CCS2
Combined Charging System 2
Europe's fast-charging plug: a Type 2 inlet with two DC pins added. New public DC chargers in the EU and UK must offer it; Australia and India use it too.
DominantRequired in the EU and UK
Get the type 2 charging cable (opens in a new tab)Does it matter to you?
You're renting an EV in Europe or the UK
Public fast chargers built there since November 2017 must offer a CCS2 plug. Check your rental's port: a CCS2 inlet takes the fast charger's cable and a Type 2 cable at slower AC posts.
You drive in Australia or India
CCS2 is the most common fast-charging plug in Australia, but no law requires it, and carmakers' 2017 agreement allows CHAdeMO too. In India, car chargers funded by the government's PM E-DRIVE subsidy must use it.
Your car at home isn't CCS2
The US and Canada use NACS and CCS1, Japan CHAdeMO, South Korea CCS1 and China GB/T. None of those plugs fits a CCS2 charger.
- Carries
- AC + DC
- One inlet for both
- Fastest sites
- 600 kW
- Per car; IONITY France, Feb 2026
- EU highway minimum
- 150 kW
- One point per site, every 60 km
- Public DC chargers
- Must offer it
- EU and UK, built since Nov 2017
- Main markets
- EU and UK
- Also Australia and India
One inlet for AC and DC
A CCS2 car has one inlet. Its top half is a Type 2 socket, which takes an ordinary Type 2 plug for AC charging at home, hotels and public posts. Two large DC pins sit below it.
The CCS2 fast-charging plug fills the whole inlet. It drops Type 2's four AC power pins, keeps the earth and two signal pins, and adds the two DC pins.
| Car | AC | DC |
|---|---|---|
| CCS2 car | CCS2 (Type 2 + DC pins)AC + DC | |
| CHAdeMO car | Type 1 or Type 2AC | CHAdeMODC |
| GB/T car | GB/T ACAC | GB/T DCDC |
350 kW is a test class, not a cap
CharIN's top CCS power class, set in 2018, is 350 kW, and it's the minimum a charger must meet to earn that rating, not a limit. IONITY opened CCS sites in France in February 2026 that give one car up to 600 kW, and Alpitronic now offers a 1,000 kW single-cable dispenser. Your car's own peak still sets the pace.
CCS2 DC power: ceilings and the installed base
| Row | Power |
|---|---|
| Alpitronic HP dispenser, One CCS2 cable, announced Jun 2026 | 1,000 kW |
| IONITY's newest sites, France from Feb 2026, single car | 600 kW |
| CharIN top power class, Test class set in 2018 | 350 kW |
| Half of UK 50 kW+ chargers, Rated 50 to under 150 kW, Jul 2026 | Under 150 kW |
Where CCS2 is the standard
Required by law in the EU and UK, most common but not required in Australia, and the car standard in India. North America, Japan, South Korea and China use other plugs.
- Standard
- Mixed
- Rare
- Not used
| Region | 2026 | Heading toward |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | StandardRequired on public DC; 222,457 DC points | StandardCore routes: 600 kW sites every 60 km, 2027 |
| United Kingdom | StandardRequired on DC; 28,887 chargers 50 kW+ | StandardAbout half of those now 150 kW+ |
| Australia | StandardDe facto standard; 1,272 DC sites, mid-2025 | StandardFast-charge sites up 20% in a year (2025) |
| India | StandardCar chargers use CCS2; 2- and 3-wheelers differ | StandardPM E-DRIVE subsidy funds CCS2 car chargers |
| US and Canada | Not usedCCS1 and NACS instead | Not usedMajor automakers have all chosen NACS |
| Japan, South Korea, China | Not usedCHAdeMO, CCS1 and GB/T instead | Not usedJapan and Korea: some NACS cars from 2027 |
Levels are Plughopper's reading of the figures shown, not an official classification.
CCS2 against the other DC standards
| Attribute | CCS2 (this page)Dominant | CCS1Declining | NACSGrowing | CHAdeMODeclining | GB/TDominant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC and DC through one inlet | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No, separate inlets |
| Top rated DC power | 350 kW class; 600 kW per car since 2026 | 350 kW class; 400 kW posts listed | 500 kW (V4 cabinet) | 400 kW (CHAdeMO 2.0 spec) | 800 kW (2023 revision) |
| Main markets | EU, UK, Australia, India | US, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan | US and Canada | Japan | China |
From one German charger to EU law
Carmakers proposed CCS in 2011, and the first public CCS charger opened in Germany in 2013. The EU named Combo 2 its common DC plug in 2014 and required it on new public DC chargers from November 2017. AFIR has kept that rule since April 2024.
- Jun 2013
First public CCS charger
Volkswagen opens a 50 kW CCS station in Wolfsburg, Germany.
- Oct 2014
EU picks Combo 2
Directive 2014/94/EU names Combo 2 the common DC connector.
- Nov 2017
Required on new DC chargers
New or renewed public DC chargers in the EU and UK must offer CCS2.
- Early 2019
Tesla Model 3 lands with CCS2
Europe's Model 3 gets a CCS2 port, and Superchargers get CCS2 cables.
- Apr 2024
AFIR takes effect
New public chargers must take payment cards for one-off charging. The CCS2 rule carries over.
- Dec 2025
First AFIR highway deadline
Core EU routes: a 400 kW site every 60 km each way, with one 150 kW point.
- Feb 2026
600 kW CCS sites open
IONITY opens Maison-Dieu and Sorgues in France, up to 600 kW for a single car.
- Dec 2027
AFIR target rises
Core-route sites must reach 600 kW, with two 150 kW points.
What catches people out
CCS1 is a different plug
In the US and South Korea, "CCS" means CCS1, built on the Type 1 (J1772) plug. It doesn't fit a CCS2 charger or inlet. Check which one you have before you buy any cable.
Fast chargers vary a lot
In the UK, about half of public chargers rated 50 kW or more are below 150 kW (July 2026). On core EU highways, AFIR requires a site with at least one 150 kW point every 60 km. Check the rating before you stop.
Bring a card, and an app
Since April 2024, new public chargers in the EU must take a payment card for one-off charging. Older 50 kW+ chargers on major routes have until January 2027 to add a reader, so keep an operator app as backup.
AC posts may need your cable
EU rules let a public AC post be a bare Type 2 socket with no cable attached. Check that your rental includes a Type 2 cable before you count on hotel or street posts.
Renting a CCS2 car? Pack for the AC side
Fast chargers come with their own CCS2 cable. EU rules let slower AC posts be a bare Type 2 socket, and a holiday rental may have only a wall outlet. Check what your car comes with first.
- Type 2 charging cableType 2 at both ends, for AC posts with only a socketView on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
- Portable charger, European plugType 2 into the car, Schuko into a wall outletView on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
- Portable charger, UK plugType 2 into the car, UK 3-pin into a wall outletView on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Amazon links. We earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
Questions
What is CCS2?
The DC fast-charging plug used in the EU, UK, Australia and India. It's a Type 2 inlet with two large DC pins added below, so one port takes a Type 2 plug for AC charging and the CCS2 plug for DC fast charging. New public DC chargers in the EU and UK must offer it.
Is CCS2 the same as Type 2?
Not quite. Type 2 is the AC plug. CCS2 is a Type 2 inlet with two DC pins added, so a CCS2 car takes a Type 2 cable at AC posts and the charger's CCS2 cable at fast chargers. A car with a Type 2-only inlet can't use CCS2 fast chargers.
Which countries use CCS2?
It's required on new public DC chargers in the EU and UK, the most common fast-charging plug in Australia (no law requires it), and the car standard in India. The US and Canada use NACS and CCS1, Japan CHAdeMO, South Korea CCS1 and China GB/T.