What connector does my EV use?

Almost certainly Type 2 (AC) and CCS (DC rapid). Every UK-market EV sold from around 2018 uses this combination. Tesla, VW, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Polestar, Nissan, MG, Renault — all use Type 2 + CCS. Older Nissan Leaf (pre-2018) may have CHAdeMO for DC rapid instead of CCS.

Is Type 2 the same as CCS?

Related but different. Type 2 is the AC-only standard (7-22kW). CCS (Combined Charging System) uses the same Type 2 inlet on the car but adds two extra DC pins below for high-power DC rapid charging (50-350kW). All UK-market EVs have both — the same single inlet on the car accepts both plugs.

What's the difference between Type 2 and CHAdeMO?

Type 2 is the AC charging connector (used at home, workplace, slow public chargers). CHAdeMO is an older DC rapid standard (mainly pre-2018 Nissan Leaf). CCS has now replaced CHAdeMO as the dominant UK DC rapid standard. New EVs in 2026 generally don't have CHAdeMO support.

Will my home charger work with any EV?

Yes — UK home chargers use Type 2 connectors which are universal across all UK-market EVs (Tesla, VW, BMW, Polestar, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, MG, Renault, etc.). Single 7kW home charger; works with any Type 2 EV including Tesla.

What is Tesla NACS and does it matter in the UK?

NACS (North American Charging Standard) is Tesla's proprietary connector, dominant in the US but rare in the UK. UK Tesla cars use Type 2 AC and CCS DC like other EUs; UK Tesla Superchargers use CCS plugs. For practical UK purposes, you can ignore NACS.

Do I need to carry an EV cable in my car?

Recommended yes — a 5-7m Type 2 cable in your boot covers untethered public AC chargers, lamp-post chargers, and holiday-let chargers without tethered cables. Quality cables cost £100-£200. DC rapid chargers have tethered CCS cables built in, so you don't need to carry anything for them.

Can I use a 3-pin plug to charge my EV?

Only in emergencies. Most UK EVs include a 'granny cable' delivering around 2.3kW (10A) from a standard 3-pin socket. Adequate for occasional emergency use, but too slow for daily charging and can stress older wiring. Install a proper 7kW Type 2 charger for regular home charging.

How fast is CCS rapid charging?

Depends on the charger and car. CCS chargers range from 50kW to 350kW. Modern EVs accept 100-250kW peak (Hyundai Ioniq 5 around 232kW, Tesla Model Y around 250kW, MG4 around 135kW). Real-world rates taper above 80% state of charge — typical 10-80% rapid charge takes 18-40 minutes.

Type 2 vs CCS vs CHAdeMO: EV Connectors Explained

EV connectors are one of those topics that seems impossibly confusing until you realise that as a UK driver in 2026, you really only need to know about two of them: Type 2 (for AC charging at home and at slower public sites) and CCS (for DC rapid charging on the road). Everything else is either niche or going away. Here's the clear version.

The four connectors you might encounter

Connector	Type	Used for	Status in UK 2026
Type 2 (Mennekes / IEC 62196)	AC, up to 22kW	Home, workplace, slow public	Universal UK standard
CCS (Combined Charging System)	DC, up to 350kW	Public rapid / ultra-fast	Dominant UK standard
CHAdeMO	DC, up to 100kW	Public rapid	Declining — mainly older Nissan Leaf
Tesla NACS / Type 2 (UK)	AC + DC variants	Tesla Supercharger (open to most EVs now)	UK Tesla Superchargers use CCS plugs

Type 2 — the universal home and workplace AC connector

Every UK-market EV sold from 2018 onward has a Type 2 inlet on the car. This includes Tesla (yes, in the UK), VW ID models, BMW i-series, Hyundai Ioniq, Kia EV6, Polestar 2, Nissan Leaf (with Type 2 + CHAdeMO dual-port on older models), MG4, Renault Megane E-Tech, and dozens more.

Type 2 is used for:

Home AC charging (7-22kW) — your driveway charger
Workplace AC charging
Public AC chargers (lamp-post chargers, supermarket car parks, council chargers)
Hotel and holiday-let destination charging

It carries up to 22kW AC three-phase (or 7.4kW single-phase). Beyond that, you'd need DC charging via CCS.

CCS — the rapid DC standard

CCS (Combined Charging System) is the DC rapid charging standard adopted across Europe and most of the world. Cars with CCS support have a Type 2 AC inlet with two extra DC pins below it — the same physical inlet handles both. The CCS plug is bigger than a Type 2 plug because of the extra DC pins.

CCS is used for:

Public rapid charging (50-150kW typical)
Public ultra-fast charging (150-350kW — IONITY, Tesla Supercharger v3 in UK, InstaVolt high-power sites)
Tesla Supercharger network (in UK; Tesla uses CCS plugs at UK Superchargers)

Maximum charging speed depends on:

The charger's max output (often 50, 100, 150, or 350kW)
The car's max accepted DC rate (varies — Tesla Model Y ~250kW, Hyundai Ioniq 5 ~232kW, MG4 ~135kW, etc.)
Battery state of charge (rates taper above 80%)
Battery temperature

CHAdeMO — the disappearing standard

CHAdeMO was the original Japanese DC rapid standard, used heavily by Nissan Leaf (especially pre-2018) and Mitsubishi i-MiEV. It's been steadily phased out in favour of CCS:

Most new EVs in 2026 don't have a CHAdeMO port (it's CCS only)
Many UK public chargers are reducing CHAdeMO support — some Cornwall locations have removed CHAdeMO heads entirely
Older Nissan Leaf (pre-2018, before CCS option was added) is the main remaining UK user
Maximum power is around 100kW (lower than current CCS standards)

If you drive an older Leaf, the CHAdeMO network is still adequate in Cornwall — but plan ahead and check Zapmap for current CHAdeMO availability. Future-proofing: when you next change car, opt for a CCS-only model.

Tesla NACS — the US standard you can mostly ignore

Tesla NACS (North American Charging Standard) is Tesla's proprietary connector, dominant in the US but rare in the UK and Europe. In the UK:

UK Tesla cars use Type 2 AC and CCS DC — the same as every other UK EV
UK Tesla Superchargers (open to non-Tesla EVs since 2022) use CCS plugs
NACS adapter products exist if you've imported a North American Tesla — niche

For practical purposes, NACS doesn't matter in the UK. The US market shift to NACS may slowly influence UK charging hardware over the late 2020s, but Type 2 + CCS will remain the UK standards for at least a decade.

What connector should I get on a home charger?

Type 2. Always. Home AC chargers in the UK are universally Type 2:

All UK home chargers (Zappi, Easee, Ohme, Pod Point, Hypervolt, Wallbox, Tesla Wall Connector, Andersen) use Type 2
All UK-market EVs sold since around 2018 have a Type 2 inlet
The connector standard is settled and won't change in the foreseeable future

Tethered vs untethered — connector implications

Tethered chargers have a Type 2 cable permanently attached. Untethered have a Type 2 socket where you plug in your own Type 2 cable. Either way, both ends of the cable are Type 2 — universal compatibility. See our tethered vs untethered guide.

What about Cornwall public chargers — what do I need?

You'll find a mix:

AC public chargers (Cornwall Council, supermarkets, lamp-posts): Type 2 sockets. Bring your own Type 2 cable.
DC rapid public chargers (BP Pulse, Osprey, GeniePoint, InstaVolt, Tesla Supercharger): CCS tethered cables. Just plug in.
Older CHAdeMO chargers: rare in Cornwall now; check Zapmap if your older Leaf needs one.

For maximum flexibility, carry a 5-7m Type 2 cable in your boot for AC chargers (especially handy for lamp-post chargers, holiday let chargers without tethered cable, and emergency AC top-ups).

The 3-pin "granny cable" — emergency only

Most UK EVs come with a "granny cable" — a Type 2 plug for the car and a standard UK 3-pin plug for the wall. Delivers around 2.3kW (10A) — very slow. Use cases:

Genuine emergencies (battery very low, only socket available)
Occasional overnight charging at a friend's house
Charging a PHEV (small battery, slower charging acceptable)

NOT for daily charging — drawing 10A continuously for hours can stress a domestic socket. Old wiring with no RCD protection can be unsafe. If you're charging regularly at home, install a proper 7kW charger.

The future

For the UK in 2026 and likely through 2035:

Type 2 AC will remain the home and workplace standard
CCS DC will remain the rapid charging standard
CHAdeMO will gradually disappear (negligible UK installs by 2028-2030)
Tesla NACS won't displace CCS in the UK in the foreseeable future
Megawatt-class charging for HGVs / long-distance trucks may use a new standard (MCS — Megawatt Charging System), but this doesn't affect cars

Need a Type 2 home charger fitted in Cornwall? Submit your postcode and we'll match you with a vetted OZEV-approved installer.

Disclosure

EV Charger Cornwall is a lead-gen service. Connector standards evolve; the information above reflects UK market conditions as of May 2026.