Type 2 charging cable: the complete guide

You have just taken delivery of your electric car, and a seemingly trivial question already arises: which cable should you use to charge it? Is the one supplied in the boot enough? Do you need to buy a second one? Why do some cables carry only one phase while others carry three? And why does everyone advise against the garden extension lead lying around in the garage? The charging cable is the most-handled link in your entire installation: it is the one you plug in, unplug, coil up, and sometimes leave out in the rain. This guide takes stock of the Type 2 plug, charging modes, the choice between tethered and portable cables, and the safety rules that prevent nasty surprises.

Type 2, the European standard for AC charging

The Type 2 plug is the European standard for alternating current (AC) charging. Every electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sold in Europe is fitted with it, and virtually all AC charging stations — residential, at work, or on public streets — use it. A single connector therefore covers home charging, charging at work, and charging in public spaces: that is precisely the point of a standard.

The Type 2 connector can carry one or three phases of alternating current, allowing it to cover the entire range of residential and commercial power levels: 3.7 kW and 7.4 kW on single-phase 230 V, 11 kW and 22 kW on three-phase 400 V. It also includes communication pins: the cable is not a simple electrical wire — it allows the charging station and the vehicle to talk to each other continuously, adjusting the current delivered and locking the connection during charging.

What Type 2 is not

Type 2 is an AC connector. For fast charging in direct current (DC), the European standard is the Combo CCS, which keeps the shape of the Type 2 and adds two power pins dedicated to direct current. On fast chargers, the cable is tethered to the station: you will never have to buy a DC cable.

Charging modes 1 to 4: why mode 3 is the benchmark

The regulations distinguish four charging modes, which describe the level of safety and communication between the vehicle and the infrastructure.

Mode	Principle	Use
Mode 1	Domestic socket with no dedicated control device	Banned for electric vehicles
Mode 2	Domestic or reinforced socket + control box built into the cable	Backup solution, around 2.3 kW on a domestic socket
Mode 3	Dedicated AC charging station with continuous communication	The benchmark at home and at work, from 3.7 to 22 kW
Mode 4	DC charging, converter built into the station	Fast charging, cable tethered to the station

Why does mode 3 stand out for everyday use? Because the wall-mounted charging station carries something no socket can offer: continuous dialogue with the vehicle to modulate power, locking of the connector during charging, and above all a dedicated electrical circuit with its own protections — a suitable circuit breaker and residual current device — in accordance with the NF C 15-100 standard. A domestic socket, by contrast, was never designed to deliver high current for hours on end, night after night.

Tethered cable or portable cable: two philosophies

Residential charging stations come in two versions. The tethered cable station has its cable permanently attached: you unhook the connector, plug it in, and that's it. It is the most convenient solution for everyday use, especially appreciated when you charge every day. Its limitations: the length is fixed once and for all, and if the cable gets damaged, the repair involves the station itself.

The Type 2 socket station, known as a portable-cable station, lets you use your own cable. Advantages: you choose the length, you replace the cable on its own if it wears out, and that same cable serves you at public AC charging stations, which mostly have no tethered cable. Drawback: you have to take out and put away the cable at every session, which eventually becomes a burden when you charge daily.

In practice, many drivers combine both approaches: a tethered-cable station at home for convenience, and a portable cable in the boot for travelling.

Single-phase or three-phase: the number of phases in your cable

A Type 2 cable is designed for a given current and number of phases. A single-phase cable carries at most 7.4 kW (32 A at 230 V); a three-phase cable can go up to 22 kW (32 A per phase at 400 V). Three elements must be consistent: the cable, the charging station, and the vehicle's onboard charger. It is always the weakest link that sets the real charging power.

The good news: a three-phase cable is backward-compatible. Plugged into a single-phase charging station or a vehicle with a single-phase charger, it works perfectly — charging simply takes place at the power allowed by the installation. If you are unsure, a 32 A three-phase cable covers every AC charging scenario and remains relevant if you change vehicle or installation. On the infrastructure side, the circuit supplying the charging station is sized by the installer, with indicative cross-sections of around 3G6 mm² for single-phase and 5G6 mm² for three-phase, depending on the length of the run and the NF C 15-100 standard.