Charging Plug, Inlet, Coupler, and Port
Charging plug, vehicle connector, vehicle inlet, coupler, and charging port are related terms, but they do not all name the same component.
Standardized component terms
- A vehicle connector is the cable-end component inserted into the vehicle.
- A vehicle inlet is the matching component mounted on the vehicle.
- A vehicle coupler is the mating combination of the vehicle connector and vehicle inlet.
- A plug is the cable-end component that connects to a socket-outlet on the supply side. On a detachable charging cable, it is the end attached to the charging station or supply socket, not the end attached to the car.
- A charging port is common automotive language for the vehicle's charging interface or the area behind its charge door. It may mean the inlet alone or the larger assembly, so it is less precise than the standardized component terms.
A tethered charge point has a permanently attached cable with a vehicle connector at the free end. A socketed charge point uses a detachable cable, which has a supply-side plug and a vehicle connector. The vehicle always presents an inlet, although a combined AC/DC inlet can contain contacts used by different mating connectors.
Physical mating is only one compatibility layer. The connector and inlet must also support the required voltage, current, signalling, locking, and charging system. For diagrams and comparisons of Type 1, Type 2, CCS, J3400, CHAdeMO, GB/T, and other regional interfaces, see EV Charging Connectors and Inlets.