Last modified: Feb 25, 2024

Charging Connectors

The charging connectors in EVs come in different types and different locations.

Connector types

A way to classify charging ports is by their charging connector, which is the physical shape and size of the plug that connects the EV to the charging station. Different types of charging connectors vary by region, standard, and compatibility.

J1772

J1772 is the standard Level 1 and Level 2 charging connector for all American EVs except Teslas. It was created by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and works with any Level 1 or Level 2 charger in the US. It has a round shape with five pins and a latch. It can deliver up to 19.2 kW of power.

Audi e-tron J1772 charge port

Type 2

Type 2 is the standard Level 2 charging connector for European EVs. It was created by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and works with any Level 1 or Level 2 charger in Europe. It has a round shape with seven pins and a latch. It can deliver up to 43 kW of power.

Audi e-tron GT type 2 charge port

CCS

This is the standard Level 3 charging connector for all EVS in Europe and most brands in America.

It stands for Combined Charging System and was created by a CharIN consortium of automakers and standards organizations.

It comes in two versions

CCS Combo 1

It has a round shape with two additional DC pins below the J1772 connector. It can deliver up to 350 kW of power with a maximum of 920 Volts. It is used in North America.

CCS Combo 1 port with J1772 for AC charging

CCS Combo 2

It has a round shape with two additional DC pins below the type 2 connector. It can deliver up to 350 kW of power with a maximum of 920 Volts. This version is used in Europe on all brands.

CCS Combo 2 port with Type 2 for AC charging

NACS/J3400 (Tesla)

NACS, or The North American Charging Standard, is the Tesla Connector that Tesla opened for others in 2022.

NACS is the proprietary Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 charging connector for all Tesla EVs sold in North America. Tesla created it, and it works only with Tesla chargers, such as the Supercharger or Destination Charger networks. It has a rectangular shape with two pins and a button.

The standard says it can deliver up to 250 kW of power with a maximum of 1000 Volts. Ford announced May 25. 2023, they will add a NACS port on their models from 2024 in North America. GM Followed on June 08. 2023.

Since then all major manufacturers has informed that they will change to NACS.

NACS connector / Tesla connector

NACS is smaller and lighter than CCS Combo 1, which makes it easier to handle and plug in.

NACS connector / Tesla connector compared with CCS Combo 1

December 18. 2023 it became the J3400 standard.

CHAdeMO

CHAdeMO is the standard Level 3 charging connector for most Japanese EVs, such as Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Toyota. It stood for CHArge de MOve and was created by a consortium of Japanese companies and organizations. It is round, with two large DC pins and two small communication pins. It can deliver up to 62.5 kW of power.

Nissan Leaf Chademo port

Charge port location

EVs have different locations for their charge port. Here are the most common

Rear corner

This is a very common location since all Tesla models have this location.

Tesla Model 3 with rear corner port

Front side

Audi e-tron GT with front side port

Rear Side

Audi Q4 e-tron with rear side port

Front Corner

Front corner is used by some and can be a benefit if you are towing a trailer.

Rivian R1S with left front corner location of charge port

Front

Kia Niro EV with front charge port

Most sold EVs globaly

Below, you find the top 10 most-sold EV models in the world. Click on the name for full info.