Type 2 IEC 62196 EV charging plug for EV wallbox charger

Introduction：

Type 2 connectors are often called ‘Mennekes’ connectors, after the German manufacturer that invented the design. They have a 7-pin plug. 

The EU recommends Type 2 connectors and they are sometimes referred to by the official standard 62196-2. 

Most untethered, or ‘universal’, charging points in European homes will have a Type 2 socket. So, the cable you get out of your EV’s boot needs to have a Type 2 plug on one end to go into the universal charging point on your wall.

For example, in the UK, a Type 2 charging point on a single-phase electricity supply at home allows you to charge your car at a maximum of 7.36 kW. The formula is 230 volts x 32 amps = 7,360 Watts, or 7.36 kW. 

On a 3-phase electricity supply – the kind you might find at work – Type 2 charging points can charge at 22 kW. However, your car’s onboard circuitry may not allow for charging at such a fast speed.