There are many options for electric vehicle charging cables. It can take time to choose the right cable. We have broken down the various options to help you choose. Get in touch if there are any questions or if you need help.
Types of Cables
There are usually two sockets on an electric vehicle. One for AC Charging and one to charge DC. Please see our Ultimate Electric Vehicle Charging Guide for more information on AC and DC Charging. Here you will find information about the various types of charging connectors. You can also check your car’s connector type with our Vehicle Selector Tool.
Slow AC Charging
A charging cable can be bought that connects your vehicle to your home’s power supply. It features traditional 3-pin and Type 1- or 2-pin plugs on each end. They’re also called granny chargers. Because they charge very slowly, approximately 10 miles per hour, they are often called granny. This type of cable is only available by some car manufacturers. However, it’s best to keep it for emergencies.
Using a dedicated EV charger is recommended, which is more reliable and faster. 3-pin sockets cannot be used for extended charging periods. EVs have different communication requirements than standard 3-pin sockets and therefore require more than just the 3-pins.
Fast AC Charging
Untethered fast ac charging devices have a socket at the charger. Therefore, a charging cord is required to connect the charger and your car. These charges may be for home, office, or public use. All untethered fast charges have a type 2 socket at each end. It is important to choose the right type of socket for your vehicle. Both styles of our EV Chargers Australia smart charger cables are available.
The type 1 and type 2 sockets are standard on all-electric vehicles. Type 2 has been more common in recent years. The vehicle chooser tool allows you to determine the cable and charger compatible with the EV/Phev. The following information will provide more details about each type.
Some older EVs and PHEVs use this connection in the UK. Public and home chargers have type 2 connections, so if your car has type 1, you should purchase a type 1-to-type two cable.
The power and earth cables are connected to the three larger pins. The two smaller ones are communication pins that allow the charger and vehicle to communicate. It can tell the charger when to start charging and what cable it uses (thicker cables allow for more power).
type 2 charging cablehas been the official type. All UK fast charging devices use type 2 connections. Most UK EVs, PHEVs, and others have type 2 connections. This means that a type2 to type2 cable is required. Our vehicle chooser tool will assist you in choosing the right type of cable/charger.
The five larger pins represent the earth and power wires. The two smaller pins on the right are communication. They allow the car and charger to talk to each other. It can tell the charger when to start charging and what cable it uses (thicker cables allow for more current).
