Charging cables and connectors: the right type for your electric vehicle

• Which connector is the right one for your electric vehicle
• How to recharge at home
• Which cable to use when on the road
• How you can speed up charging at the charging station

To find the right connector, all you need to know is which connection is installed in your vehicle. European manufacturers normally utilise Type 2 connections. Do not get confused: the Type 2 connectors often referred to as the Mennekes and is named after the manufacturer. Asian or American models often utilise Type 1.

Are you not sure which connector you need for your electric vehicle? You can find a table with the most common electric vehicles and their connectors here. Now it depends on whether you are at home or on the road – because this determines the type of cable you need. You can choose from Mode 2 or Mode 3.

The easiest way to start recharging electric vehicles is with a household socket. Simply plug the cable into a normal three pin socket and the other end has the right connector for your vehicle model. When charging, you generally have enough time to relax and recharge your own batteries. The charging time for your electric vehicle using the 230V mains power with 2.3 kW varies depending on the vehicle.

If charging with a normal socket takes too long, using the optional wall box at home can speed things up. The permanently installed charging station provides power with a considerably higher charging performance than a conventional household socket (up to 22 kW instead of 2.3 kW). The key difference: the wall box uses a Mode 3 cable rather than a Mode 2 cable to recharge the vehicle. It is generally permanently integrated into the box so that there is no need for you to worry about the charging cable when you purchase the box. All you need to consider is which charging connector your vehicle needs – At Volkswagen, this is usually the Type 2 connector.

How much does this time-saving cost? The price for a home charging station ranges from 200 to several thousand euros – depending on the performance and brand. For example, Volkswagen presented the prototype of its ID.Charger station in 2018 and is available as the 11 kW Entry and Connect model. The most affordable version is available begins at 300 euros.

For European electric vehicles, you normally need a Mode 3 charging cable with two Type 2 connectors, also known as Mennekes plugs, for public charging stations. For Asian or American vehicles with a Type 1 connector, you use a Mode 3 charging cable with Type 2 to Type 1. Type 2 has an advantage over Type 1: the charging connector can be locked onto both the vehicle and the charging station. All you have to do is lock your car. The connector is then locked onto the car and the station and you can leave your car to recharge without any worries.

Essentially, you only need one charging cable to handle all of your charging needs when on the road – namely the Mode 3 with the Type 2 connector at the charging station end and the Type 2 or Type 1 connector at the vehicle end. If you take your travel with your electric vehicle on less common routes or on longer journeys (internal link: 07_Elektroauto_Urlaub) – the navigation system shows you where to find the next charging stations. Maps such as “Chargemap” or “Plugsurfing”  enable you to filter by connector types. Ensuring that your electric vehicle always has the power to boot.