When purchasing an electric vehicle charger or using a public station, you’ll encounter different types of physical connectors. Understanding these plug standards is crucial for compatibility and knowing what your vehicle can use. The connectors used by electric vehicle chargers vary primarily between Level 1/2 AC charging and DC Fast Charging.

In North America, the standard connector for Level 1 and Level 2 electric vehicle chargers is the SAE J1772, often called the “J-plug.” This round connector has five pins and is used by every major non-Tesla EV for AC charging. All public Level 2 stations and home electric vehicle chargers will feature a J1772 connector. It is designed to be safe, durable, and weather-resistant.

For DC Fast Charging, there are three primary connector types, creating what is known as the “connector war.” The first is the Combined Charging System (CCS), which is essentially a J1772 connector with two additional large DC pins at the bottom. CCS has become the dominant standard for DC Fast Charging in North America and Europe for most new vehicles. Most new electric vehicle chargers being deployed are CCS compatible.

The second is CHAdeMO, a large round connector developed by Japanese automakers. While its adoption in new vehicles outside of Japan is declining, many existing EVs and public electric vehicle chargers, especially from earlier networks, still use it.

The third is the Tesla connector, a proprietary plug used exclusively by that brand. Tesla vehicles can use adapters to connect to J1772 and CHAdeMO electric vehicle chargers, and Tesla’s own Supercharger network uses this connector. Other automakers are beginning to adopt the Tesla connector (now called the North American Charging Standard or NACS) for future models.

When selecting a home electric vehicle charger, it will have a J1772 connector. For public DC Fast Charging, knowing which connector(s) your vehicle accepts (CCS, CHAdeMO, or Tesla) is key to finding compatible electric vehicle chargers.