ChargeAlong

EV plug types: CCS2, Type 2, CHAdeMO, NACS and more

13 September 2026 · 5 minute read

The plug your car uses depends on where it was made to be sold. Cars with CCS have a combined AC and DC socket, with two extra DC contacts below the AC section. Each site page on ChargeAlong lists every plug, with the name its source gives it beside ours.

These illustrations show the face of the cable plug that connects to the car, viewed straight on with the latch or flat edge at the top. They show the contact layout, rather than a cut through the plug. Outlines are simplified and not to scale; handles and unused contact positions can vary. Match the connector name as well as its shape.
CCS2 cable plug, front viewCCS2 cable plug face: a flat topped Type 2 section with two small signal contacts and a central earth contact, above a separate oval with two large DC contacts. The four AC power contacts are absent.

CCS2

DC · cable plug

CCS2

The Combined Charging System, in its second form, is the DC fast charging plug in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Europe and much of the rest of the world. It is a Type 2 socket with two large DC pins added below.

  • Found on almost every fast and ultra fast charger in those countries.
  • Most new electric cars sold there, including Teslas, use it.
  • The cable is always attached to the charger.

How to recognise CCS2: Look for the flat top and the extra pair of large contacts below. The cable plug omits the four AC power contacts found in the car socket. CharIN connector overview

Type 2 cable plug, front viewType 2 cable plug face: a round outline with a flat top and seven contact positions. Two small contacts sit above three larger contacts, with two more larger contacts below.

Type 2

AC · cable plug

Type 2

Type 2 is the AC plug in the same countries, for single phase or three phase power up to 22 kW. A CCS2 car takes a Type 2 plug in the top half of its socket.

Many Type 2 posts are a socket only, with no cable attached. Carry a Type 2 cable if you plan to use them.

How to recognise Type 2: A flat top and seven positions in rows of two, three and two. Some single phase cables omit two power contacts. CharIN interface reference

CHAdeMO cable plug, front viewCHAdeMO cable plug face: a round shell with two large power contacts side by side and two groups of four smaller contact positions above and below. Some small positions can be unused.

CHAdeMO

DC · cable plug

CHAdeMO

CHAdeMO is a Japanese DC plug, and was the first widely used fast charging standard. It is found on earlier Nissan Leafs and Mitsubishi Outlander plug in hybrids, among others. Most CHAdeMO chargers give about 50 kW.

Few new cars use it, and newer sites often leave it out. If your car needs one, check the plug list on a site's page before you set off.

How to recognise CHAdeMO: Two large contacts inside one round shell, with small positions grouped above and below. Not all small positions are populated on every cable. CHAdeMO connector reference

NACS cable plug, front viewNACS cable plug face: a compact rounded outline tapering towards the bottom. Two large contacts sit above a central earth contact, with a small signal contact on either side of the earth contact. Five contacts in total.

NACS

AC and DC · cable plug

NACS (Tesla)

The North American Charging Standard is the plug Tesla designed and later opened to other makers. One small plug carries both AC and DC. It is becoming the standard for new cars in the US and Canada, and many Tesla Superchargers there are open to other cars.

Tesla connectors vary by market and model year. Many Teslas in Europe, Australia and New Zealand use CCS2 and Type 2; cars built for mainland China use GB/T. Check your car's inlet and manual.

How to recognise NACS: A compact face with five contacts. The same two large contacts carry AC or DC power. NCWM connector training

Type 1 cable plug, front viewType 1 cable plug face: a round outline with a latch key at the top. Two large power contacts are above two smaller signal contacts, and a larger earth contact sits at the bottom centre. Five contacts in total.

Type 1

AC · J1772 · cable plug

CCS1 cable plug, front viewCCS1 cable plug face: a round Type 1 section above a separate oval containing two large DC contacts. The upper section has two small signal contacts and one earth contact; its two AC power positions are unpopulated.

CCS1

DC · cable plug

CCS1 and Type 1

Type 1, also called J1772, is the AC plug in the US, Canada and Japan. CCS1 adds DC pins below it, and has been the fast charging plug for most cars in North America other than Teslas. New cars there are moving to NACS, and many public chargers carry both.

How to recognise Type 1: A round face with five contacts and a latch on top. CharIN connector overview

How to recognise CCS1: The round Type 1 shape with two large DC contacts below. The cable plug leaves the two upper AC power positions unpopulated. CharIN connector overview

GB/T AC cable plug, front viewGB/T AC cable plug face: a flat topped round outline with seven pin positions, two small above three larger and two larger below. The vehicle end uses male pins, unlike the female contacts on a Type 2 cable plug.

GB/T AC

AC · GB/T 20234.2 · cable plug

GB/T DC cable plug, front viewGB/T DC cable plug face: a round outline with a flat top and nine contacts. Four small signal contacts form the upper arc, two large DC contacts sit across the middle, and an earth contact sits between two smaller auxiliary contacts below.

GB/T DC

DC · GB/T 20234.3 · cable plug

GB/T

GB/T is China's national standard, with separate AC and DC plugs. You are unlikely to meet it outside China.

How to recognise GB/T AC: Similar to Type 2, but the vehicle end has male pins and uses different signalling. Check the GB/T label; these are not interchangeable. GB/T AC manufacturer drawing

How to recognise GB/T DC: Nine contacts in a single housing: two large power contacts, four small positions above and three below. This is the conventional GB/T DC connector. GB/T DC connector reference

Adapters

Adapters exist for some pairs of plugs, most often NACS and CCS1 in North America. Before you rely on one:

  • use one your car's maker approves or sells;
  • check it is rated for the power the charger gives;
  • expect some networks not to allow them.

For what the numbers on a charger mean, see the guide to charging speeds.