Choosing a vehicle with the right EV charging capability is critical to having a smooth user experience. Let’s look at the different plug types around the world and understand the implications of EV charging in Australia and New Zealand. Please visit our EV Guide page to find the right charging plug for your electric car or call our friendly team on 1300 406 210.
The Type 2 (also known as Mennekes) connector is the standard AC plug type for electric cars in Australia today. It is used by all electric vehicles that have been manufactured for the Australian and New Zealand markets since 2019 and will continue for all future vehicles. It is also the standard connector for most of Europe. Type 2 is an improvement on Type 1 connectors allowing for 3-phase AC charging instead of just a single phase. Type 2 has 5 large pins for power transfer and earthing and two smaller pins for vehicle communication.
If you are installing an EV charger in your home, or looking to buy an EV charging cable, Type 2 is what you will want. Cables and plugs that use Type 2 can come in either single phase, or three-phase variants, so it’s important to pick a cable that matches your vehicle. Note: if you have a vehicle that can only charge single phase (7kW) it can still use a 3-phase (22kW) cable.
Combined Charging System (CCS2) takes the Type 2 connector and adds two additional large pins at the bottom. CCS2 is the standard DC charging plug used in Australia and New Zealand and has been installed on all vehicles manufactured for those markets capable of DC charging since 2019. It is also the standard plug used in Europe. CCS2 uses the two large pins at the bottom for power transfer but also uses the smaller pins and one earth pin from the Type 2 plug. Most vehicles come with the full CCS2 socket and only the top half (the type 2 part) is used during AC charging. However, you may find that some plug-in hybrids and other vehicles not capable of DC fast charging will only have the Type 2 port installed.
Type 1 (J1772) Electric Car Plug
This plug type is now less common in Australia, primarily found in older or second-hand EV’s imported from the USA, Japan, and some European countries. EVs using this plug in Australia include the Holden Volt, older Nissan Leaf models, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, BMW i3, BMW i8, and some older Porsche models. Unlike the Type 2 connection, which can be used for Single or Three-phase, the Type 1 plug is only capable of single-phase charging.
CCS1 Connector
Like the CCS2 connector, CCS1 takes the AC part of the Type 1 plug and adds two larger DC pins at the bottom. CCS1 is rare in Australia and New Zealand as most vehicles that have Type 1 plugs use a separate CHAdeMO port for DC charging. You will never find a CCS1 plug on public charging infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand, but this plug is still very common in North America.
CHAdeMO is a DC charging standard which is primarily used in Japan. Early in Australia’s EV adoption process, several popular cars were fitting with CHAdeMO, including the Nissan Leaf. As a result, you will find some older public charging infrastructure that still has CHAdeMO support, often in the form of a dual port charger with one CCS2 plug and one CHAdeMO plug. However, as CHAdeMO is no longer common for new cars in Australia, further CHAdeMO compatible charging stations are unlikely to be installed. Cars that used CHAdeMO for DC charging often also have a type 1 port for AC charging. Initially, CHAdeMO was ahead of the curve with the plug being capable of higher levels of communication between the charger and vehicle and was capable of vehicle to grid charging. However, CCS2 has since caught up and exceeded with CHAdeMO in these capabilities.
GB/T
The GB/T plug is the standard charging connector used in China for electric vehicles. The GB/T standard covers both AC and DC charging connectors, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of EVs produced and sold within the country. Vehicles that have been directly imported from China may have this plug, but they are not very common. You will never find public charging infrastructure in Australia that can accommodate these plug types. The plug used with GB/T for AC charging looks like the Type 2 connector, however they are not compatible. For DC charging, GB/T uses a different connector to all other systems.
North American Charging Standard (NACS)
NACS is a new charging standard that is based on the original Tesla charging plug and is now being adopted by more manufacturers in North America as a replacement for Type1/CCS1 plugs. NACS has a unique design which uses the same two pins for both AC and DC charging, resulting in a plug that is more compact and streamlined than the others. However, as only two main pins are shared between both AC and DC, three phase AC charging is not possible. While residential three phase is not common in North America, it is in Europe and Oceania, so the NACS plug is unsuitable for use there.
NACS plugs and chargers cannot be found in Australia unless they have been individually imported.
Understanding the different types of EV plugs available is Australia is crucial for choosing the right EVSE equipment for your home. With the shift towards Type 2 and CCS2 plugs in new cars, its essential to ensure compatibility with your vehicle. For older models and second-hand imports, be mindful of the Type 1, ChAdeMO and GB/T options as vehicles with these plugs will be harder or impossible to charge in public.
For more help choosing your next charger for your electric car in Australia visit the team at EVSE Australia or contact us at sales@evse.com.au or on 1300 406 210
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