CHAdeMO
Japan's DC fast-charging plug. It was the world's first, led the market until about 2018, and is now a legacy standard everywhere except Japan.
DecliningLegacy outside Japan
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You drive a CHAdeMO car
Older North American Nissan Leafs, Japan-market Leafs, and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV still sold in the US. You fast-charge on CHAdeMO and charge at home through a separate AC port.
You're renting an EV in Japan
CHAdeMO is the standard fast charger there, including at hundreds of expressway service areas.
Everyone else
Outside Japan, most new EVs have no CHAdeMO port and can't use these chargers.
- Carries
- DC only
- AC needs a second port
- Older chargers
- 50 kW
- Newer units in Japan: 90–150 kW
- Spec maximum
- 400 kW
- CHAdeMO 2.0
- Voltage
- Up to 1,000 V
- DC
- Main market
- Japan
- Shrinking elsewhere
Every CHAdeMO car has two charging ports
CHAdeMO carries DC only. A CHAdeMO car needs a second inlet, Type 1 (J1772) or Type 2 depending on the market, for AC charging at home and at destination chargers.
CCS and NACS carry AC and DC through a single inlet. That single port is one reason most automakers outside Japan chose CCS.
| Car | AC | DC |
|---|---|---|
| CHAdeMO car | Type 1 or Type 2AC | CHAdeMODC |
| CCS car | CCS1 or CCS2AC + DC | |
| NACS car | NACSAC + DC | |
400 kW in the spec, 50 kW at older stations
The CHAdeMO 2.0 specification allows up to 400 kW, but older chargers deliver 50 kW or less. Japan has been adding 90 to 150 kW units, and a 400 kW-class CHAdeMO charger was shown in 2025.
Peak DC charging power by standard
| Row | Power |
|---|---|
| ChaoJi, CHAdeMO 3.0, early rollout | 900 kW |
| NACS, V4 cabinet, Cybertruck only at launch | 500 kW |
| CHAdeMO 2.0, Specification | 400 kW |
| CCS1 and CCS2, Top CharIN class; faster posts exist | 350 kW |
| Older CHAdeMO chargers, Typical older install | 50 kW |
Where you'll still find CHAdeMO
Japan is the stronghold. Everywhere else it is shrinking or already legacy.
- Standard
- Mixed
- Shrinking
- Legacy
| Region | 2026 | Heading toward |
|---|---|---|
| Japan, expressways | StandardAt 454 expressway service areas | StandardFaster CHAdeMO units being added |
| Japan, nationwide | StandardAbout 14,500 CHAdeMO ports | MixedFirst NACS cars arrive from 2027 |
| North America | ShrinkingAbout 8,500 US connectors | LegacyFalling about 70 a month; new stations skip it |
| Europe | Legacy4.4% of fast-charging sessions in 2024 | LegacyMajor operators stopped adding it, Allego from 2023 |
| South Korea | LegacyNew EVs have used CCS since 2018 | LegacyOlder CHAdeMO cars still on the road |
Levels are Plughopper's reading of the figures shown, not an official classification.
CHAdeMO against the other DC standards
| Attribute | CHAdeMO (this page)Declining | CCS1Declining | CCS2Dominant | NACSGrowing | GB/TDominant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC and DC through one inlet | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No, separate inlets |
| Top rated DC power | 400 kW | 350 kW class; 400 kW posts listed | 350 kW class; 600 kW per car since 2026 | 500 kW (V4 cabinet) | 800 kW (2023 revision) |
| Main markets | Japan | US, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan | EU, UK, Australia, India | US and Canada | China |
From world first to legacy
TEPCO, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru founded CHAdeMO in March 2010, and it became the first DC fast-charging standard deployed at scale. CCS overtook it outside Japan from about 2018. In Japan it is still the standard.
- Mar 2010
Standard founded
TEPCO, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru form the CHAdeMO Association.
- 2010–2018
The first fast-charging standard
The first DC fast-charging standard in wide use, led by the Nissan Leaf.
- 2018
CCS takes over outside Japan
South Korea standardizes on CCS for new EVs.
- 2022
Electrify America stops adding it
New US stations outside California are built without CHAdeMO. Its 2024 plan extends that to all new stations.
- Sep 2023
ChaoJi connector approved
China approves the successor connector, with 80+ ChaoJi chargers already built.
- 2025
Last CHAdeMO Leaf for North America
The 2026 North American Leaf switches to NACS. Japan's Leaf still uses CHAdeMO.
- Jun 2026
About 8,500 US connectors left
Falling by roughly 70 a month. Japan has about 14,500 CHAdeMO ports.
- 2027
First NACS cars for Japan
Mazda, and Stellantis for select models, plan NACS in Japan. Toyota, Honda and Nissan have committed to NACS only in North America.
What catches people out
It can't charge at home
CHAdeMO is DC only. Home and destination charging goes through the car's other port, Type 1 (J1772) or Type 2.
Check the charger's real output
Older CHAdeMO chargers top out around 50 kW, where a 40 kWh Leaf needs about 40 minutes to reach 80%. Newer units in Japan run 90 to 150 kW.
CCS adapters exist, with caveats
Third-party CCS1-to-CHAdeMO adapters cost about US$800 to $1,000, and Nissan doesn't sell one. Owners report they work at some CCS stations and not others.
ChaoJi won't help this year
The successor standard is still early: China had 80+ ChaoJi chargers by 2023 and Japan is in field trials. Don't plan a trip around it.
Driving a Leaf? Your everyday charger is AC
At home, a CHAdeMO car in North America charges through its J1772 port, not the CHAdeMO one. These are the pieces worth owning.
- Level 2 home charger240 V wall unit with a J1772 plugView on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
- Portable charger120 V or 240 V, J1772, for trips and backupView on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
- J1772 extension cableFor long driveways and awkward parkingView 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 CHAdeMO?
A DC fast-charging connector standard from Japan, founded in 2010. It carries DC only, so CHAdeMO cars also have a Type 1 or Type 2 port for AC charging. The specification allows up to 400 kW, but older chargers deliver 50 kW or less.
Which countries use CHAdeMO?
Japan is the only market where CHAdeMO is still the main standard. The US still has about 8,500 CHAdeMO connectors, but the number is falling, and Europe and South Korea treat it as legacy.
Is CHAdeMO still used in 2026?
Yes. Japan still builds CHAdeMO chargers and sells CHAdeMO cars, and in the US the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is still sold new with CHAdeMO. Elsewhere, new EVs use CCS or NACS.