection for Level 2 AC home recharging systems. Image: Matt Harvey
Types of EV chargers in Australia
Before diving into the different charging plugs used in EVs, it’s important to understand the different types of EV charging available in Australia. As set down by the Electric Vehicle Council, there are three main types: Level 1 (AC), Level 2 (AC) and Level 3 (DC).
AC versus DC? AC (or alternating current) is typical when charging at home and at workplace charging points and is slower than DC (direct current), which is mostly found at public charging stations where quicker top-ups are needed.
Level 1 (AC)
This is the slowest form of charging, based on AC power outputs of about 1.4kW to 2.8kW charging capability. Using the cable that’s usually (but not always) supplied with your EV, you can simply plug into a regular three-pin domestic power point to recharge. The main benefit of these chargers is the fact that they’re portable and can be kept in the car to charge from any General Power Outlet (GPO).
This tends to be fine for overnight charging of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) with a small battery, but battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) might need longer to fully recharge their bigger battery. Using this method, you’ll typically add about 10-12km of driving range per hour.
Level 2 (AC)
This provides dedicated AC charging for EVs from about 7kW (single-phase), up to 22kW (three-phase), which is much faster than Level 1. The chargers are commonly installed in residential homes, workplaces, hotels and resorts, where the car will often be parked for a while.
These might have their own tethered cable and plug, typically a universal Type 2 connector compatible with all EVs sold in Australia, but untethered options with a socket for removable cables are also available to suit a range of different plugs (see below). A qualified professional can help advise on the best solution for your home or office building, including using in conjunction with a rooftop solar system.
Level 2 charging using a single-phase 7kW unit will add about 35-40km of driving range per hour, depending on the EV. Three-phase units up to 22kW offer about 50-130km/hour. In both cases, this should deliver enough for most vehicles’ average daily use in an hour or so, and a full recharge overnight.
More: Installing an electric car home charger – what you need to know
Level 3 (DC)
This is the fastest charging option with dedicated DC (direct current) charging at power levels from 25kW to 350kW. This level of charging can usually add 150-300km range per hour, with some high-end EVs able to charge up to 80% in as little as 10-15 minutes.
Level 3 chargers are most often found at public charging stations, including the Chargefox network, which is Australia’s biggest and caters for all modern EV makes and models. A tethered cable will always be provided with DC public chargers to fit the vast majority of EVs – most often CCS2, but sometimes CHAdeMO, too (see below).
RACV Members can access information about EV charging stations via the RACV App.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is one of many EVs with a CCS2 charging point that facilitates Type 2 AC charging from the top socket and easy DC charging when the lower flap is removed. Image: Shannon Morris
Types of EV charging plugs in Australia
The main types of EV charging plugs in Australia are:
- Type 2 (Mennekes) for AC charging.
- CCS2 (Combined Charging System Combo 2) for DC fast-charging.
- CHAdeMO (Charge de move) for DC fast-charging.
Most EVs sold in Australia today follow European standards with a socket that fits both Type 2 (when AC charging) and CCS2 (when DC charging) plugs. Some Japanese brands have a Type 2 port for AC charging and a separate CHAdeMO port for DC charging.
Since 2020, all new EVs sold in Australia must be fitted with both AC and DC plugs.
When buying second-hand, note that some older electric cars may have Type 1 and CCS1 ports. Some older Tesla EVs might also have a modified Type 2 port that may require an adapter for use at some CCS2 fast-charging stations.
More: What to know about buying a used electric car
Type 2 plug for AC charging
The Type 2 plug, which is also known as the Mennekes or IEC 62196 plug, is the European-standard AC plug for EVs and has become the most common form in Australia. It supports both single-phase and three-phase AC charging.
If you need to purchase a connector and cable for AC charging, Type 2 will be the one – even if you own a Tesla electric car (see below). These are available with either single-phase or three-phase compatibility, so make sure it’s compatible with your EV. (Note that three-phase cables can be used to charge with single-phase power.)
Most EVs and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) across a range of price points and popular segments use Type 2 plugs, from the affordable MG4 to the top-selling Tesla Model Y and the higher-end BMW iX3.
CCS2 plug for DC fast-charging
CCS stands for Combined Charging System and CCS Combo 2 (CCS2) is now the most common plug type for when DC fast-charging EVs at a public station in Australia.
CCS2 is compatible with a Type 2 socket but also slots into an extra two pins below for the direct current. These pins are often covered by a rubber flap that you simply remove at the DC charging station before putting in the plug.
Most new EVs will have the full CCS2 arrangement, allowing owners to simply plug in a Type 2 connector for AC charging, leaving the lower two pins untouched.
Electric vehicles that use a CCS2 charger range from affordable models such as the GWM Ora and BYD Dolphin, through to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and popular Kia EV6.
CHAdeMO plug for DC fast-charging
CHAdeMO is short for ‘charge de move’ and is derived from a Japanese phrase that’s loosely translated to ‘Would you like some tea?’ – referring to the time it should take to charge the car. This is a DC fast-charging plug based on a Japanese standard and is therefore fitted to some Japanese EVs and PHEVs available in Australia, such as the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
CHAdeMO is becoming less common but the early popularity of Japanese electric cars like the Nissan Leaf in Australia means they are still supported at many public rapid-charging stations. This is, however, changing as CCS2 becomes more common.
Typically, EVs with a CHAdeMO port also come with a Type 2 port for charging at home or wherever AC charging is available. CHAdeMO plugs are also capable of bidirectional charging – the ability to feed energy from your vehicle back to your home or the electricity grid as well as taking charge on board, although this is still only in the trial phase in Australia.
This 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has two separate connection ports: one for Type 2 AC charging (left) and a second CHAdeMO socket for faster DC charging.
Older EV plug types: Type 1 (AC) and CCS1 (DC)
The Type 1 plug for AC charging (also known as J1772) has been superseded by Type 2 but is still circulating in Australia with older EVs and PHEVs such as early Nissan Leaf models, the BMW i3, BMW i8 and Holden Volt.
Unlike Type 2, the Type 1 connector only supports single-phase AC charging, ruling out the faster speeds found with three-phase.
For DC rapid charging, CCS Combo 1 (CCS1) plugs look similar to CCS2 with the addition of two pins at the bottom, but these are rare in Australia and public charging stations are now all geared up for CCS2. If you have an older EV using CCS1, you may be able to purchase an adapter for use at a CCS2 charging point.
Charging a Tesla EV
The current Tesla Model 3 sedan and Tesla Model Y SUV are compatible with Type 2 connectors for AC charging and CCS Combo 2 (CCS2) for DC rapid charging.
Tesla’s Supercharger stations have been designed with software that prevents other types of EVs charging from them, so Tesla owners have traditionally had an advantage in being able to use the most common chargers publicly available while also having exclusive access to the brand’s faster-charging proprietary network.
However, Tesla is beginning to open up its public charging network to other EVs with CCS2 compatibility. The only catch is that non-Tesla owners can expect to pay more to use Superchargers than Tesla owners.
Some older Tesla EVs, such as the Tesla Model S sedan and Tesla Model X SUV sold from 2015-2020, were fitted with a modified Type 2 port. Adapters for these should also be available to make them compatible with a current CCS2 charger.
Level 3 DC fast charging at an RACV public charging station using a CCS2 connection.
EV charging plug adapters
You can use adapters to allow your EV with one plug type to connect to a charging station with a different plug type. The Chargefox app highlights which stations and ports require you to bring your own cable. Also check your owner’s manual and contact the brand for further information.
