Types of charging sockets in electric cars

Ecology has become a lifestyle. Innovative solutions that help protect the environment are increasingly being used by the public. Electric cars have become particularly popular. Before buying a new car, it is advisable to familiarise yourself with the parameters of the charging sockets that individual models have. What kind of socket for charging an electric car is necessary? We suggest!

Electric car charging socket - what's worth knowing?

The sockets on electric cars made in Europe are different from those made in Asia or the USA. It is important to take this difference into account when buying a car so that you do not have problems charging the battery in your country.

AC is available at home sockets, so manufacturers have made sure to allow electric cars to charge themselves. How? An electric car needs direct current for propulsion. Vehicles are therefore equipped with special transformers that take AC current and then change it into DC, which is precisely the direct current.

There are also DC chargers, which most often simply serve as fast chargers. It only takes a few tens of minutes of DC charging for the car to be ready to drive.

What are the types and outlets for charging an electric car?

There are currently several types of socket for charging an electric car. The differences in socket types are due to the fact that car models are manufactured in different countries by different manufacturers, who adapt the cars mainly to their infrastructure. What types of sockets exist?

CHAdeMO

CHAdeMO is a direct current (DC) charging standard for electric cars, which is mainly known for Asian cars such as Nissan, KIA, Mazda and Toyota. The abbreviation CHAdeMO has two meanings: from charge de (to) move or from the Japanese expression O cha demo ikaga desuka - How about tea? It is meant to imply that charging a car takes as long as drinking tea.

CHAdeMO has been promoted particularly by the Nissan Leaf model. However, this method of charging is now 'outdated' and not compatible with current standards, so it is worth investing in a car with a different type of charging socket.

Type 1

A type of electric car battery charging found mainly in North America. With a Type 1 plug, cars are charged with single-phase or two-phase AC. There is also an extension of the Type 1 plug to Type 1 combo (CCS), which requires direct current (DC) charging.

Type 2/Mannekes

Another type of charging in an electric vehicle is Type 2, which was born in Germany. The Type 2 plug is considered the standard plug for European cars. Like Type 1, the Type 2 socket has also seen an extension to the Type 2 combo plug (CCS), which has been used in the production of new cars since 2016. The Type 2 combo is a plug that also needs DC power.

Tesla

The US market has also seen the launch of a custom plug that has nothing in common with its predecessors. The American plug is only compatible (as the name suggests) with Tesla cars. Outside North America, the infrastructure in other countries is not designed for this type of plug, so outside the States you will need to use an adapter for the plug designed for use in your country in order to be able to use the charging stations freely.

Can you charge an electric car in your garage?

The fashion for electric cars is constantly growing. This is also due to various subsidies and help from the authorities to invest in green solutions to contribute to lower CO2 emissions. Legislation is currently being amended and is expected to come into force over time, so that the infrastructure of electromobility is adapted to the increasing needs of their users.

So is it possible to charge an electric car on your own? Charging from a 230-volt household socket allows you to fully charge the car, but you have to reckon with the fact that this will be a very long process, as it takes several tens of hours (around 30) to fully charge the car from home. It therefore takes more than a day for an electric car to travel 400-500 kilometres.

What conditions must be met to charge an electric car at home?

There are stations with electric car chargers at motorways, petrol stations and supermarkets. Charging at home, however, is much cheaper, so it is worth looking into investing in a Wallbox. What is it? A wallbox is your own home car charging station. It is a small device that is mounted on the wall. In a detached house, this can easily be done at any time. In a multi-family house, townhouse or block of flats, you need to get permission from the building manager to install such a device. All you have to do is submit an application and wait for permission to be granted. It is best to install the wallbox in the garage so that you always have access to charging or in the car park next to the parking space you are entitled to.

The electric car is an invention that makes it possible to reduce CO2 emissions, which contribute to global warming and environmental pollution. It is advisable, before buying an eco-friendly car, to read its specifications and, above all, to pay attention to what kind of charging socket it has. This is a key issue that will allow you to charge your batteries freely at home.