EV Charging Connector Types Worldwide

Quick Summary: EV Charging Standards by Region

With the rapid development of the global electric vehicle industry, various countries are speeding up the construction of electric vehicle charging piles. However, the EV charging connector types vary from country to country, which to a certain extent affects the convenience of EV charging.

EV charging connector standards differ across regions. North America mainly uses CCS1 and NACS, Europe uses Type 2 and CCS2, China follows the GB/T standard system, and Japan traditionally uses CHAdeMO.

In recent years, major automakers like Ford, GM, and Rivian have adpoted Tesla’s NACS (Niorth American Charging Standard). This connector has been recognized as SAE J3400. It’s becoming the unified standard for North America, gradually replacing CCS1 for new electric vehicles.

China is also rapidly advancing ultra-fast EV charging technologies. Companies like BYD are developing megawatt-level flash charging solutions based on the GB/T charging system, supporting charging power above 1 MW through high-voltage platforms and liquid-cooled charging connectors.

SAE J1772 Standard

SAE J1772 is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by the SAE International and has the formal title “SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772, SAE Electric Vehicle Conductive Charge Coupler”.

SAE J1772 standard AC charging plug is shown in Figure 2.

The function of each contact is shown in Table 1. for AC single-phase charging, its voltage and maximum current are shown in Table 2.

Table 1: Function of each PIN according to SAE J1772 standard
PIN	Function	Primary AC and secondary AC
1	Mains 1	Required
2	Mains 2	Required
3	Ground	Required
4	Control pilot	Required
5	Connection switch	Required

Table 2: Primary AC and secondary AC
Charging Method	Supply Voltage (V)	Maximum Current (A)	Branch Circuit Breaker Rating (A)
Primary AC	120V AC, Single-phase	12A	15A (minimum)
	120V AC, Single-phase	16A	20A
Secondary AC	208~240V, Single-phase	≤80A	According to NEC 625

IEC 62196-1,2,3 Standard – IEC connector types

Type 1

There’re several common IEC connector types. IEC 62196 is an international standard for set of electrical connectors and charging modes for electric vehicles and is maintained by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

The IEC 62196 standard type 1 charging connector contact definition is the same as the SAE J1772 standard AC charging interface, as shown in Figure 2.

Table 3: Maximum voltage and current for each contact according to IEC 62196 Type 1
PIN ③	AC	Functions ①
1	250V  32A ②	L1 (mains 1)
2	250V  32A	L2 (mains 2) / N (neutral)
3	Rated for fault	PE (ground / earth)
4	30V  2A	CP (Control pilot)
5	30V  2A	CS (Connection switch)
①  For contacts 4 and 5, environmental conditions may demand larger conductor cross-sections. ②  In the following countries, the branch circuit overcurrent protection is based upon 125% of the device rating: USA. ③  Positon number does not refer to the location and/or identification of the contact in the accessory.

Type 2

The type 2 charging connector contact definition of the IEC 62196 standard is shown in Figure 3.

Charging power pins: line (L1), line (L2), line (L3), neutral(N), and protective earth (PE).
Signal pins: the control pilot (CP) and proximity pilot (PP).

The maximum voltage and current of the IEC 62196 standard charging connector in three-phase and single-phase power are shown in Table 3.

Table 4: Maximum voltage and current for each PIN according to IEC 62196 in three-phase power and single-phase power
PIN ⑥	Three phase			Single phase		Functions
	Umax	Imax  ①		Imax ①
	V a.c.	A		A
		Type 2	Type 3	Type 2 ②	Type 3
1	500	63	32	70	32	L1 (mains 1) ②
2	500	63	32	– ③	– ③	L2 (mains 2)
3	500	63	32	– ③	– ③	L3 (mains 3)
4	500	63	32	70	32	N (neutral) ②③
5	—	Rated for fault				PE (ground / earth)
6	30	2				CP (Control pilot)
7	30	2				PP (Proximity) ④ or CS (Connection switch) ④
①  In the following countries, the branch circuit overcurrent protection is based upon 125% of the device rating: USA. ②  For single phase charging contacts 1 and 4 shall be used. ③  Unused contacts need not to be installed. Not provided for standard sheets 2-llla and 2-lllb. ④  Not provided for standard sheet 2-llla. ⑤  For single phase system supply phase to phase this contact can be used for L2 (mains 2). ⑥  Position number does not refer to the location and/or identification of the contact in the accessory.

CHAdeMO Standard

CHAdeMO was formed by The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Fuji Heavy Industries. Toyota later joined as its fifth executive member. Three of these companies have developed electric vehicles that use TEPCO‘s DC connector for quick charging.

The contact definition of the charging connector of the CHAdeMO standard can be seen in Table 5, while Figure 4 shows the timing circuit of the CHAdeMO.

Table 5: CHAdeMO Pin Assignment
PIN	Functions
1	Ground
2	Charge sequence signal
3	Not connected
4	Charging permission
5	DC+ power
6	DC- power
7	Connector proximity detection
8	CAN high
9	CAN low
10	Charging sequence signal

The CHAdeMO standard can output high voltage DC power up to 62.5kw. Figure 5 shows the CHAdeMO standard EV charging connectors.

GB/T 20234.1,2,3-2011 Standard

The GB/T 20234.1,2,3-2011 standard has an AC charging connector as shown in Figure 6, a DC charging connector as shown in Figure 7, and a maximum voltage and current and insulation level as shown in Figure 7. GB’s DC charging also uses CAN communication.

Table 6: AC and DC charging system according to GB standard
Parameter	AC	DC
GB standard
Nominal voltage	Up to 440 V AC	Up to 1000 V DC
Nominal current	Up to 32 A	Up to 600 A
Standard	GB/T 20234.2	GB/T 20234.3
IP protection when plugged in	IP55	IP55
IP protection with protective cap	IP54	IP54

Combined Charging System (CCS) Standard

The Combined Charging System is a quick charging method for battery electric vehicles delivering high-voltage direct current via a special electrical connector derived from the SAE J1772 (IEC Type 1) or IEC Type 2 connector. As the plug is a combination of an AC connector with a DC option the resulting connector is also called Combo Coupler and the variant with Type 2 is abbreviated as Combo2.

The eight major American and German manufacturers, Ford, GM, Chrysler, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Porsche, released the “Joint Charging System” in 2012. All current charging interfaces are unified so that four modes of single-phase AC charging, fast three-phase AC charging, home DC charging, and super-speed DC charging can be accomplished with one interface.
The charging plug of the combined type using the SAE J1772 standard is shown in Figure 8. Figure 9 shows the combined charging plug with charging using IEC 62196 standard. Figure 10 shows the schematic diagram of combined charging and power information.

The communication protocol for combined charging uses power carrier communication, PLC (power line communication). While GB/T and CHAdeMO use CAN communication.

Summary

Each EV charging standard has evolved to meet the needs of different regional markets and vehicle platforms. CCS and NACS are becoming the dominant fast-charging standards in North America and Europe, China continues to advance the GB/T ecosystem with ultra-high-power charging technologies, while CHAdeMO is gradually declining outside Japan.

Although global EV charging standards are still not fully unified, the industry is rapidly moving toward higher charging power, better interoperability, and broader international compatibility.

People Also Ask

Q: Can I use a Type 2 charger on a Type 1 car?
A: No, not directly. You will need a specific Type 2 to Type 1 adapter. However, most public charging stations usually provide cables or sockets that match specific regional standards.

Q: What is the difference between AC and DC charging connectors?
A: AC connectors (like Type 1 and Type 2) use the vehicle’s onboard charger to convert power, making them slower. DC connectors (like CCS and CHAdeMO) bypass the onboard charger, delivering high voltage directly to the battery for rapid charging.

Q: Is CHAdeMO being phased out?
A: Outside of Japan, CHAdeMO is gradually being replaced by the CCS 2  connector (Europe) and CCS 1/NACS (North America) standards. However, many legacy vehicles (like Nissan Leaf) still rely on it.

Q: How to select the correct charging plug types for commercial charging stations?

A: Choosing the appropriate EV charging plug types requires evaluating three core technical parameters: the regional compliance standard (e.g., CE, UL, or TUV certification), the charging phase requirements (single-phase vs. three-phase), and the exact electrical ratings (maximum current and voltage capacity). Always cross-reference your specific project requirements with the manufacturer’s specification tables.