What does Type 2 (Mennekes) mean?

Explanation

Type 2, sometimes called Mennekes after the German company that developed it, is the standard AC charging connector across Europe. It has a distinctive round shape with seven pins and is used for all AC charging up to 43 kW, though most installations deliver between 7 and 22 kW.

You will encounter Type 2 connectors at home wallboxes, workplace chargers, shopping center car parks, hotel destination chargers, and public AC charging posts. Many public AC chargers have a Type 2 socket where you plug in your own cable (which you keep in the boot of your car). Some have a tethered Type 2 cable already attached.

The Type 2 shape is also the top half of the CCS2 connector, so if your car has a CCS2 port, it accepts Type 2 cables for AC charging as well. No adapter needed. This dual compatibility is one of the reasons CCS2 became the European standard.

Where you'll see this

• On the charger screen
• In charging network apps
• In vehicle specifications

Common confusion

Some drivers think they need a different port for AC and DC charging. In Europe, your CCS2 port handles both. Type 2 cables plug into the top portion of the same port.

Example

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