Charging cables

Type 1 or Type 2? Single phase or three? And how long? That depends on your car. With the number plate check you don’t have to work it out yourself: you only see the charging cables that fit your car. That goes for electric cars and plug-in hybrids alike.

Almost every electric car in Europe has a Type 2 inlet (also called Mennekes). You recognise it by seven pins in a round socket with a flat top. Type 1 has five pins in a round socket and is mainly found on older cars and plug-in hybrids, such as the first Nissan Leaf (up to 2017) and older Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs. Rather not check yourself? The number plate check shows which inlet your car has.

See the Type 2 charging cables or the Type 1 charging cables.

A single-phase cable charges at 3.7 kW (16A) or 7.4 kW (32A). A three-phase cable charges at 11 kW (16A) or 22 kW (32A). How fast you actually charge is set by the weakest link: your car, the charging station or the cable. If your car charges on one phase, a three-phase cable charges it just as fast as a single-phase one.

At your own charging station, 5 metres is usually enough. If you often charge at public stations or park further away, choose 8 or 10 metres. Longer than 10 metres only makes sense if there is no other way: a long cable is heavier and takes up more space in the boot. We have charging cables from 3 to 20 metres.

A straight charging cable is light and easy to roll up, but lies on the ground while charging. A coiled charging cable pulls itself back together, stays cleaner and is less in the way.

You use a charging cable at a charging station. To charge from a regular socket, you need a portable charger: it has the built-in protection that keeps your car and your home wiring safe.