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Type 2 connector
The IEC 62196-2 Type 2 connector (sometimes, mainly in the USA, falsely referred to as Mennekes for the German company that was involved in the development) is used for charging electric vehicles using AC power, mainly within Europe, Australia, NZ and many other countries outside North America. The Type 2 connector was adopted as the EU standard in 2013, with full compliance required by 2025. The connector was chosen by the EU to promote electric mobility and ensure interoperability between different vehicles and charging stations. The Type 2 connector is equipped with seven pin connectors, which are used for communication between the vehicle and charger using the J1772 signaling protocol, and for either single or 3-phase AC power with a maximum voltage of 500 V, thereby delivering up to 43 kW of power.
A later, modified version of the Type 2 connector which includes two additional DC current pins at the base to allow for high-power (up to 350 kW) DC fast charging, is known as a Combined Charging System (CCS) Combo 2 plug, and has also been adopted as an EU standard.
The connector is circular in shape, with a flattened top edge; the original design specification carried an output electric power of 3–50 kW for charging battery electric vehicles using single-phase (230V) or three-phase (400V) alternating current (AC), with a typical maximum of 32 A 7.2 kW using single-phase AC and 22 kW with three-phase AC in common practice. The plugs have openings on the sides that allow both the car and the charger to lock the plug automatically to prevent unwanted interruption of charging or theft of the cable.
As modified by Tesla for its European Supercharger network (up to Version 2), it is capable of outputting 150 kW using direct current (DC) via two pins each, with a switch inside the Tesla Model S or X car selecting the required mode. Since 2019, Tesla has adopted the CCS2 connector on their Version 3 Superchargers (outputting 250 kW), including a second cable for CCS support on Version 2 Superchargers, on all European models of the Model 3 and Y, with a hardware upgrade and adapter for pre-2019 Model S and X vehicles, and since 2022 on Model S and X as the new connector.
The Type 2 connector system was originally proposed by Mennekes in 2009. The system was later tested and standardized by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) as VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2, and subsequently recommended by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) in 2011. In January 2013, the IEC 62196 Type 2 connector was selected by the European Commission as official AC charging plug within the European Union. It has since been adopted as the recommended connector in most countries worldwide, including New Zealand. When passing AC, the maximum power of the Mennekes connector is 43 kW. The IEC 62196 Type 1 connector (codified under SAE J1772) is the corresponding standard for single-phase AC charging in the United States, Canada, and South Korea. J1772 has a maximum output of 19.2 kW.
In North America, the same Type 2 physical connector is used for three-phase AC charging under the SAE J3068 standard, which uses Local Interconnect Network (LIN) for control signaling based on IEC 61851-1 Edition 3 Annex D. J3068 increases the maximum output to 166 kW using three-phase AC.
The same physical connector is also used in China under the Guobiao standard GB/T 20234.2-2015 for AC-charging, with gender differences for the vehicle and electric vehicle supply equipment. GB/T 20234-2 specifies cables with Type 2-style male connectors on both ends, and a female inlet on vehicles—the opposite gender to the rest of the world, and with different control signaling.
The Combined Charging System Combo 2 "fast charging" connector uses the signaling and protective earth pins of the Type 2 connector and adds two direct current (DC) pins for rapid charging, with DC power supplied at rates up to approximately 350 kW.
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Type 2 connector
The IEC 62196-2 Type 2 connector (sometimes, mainly in the USA, falsely referred to as Mennekes for the German company that was involved in the development) is used for charging electric vehicles using AC power, mainly within Europe, Australia, NZ and many other countries outside North America. The Type 2 connector was adopted as the EU standard in 2013, with full compliance required by 2025. The connector was chosen by the EU to promote electric mobility and ensure interoperability between different vehicles and charging stations. The Type 2 connector is equipped with seven pin connectors, which are used for communication between the vehicle and charger using the J1772 signaling protocol, and for either single or 3-phase AC power with a maximum voltage of 500 V, thereby delivering up to 43 kW of power.
A later, modified version of the Type 2 connector which includes two additional DC current pins at the base to allow for high-power (up to 350 kW) DC fast charging, is known as a Combined Charging System (CCS) Combo 2 plug, and has also been adopted as an EU standard.
The connector is circular in shape, with a flattened top edge; the original design specification carried an output electric power of 3–50 kW for charging battery electric vehicles using single-phase (230V) or three-phase (400V) alternating current (AC), with a typical maximum of 32 A 7.2 kW using single-phase AC and 22 kW with three-phase AC in common practice. The plugs have openings on the sides that allow both the car and the charger to lock the plug automatically to prevent unwanted interruption of charging or theft of the cable.
As modified by Tesla for its European Supercharger network (up to Version 2), it is capable of outputting 150 kW using direct current (DC) via two pins each, with a switch inside the Tesla Model S or X car selecting the required mode. Since 2019, Tesla has adopted the CCS2 connector on their Version 3 Superchargers (outputting 250 kW), including a second cable for CCS support on Version 2 Superchargers, on all European models of the Model 3 and Y, with a hardware upgrade and adapter for pre-2019 Model S and X vehicles, and since 2022 on Model S and X as the new connector.
The Type 2 connector system was originally proposed by Mennekes in 2009. The system was later tested and standardized by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) as VDE-AR-E 2623-2-2, and subsequently recommended by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) in 2011. In January 2013, the IEC 62196 Type 2 connector was selected by the European Commission as official AC charging plug within the European Union. It has since been adopted as the recommended connector in most countries worldwide, including New Zealand. When passing AC, the maximum power of the Mennekes connector is 43 kW. The IEC 62196 Type 1 connector (codified under SAE J1772) is the corresponding standard for single-phase AC charging in the United States, Canada, and South Korea. J1772 has a maximum output of 19.2 kW.
In North America, the same Type 2 physical connector is used for three-phase AC charging under the SAE J3068 standard, which uses Local Interconnect Network (LIN) for control signaling based on IEC 61851-1 Edition 3 Annex D. J3068 increases the maximum output to 166 kW using three-phase AC.
The same physical connector is also used in China under the Guobiao standard GB/T 20234.2-2015 for AC-charging, with gender differences for the vehicle and electric vehicle supply equipment. GB/T 20234-2 specifies cables with Type 2-style male connectors on both ends, and a female inlet on vehicles—the opposite gender to the rest of the world, and with different control signaling.
The Combined Charging System Combo 2 "fast charging" connector uses the signaling and protective earth pins of the Type 2 connector and adds two direct current (DC) pins for rapid charging, with DC power supplied at rates up to approximately 350 kW.