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.

For technical specifications, see CharIN e.V.

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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