Pull up at a public charger for the first time and you'll see a confusing mix of plugs and names. The good news is that most electric cars sold in the UK today use just two: Type 2 for everyday AC charging and CCS for rapid DC charging.
The others mainly matter if you drive an older EV. Here's how to tell them apart.
The short version
| Connector | AC or DC | Typical power | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 | AC | 3.7kW to 22kW (occasionally 43kW) | Most current EVs, for home and slower public charging |
| CCS (Combo 2) | DC | 25kW to 400kW+ | Most current EVs, for rapid charging |
| CHAdeMO | DC | 25kW to 400kW, most commonly 50kW | Older Nissan Leafs, older Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV |
| Type 1 | AC | Up to 7.4kW | Older EVs, notably older Nissan Leafs |
| 3-pin plug | AC | About 2.3kW | Any EV with a "granny" cable, as a last resort |
Power figures are from Zapmap's connector guide, updated May 2026.
AC and DC: why there are two kinds
Your car's battery stores direct current (DC), but the grid supplies alternating current (AC).
- AC charging: the charger passes AC to the car, and a converter inside the car turns it into DC. That onboard converter limits how fast you can charge. This is how home wallboxes and most street and car park chargers work.
- DC charging: the conversion happens inside the charger itself, so it can feed the battery much faster. This is how rapid and ultra-rapid chargers work.
That's why most cars have one connector for AC and a different one (or an extended version of the same socket) for DC.
Type 2
According to Zapmap, Type 2 is the "standard for EVs in the UK (and Europe) for home and public AC charging". It's a seven-pin plug, sometimes called Mennekes after the company that designed it.
At home and on the street it usually charges at 3.7kW to 7.4kW. Where there's a three-phase supply, it can reach 22kW, or less commonly 43kW. How much of that your car can use depends on its onboard charger.
Tethered or socketed?
You'll come across two kinds of Type 2 charger:
- Tethered: the cable is permanently attached to the charger. You just plug it into your car.
- Socketed (also called untethered): there's only a socket, so you need to bring your own Type 2 to Type 2 cable.
As Electroverse puts it, at socketed posts "you'll need to bring your own Type 2 cable". It's worth keeping one in the boot.
CCS (Combo 2)
CCS stands for Combined Charging System. In the UK you'll see the version called CCS2 or Combo 2. It's essentially a Type 2 plug with two extra DC pins underneath, so one socket on the car handles both AC and DC charging.
Zapmap describes CCS as the "standard for Rapid DC charging in the UK and Europe", with power from 25kW to more than 400kW.
CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO is a Japanese DC rapid charging standard. In the UK it's mainly found on older Nissan Leafs and some early Mitsubishi models, including the older Outlander PHEV, according to Electroverse. Most CHAdeMO chargers run at 50kW.
It's being phased out. Electroverse notes that Nissan's own newer models, the Ariya and the third-generation Leaf, use CCS instead. It also says CHAdeMO makes up less than 15% of newly installed fast chargers across European networks, and Zapmap says availability above 100kW in the UK is limited.
If your car uses CHAdeMO, check that a rapid site still has a CHAdeMO cable before relying on it.
Type 1
Type 1 is a five-pin AC connector found on some older EVs, notably older Nissan Leafs. It supports AC charging up to 7.4kW. To use public chargers, Type 1 drivers need a Type 1 to Type 2 cable, according to Zapmap.
3-pin plug
Many EVs can charge from an ordinary household socket using a special cable, often called a granny charger. It's very slow, at about 2.3kW. Zapmap warns that it's not recommended for regular use because it's slow and "poses safety risks from the socket overheating". It's best kept as a backup for occasional use.
Tesla Superchargers
Tesla's Supercharger network is no longer only for Teslas. Tesla says "select Supercharging sites" are open to other EV drivers, but not all of them. To use one, you:
- download the Tesla app and create an account
- find a site that's open to other EVs
- add a payment method, plug in, choose your stall and start charging
Only cars with a CCS connector can use them. Tesla also offers an optional paid membership with lower prices at some sites.
Charging speeds: what the names mean
Charger speeds are grouped into power bands. In February 2026, Zapmap and the Department for Transport renamed the two slower bands, so you may still see the old names around:
| Band | Power | Old name | Usual connectors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 3kW to 7.9kW | Slow | Type 2, 3-pin |
| Standard Plus | 8kW to 49kW | Fast | Type 2 |
| Rapid | 50kW to 149kW | Rapid | CCS, CHAdeMO |
| Ultra-rapid | 150kW and above | Ultra-rapid | CCS |
Remember that your car sets the real limit. A car that can only take 50kW won't charge any faster on a 150kW charger, and a car with a 7kW onboard charger won't take 22kW from a Type 2 post.
How to check which connectors your car uses
- Look at the charging flap. A Type 2 socket has seven pins. If there are two extra DC pins below it, that's CCS. If the car has a second, separate DC socket instead, it may be CHAdeMO.
- Check the handbook. It will list the connectors and the maximum AC and DC charging power.
- Ask the dealer or manufacturer, or check the manufacturer's website for your model and year.
Once you know, note the maximum DC charging power too. That tells you whether a rapid or ultra-rapid charger is worth seeking out.
Finding the right charger
PlugOrPump lets you filter public chargers near you by connector, including Type 2, CCS, CHAdeMO, Type 1, 3-pin and Tesla, or show rapid chargers (50kW and above) only. Where operators publish it, you'll also see the price per kWh and where that price came from. Search by postcode and switch to "Plug" to find chargers that fit your car.