The numbers at a glance.
Pins, peak power, voltage range, and how many regions actually rolled this connector out.
What the plug actually looks like.
The mechanical design, pin layout, and the names this connector goes by in the wild.
Type 2 (Mennekes) connector on top with two large DC pins below. Vehicle accepts either Type 2 alone (AC) or the full CCS2 combo (DC)
Also known as: CCS Combo 2, European CCS, CCS2
How fast it actually delivers.
Theoretical peaks vs. what you'll see at most public stations.
Regions running on CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2).
Geographies that adopted this standard, and the brands shipping cars with it from the factory.
Every EV sold in Europe, Australia, India, BMW, Mercedes, VW/Audi/Porsche, Hyundai/Kia, BYD, Tesla (EU)
How we got this connector.
The standards bodies, automakers, and political fights that shaped it.
Developed alongside CCS1, the CCS2 variant was designed to match Europe's Type 2 AC standard. The EU mandated CCS2 as the standard DC fast charging connector in 2013. It has since been adopted across most of the world outside North America and China, making it the most geographically widespread DC fast charging standard.
Where CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2) stands today.
The world's most widely adopted DC fast charging standard. Mandated by the EU under AFIR, which requires CCS2 stations every 60 km along major European highways by the end of 2025. Growing rapidly in India, Australia, and Southeast Asia. Not expected to be displaced by NACS outside North America.
What every NACS driver actually deals with.
CCS2 is the most geographically widespread DC fast-charging standard on Earth — the EU, UK, Australia, India, the Middle East, and most of Southeast Asia all run on it. Outside North America (NACS) and China (GB/T), CCS2 is the standard. If you're road-tripping Europe in a rental EV, looking at a Chinese-brand car sold abroad, or trying to figure out why your home charger says "Type 2" but the highway says "CCS2," here's what's actually going on.
Type 2 and CCS2 are the same plug.
Confusion point #1 for new EV owners: "Type 2" and "CCS2" aren't different connectors — they're the same plug used two ways. The car's port accepts a Type 2 plug alone (for AC home/destination charging) or the full CCS2 combo (Type 2 plus two large DC pins below) for highway fast charging. One port. Two cable types. The car decides which based on what's plugged in.
The AFIR mandate made CCS2 unavoidable.
The EU's Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), in force since April 2024, mandates that every 60 km along the TEN-T core road network must have a publicly accessible DC fast charger of at least 150 kW. By end of 2025 the requirement extends to 400 kW per pool of fast chargers, with credit-card payment legally required (no app-only enforcement). This is the regulatory backbone that turned CCS2 from "common" into "there will be one within 60 km, by law."
The practical effect: EV road-tripping in Europe in 2026 is meaningfully different from 2022. Range anxiety on major routes is essentially solved. Smaller roads still vary, but the highway network is now reliable enough that even non-EV-owners renting a CCS2 car for a holiday can plan a 2,000 km drive with reasonable confidence.
Not displaced by NACS. Tesla sells its EU cars with CCS2 ports natively, and the Tesla Supercharger network in Europe uses CCS2 cables. There is no commercial pressure to move to NACS in Europe — the AFIR regulatory framework explicitly references CCS2.
“Tesla cars in Europe have CCS2. Tesla Superchargers in Europe have CCS2. NACS doesn't exist here.”
Same Model Y. Same Tesla brand. Different connector from the US version. Tesla has been shipping CCS2-native Model 3/Y in Europe since 2019, and the European Supercharger network uses CCS2 cables — which is also why Tesla was first to open Superchargers to non-Tesla EVs in Europe (Nov 2021). If you import a US-spec Tesla to Europe, you can't use it without an adapter that is not officially sold.
EU charging networks by where you'll actually find them.
Roaming between operators is partial — most networks accept the same RFID cards (Plugsurfing, Shell Recharge, Chargemap) but pricing varies wildly. Always check before plugging in.
Things travelers actually trip on.
What this means if you're abroad.
Practical advice for crossing borders with an EV — what works, what won't, and what to bring.
“Every DC fast charger in Europe uses CCS2. If you rent an EV for a European road trip, you will use CCS2 for highway charging and Type 2 for hotel/destination charging. No adapters needed within Europe.”
Questions readers actually ask.
The three things people Google about this connector — answered without the marketing spin.
What is CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2)?Open
CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2) is a AC + DC (combined connector) EV charging connector with 9 pins. Type 2 (Mennekes) connector on top with two large DC pins below. Vehicle accepts either Type 2 alone (AC) or the full CCS2 combo (DC). It supports up to 350 kW (1000V, 500A).
Which countries use CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2)?Open
CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2) is used in European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, Middle East, Southeast Asia. The world's most widely adopted DC fast charging standard.
Is CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2) still being used in 2026?Open
The world's most widely adopted DC fast charging standard. Mandated by the EU under AFIR, which requires CCS2 stations every 60 km along major European highways by the end of 2025. Growing rapidly in India, Australia, and Southeast Asia. Not expected to be displaced by NACS outside North America.
The rest of the EV plug zoo.
Every other connector standard we've documented — at the speed of one click.
Need it for a country? We index all 195+.
Last verified: May 2026 · Verified by PlugHopper Travel Experts