January 5, 2026
Type 2 vs CCS2: EV Connector Guide for India
EV connectors are not universal. Different connector types serve different charging speeds and use cases. In India, Type 2 and CCS2 are the dominant standards, but knowing when each applies and why they exist prevents expensive mistakes when buying chargers or vehicles.
Type 2 (IEC 62196-2): The AC Standard
Type 2, also called Mennekes, is the standard AC charging connector in India and Europe. It has seven pins and supports single-phase charging up to 7.4 kW and three-phase charging up to 43 kW (though 22 kW is the practical maximum for most installations).
Every AC charger you encounter in India will use a Type 2 connector. The vehicle side has a Type 2 inlet, and the charger has either a tethered Type 2 cable or a Type 2 socket where you plug in your own cable.
CCS2 (Combined Charging System): AC + DC
CCS2 takes the Type 2 connector and adds two large DC pins at the bottom. This combined design lets a single vehicle inlet accept both AC charging (through the top Type 2 portion) and DC fast charging (through the full CCS2 connection including the DC pins).
- CCS2 supports DC charging from 50 kW to 350 kW
- The vehicle's CCS2 inlet is backwards-compatible with Type 2 AC plugs
- DC chargers always have tethered CCS2 cables due to the high current involved
- CCS2 is the government-recommended DC fast charging standard for India
CHAdeMO: The Fading Alternative
CHAdeMO is a DC fast charging standard developed in Japan. It uses a completely separate connector from Type 2 and requires a dedicated inlet on the vehicle. In India, CHAdeMO has limited adoption, and most new EV models have dropped it in favor of CCS2.
If you are buying a DC fast charger today, CCS2 is the safe choice for the Indian market. CHAdeMO is a legacy standard with a shrinking vehicle base.
GB/T: China's Standard
Some Chinese-made EVs sold in India use GB/T connectors, which are incompatible with Type 2 and CCS2. Before purchasing a Chinese-brand EV, confirm whether it uses CCS2 or GB/T for DC charging. Charger availability for GB/T in India is extremely limited outside the brand's own network.
What to Buy for India
For home and workplace AC charging, buy a Type 2 charger. It works with every EV sold in India that supports AC charging. For DC fast charging, buy CCS2. It covers the widest range of vehicles and aligns with government standards.
RIOD manufactures both Type 2 AC chargers and CCS2-compatible systems, ensuring compatibility with the Indian EV ecosystem.
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