Type 2 Charging Cables

The purpose of this charging cable is to simply connect your type 2 electric car with a power supply to charge the battery, this could be the EV charging stations or a wall socket. The type 2 connector is sometimes referred to as IEC 62196 it is used for charging electric cars manufactured within Europe and the US. With brands such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Tesla, Porsche, Volvo all opting for this type of charging connector.

When choosing a type 2 EV charging cable its not just length you need to consider, you also need to review the amperage of the cable as this will affect the speed in which your car will charge:

One of the most popular Type 2 charging cables is the Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable, this connects a commercial or domestic EV charging station to an electric vehicle that has a type 2 charging connector. In January 2013, the European Commission selected the Type 2 IEC 62196 EV charging connector as the official charging plug to be used within the European Union.

One of the massive benefits of type 2 charging cable is that it is operable on both single and 3 phase power, allowing you to charge your car 3x faster then standard but its important to remember your domestic charging station will not be able to supply 3 phase power so this is only beneficial with commercial charging.

It is important to remember that if you buy a higher rated power type 2 charging cable for example 32amp this will still work at the lower power rating 16amp and charge at the same speed as the 16amp cable. Here at EV Cable Shop, we advise buying the higher-rated power type 2 cable if possible as this will always charging your electric car at the optimum speed.

As described on our Type 1 information page, different cars have different charging rates and capacities. Drivers will need to use a charging cable if they want to charge from a public charging point. Available in a variety of lengths 16 Amp and 32 Amp (depending upon vehicle capacity; it will be noted in the vehicle’s handbook) Type 2 to Type 2 charging cables allow the owner to charge their EV at any Type 2 socket in public or home ev charging unit.

Home chargers can fit tethered cables which means the cable stays in situ and it makes sense to purchase a supplementary cable to carry in the vehicle at all times. They are robust and weatherproof and the majority of the latest brands have a greater charging capacity requiring a Type 2 cable. To find the right cable for your EV simply select your model from our comprehensive vehicle pages where we recommend the right charging cable for your vehicle. Ideally, select one that matches your electric car’s maximum charge rate (for example, 16A/3.6kW, 32A/7kW for single phase), but it is worth considering a higher rated cable which would have the benefit when changing the car at a later date for a newer model.

Can a Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable be used on Public Charging Stations

Yes, in the UK and Europe the majority of public charging stations have a type 2 connector. This means that if you have a type 2 car, you will need a Type 2 to Type 2 charging cable to connect the car to the charging station. Often charging station stations might offer a Type 2 tethered cable (This means a type 2 cable will already be attached to the charging station and ready to be plugged into your car). Here at EV Cable Shop, we recommend if you have a type 2 car, always carry a spare charging cable this means that no matter the situation at the charging station you will always be able to charge your electric vehicle.

Which cars can be charged with a type 2 to type 2 ev cable?

They is a whole host of cars require a type 2 connector. In fact most cars manufactured in the UK, EU or US require a type 2 charger including the popular Jaguar I Pace, Range Rover Sport, BMW i3 and the popular Audi E-tron. The type 2 to type 2 charging cable is often referred to as the IEC 62196 standard.

What is a Type 2 charging cable?

The Type 2 charging cable is sometimes referred to as mennekes or IEC 62196. This type of ev connector is commonly used in European cars but every new car released into the UK from 2020 will require a Type 2 connector, so these will become more and more common. The connector is a round shape with a flat top, it has 5 larger pins at the bottom of the unit and 2 smaller pins above this. The type 2 ev charging cable is capable of charging much fast then its Asian counterpart. The electric cars are fitted with a male inlet, whilst ev chargers are manufactured with a female connection. This will mean to connect your type 2 electric car to a UK charging station your will require a female to male, type 2 charging cable. This type 2 cable can be purchased above in a range of sizes and speeds to suit your circumstances.

Types of Type 2 charging cables?

Here ar EV Cable Shop, we have a selection of Type 2 Charging cables on offer. There are 3 main questions that you should answer to make sure you choose the perfect type 2 charger:

Type of cable? There are 3 types of Type 2 charging cables on offer in the UK and there are 100s of variation available worldwide. You must have a type 2 charging Vecichle so one end must be a type 2 the other ends are: 

Tethered Type 2 Charger: A tethered option should only be fitted by a professional, this cable comes one end a type 2 connector, the other end is loose wires, that fit into a charging station. You will need this option if you have an EV charging station, that has a hard-wired solution.

3 Pin Type 2 Charger: If you don’t have a charging station and you are looking to charger your electric car with a domestic socket/plug then a type 2 to 3 pin charger is perfect for you. This is the cheapest installation option but it won’t be able to charge your car at its fastest rate.

Type 2 to Type 2 EV Cable: If you have a charging station that has a type 2 socket you will need a type 2 to type 2 charging cable to connect your charging station to your electric car. 

Choose the appropriate Amperage? To do this you need to find out a couple of bits of information :

What is the maximum amperage your car can charge at?

What is the maximum amperage from your charging station? 

 From this information, you can work out the most suitable type charging cable for you. If you are unsure, we always advise choosing an amp cable, as this will also work with lower speeds.  

Length of cable? The final decision to make before choosing a type 2 charging cable is the length. Unfortuenly this is not something the EV Cable Shop team can help with. It is down to your personal preference and where the charging station is in relation to the car being parked. If you are planning on using the charging cable in public or at friends’ houses we would advise choosing a longer type 2 charging cable to make sure you are always able to charge your car.