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Can every electric car charge at a charging station?

Pluginvest Help avatar
Written by Pluginvest Help
Updated over a week ago

Yes! Virtually every electric vehicle you see on the road today is compatible with a standard charging station. However, there are a few nuances to keep in mind...

Type 1 versus Type 2 connector

The universal type of charging cable that you receive when buying your EV — or that is fixed to a charging station — features a Type 2 connector. This is the standard connector used in today’s vehicles.

There are also vehicles that can only charge using a Type 1 cable, but these are mostly older models or non-European cars. The Type 1 connector is no longer produced in Europe and is being phased out entirely.

Not sure whether your vehicle has a Type 1 or Type 2 connector? Then be sure to check out this list:

List of EVs with a Type 1 connector

EV Model

Years with Type 1

Notes

Nissan Leaf (1st Gen)

2010–2017

Type 1 + CHAdeMO for DC

Nissan e-NV200

Until ~2019

Type 1 + CHAdeMO

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

2013–2018 (EU)

Type 1 + CHAdeMO

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

All years (EU)

Type 1 + CHAdeMO

Peugeot iOn / Citroën C-Zero

All years

Rebadged i-MiEV

Chevrolet Volt / Opel Ampera

2011–2015

Type 1

Ford Focus Electric

2013–2018

Mostly US imports

Kia Soul EV (1st Gen)

2014–2019 (EU)

Type 1 + CHAdeMO

Hyundai Ioniq Electric (early)

2016–2018 (some)

Early versions, depending on market

EVs vs PHEVs, AC vs DC

A fully electric vehicle (EV) today uses the same type of connector as a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), namely the Type 2 connector. However, this doesn’t mean that you can charge at just any type of station. In this case, it's not about the connector compatibility, but rather about the charging power the station can provide.

PHEVs generally cannot charge at high-power DC fast chargers, like the ones you see along motorways (e.g., at Fastned stations). This is because the battery capacity of a PHEV is much smaller compared to that of a full EV. Therefore, the charging power is limited by the vehicle manufacturer to protect the battery.

Even at home charging stations (AC), there are limitations for PHEVs. For instance, a PHEV cannot charge at a 22 kW charging station. In that case, it doesn’t make sense to install such a powerful charger, as you won’t charge any faster than with a 7.4 kW station, for example.

So make sure to get proper advice from your car dealership before buying a PHEV under the assumption that you’ll be able to charge at high power!

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