EV Charging Connectors Explained: Type 2, CCS, CHAdeMO and More
Pulling up to a charger only to find your cable doesn't fit — or paying more because you didn't know a cheaper nearby station accepted your connector — is one of the most common frustrations for EV drivers. This guide covers every connector type used in France, what they support, and how that directly shapes the prices available to you.
AC or DC: two fundamentally different charging families
Before getting to connectors, it helps to understand the key distinction between two types of current:
Alternating current (AC)
This is the current from the electrical grid. Your car converts AC to DC via its onboard charger — so the maximum power depends on the car, not the charger. In France: up to 22 kW three-phase. Home wallboxes and most public AC stations operate on AC.
Direct current (DC)
The AC-to-DC conversion happens inside the charger, not the car — enabling much higher power: 50 kW to 350 kW+. This is what highway fast chargers use. The limiting factor then becomes the car's own maximum DC charge rate, not the charger's output.
Charging modes: 2 and 3
AC charging cables are classified under two standardised "modes":
- Mode 2: cable plugged into a standard household socket (Schuko or CEE). An in-cable control box (ICCB) handles safety communication. Power: 2.3–3.7 kW. Emergency use only.
- Mode 3: cable connecting a dedicated charging station (wallbox or public charger) to your car. Power: up to 43 kW AC. This is the standard for any regular AC charging.
What cable comes with your EV? Most manufacturers include a Mode 2 cable (household socket) as standard. The Mode 3 cable — needed for public chargers and wallboxes — is often sold separately or included on higher trim levels. Worth checking before you buy.
Quick overview: every connector you'll find in France
| Connector | Current | Max power | Use case | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 (Mennekes) | AC | 22 kW (home) / 43 kW (public) | Daily charging | EU standard — universal |
| CCS Combo 2 | AC + DC | up to 350 kW | Fast charging | EU standard — near universal |
| CHAdeMO | DC | up to 100 kW | Fast charging | Declining in Europe |
| Type 1 (SAE J1772) | AC | 7.4 kW | Slow charging | Rare in Europe |
| Tesla (NACS / modified Type 2) | AC + DC | up to 250 kW | Superchargers + AC | Tesla + open network since 2023 |
Type 2 (Mennekes) — the European standard
The Type 2 connector is the legal standard in Europe for AC charging. Every public AC charger in France has a Type 2 socket or built-in cable, and virtually every EV sold in Europe since 2014 uses Type 2 on the car side.
CCS Combo 2 — Europe's fast-charging standard
CCS (Combined Charging System) extends the Type 2 connector with two extra pins at the bottom for high-power DC charging. A CCS-equipped vehicle can charge via the Type 2 portion for AC and via the full CCS port for fast DC — using the same socket on the car.
In 2026, CCS is the fast-charging standard for the overwhelming majority of EVs sold in Europe. Almost every highway fast charger in France — Electra, TotalEnergies, Fastned, Ionity — is CCS-compatible.
⚠️ Your car's DC limit matters more than the charger's output. A 350 kW charger will only deliver what your car accepts. A Renault Megane E-Tech takes 130 kW DC. A Peugeot e-208: 100 kW. A Dacia Spring: 30 kW. Paying the premium rate at an ultra-fast charger when a cheaper 50 kW option nearby would deliver the same actual charge speed often makes no sense.
CHAdeMO — the Japanese standard in decline
CHAdeMO is a DC fast-charging protocol developed in Japan, long popular on Nissan (Leaf) and Mitsubishi EVs. The European market has decisively moved toward CCS: since 2020, virtually no new EV sold in Europe uses CHAdeMO as its primary fast-charging connector.
If you drive a CHAdeMO vehicle, check fast-charger availability along your route before long trips. CHAdeMO public chargers still exist but the network is stagnating while CCS infrastructure expands rapidly.
Tesla Supercharger — open to all since 2023
Tesla uses a proprietary connector derived from the Type 2 Mennekes, capable of both AC and high-power DC (up to 250 kW on V3 hardware). Historically Tesla-only, the Supercharger network opened progressively to other brands in France from late 2022 — via the Tesla app, for CCS-compatible vehicles with an adapter.
Installation sockets: Schuko and CEE
For home or slow public charging, you'll encounter two socket types on the installation side — these are what you plug into, not what's on the car:
🔌 Schuko (domestic socket)
The standard wall socket. All EVs can charge from one via a Mode 2 cable. Power: 2.3 kW recommended (10 A) to 3.7 kW max (16 A) on a verified socket in good condition.
For a 60 kWh battery, expect 16–26 hours for a full charge. Emergency use or slow overnight top-ups only.
🔌 Blue CEE ("camping" socket)
Single-phase industrial socket — safer than Schuko for regular use. Power: 3.7 kW (230 V, 16 A). Found at campsites, some apartment buildings, and certain slow public chargers.
🔌 Red CEE (industrial)
Three-phase industrial socket. Two sizes: CEE16 (11 kW, 400 V, 16 A) and CEE32 (22 kW, 400 V, 32 A). Used in garages and professional installations. Requires a suitable Mode 3 cable.
Which connector for which situation?
| Situation | Recommended connector | Target power |
|---|---|---|
| Overnight home charging (wallbox) | Type 2 | 7.4–22 kW |
| Emergency top-up on standard socket | Mode 2 (Schuko) | 2.3–3.7 kW |
| Public AC charger | Type 2 (Mode 3 cable) | 7.4–22 kW |
| Fast charging in town or on a route | CCS Combo 2 | 50–150 kW |
| Ultra-fast highway charging | CCS Combo 2 | 150–350 kW |
| Tesla Supercharger (non-Tesla) | CCS + adapter | Up to 250 kW |
Why your connector directly affects what you pay
Your connector isn't just a technical detail — it determines which stations you can physically use, and therefore which prices are on the table. At any given motorway junction you might find:
- An IECharge CCS station at €0.25/kWh
- An Ionity CCS station at €0.79/kWh
- A CHAdeMO charger at €0.35/kWh
- A Tesla Supercharger at €0.48/kWh (non-Tesla)
If you have a CCS vehicle, all four options are technically accessible — and the gap between cheapest and most expensive is €0.54/kWh. On 50 kWh, that's €27 for the exact same charge.
If your EV is CHAdeMO-only, your choice narrows to one option before you even look at prices. The question of "which is cheapest" is moot — there's only one.
How ChargeMatcher uses your connector: When you enter your vehicle in ChargeMatcher, the app knows your connector type and your maximum DC charge rate. It automatically filters to compatible stations and only shows options your car can actually use — ranked by real price with your charging cards already factored in. No time lost on incompatible chargers. No missing the cheapest option that actually works for your car.