Type 3, properly Type 3C, was developed in 2010 by the EV Plug Alliance, a partnership of Schneider Electric, Legrand and Scame. Its defining feature was the shutters covering the live contacts, required at the time by French and Italian safety rules on low-voltage sockets to protect children. It carried up to 22 kW AC at 32A, on 230 or 400 volts. A smaller Type 3A variant existed for light vehicles such as scooters.

One point is widely misunderstood: Type 3C sat on the charging post, not on the car. Vehicles kept Type 2 or Type 1 inlets, and Renault supplied first-generation Zoe owners with a cable tipped with a 3C plug, which is why the two are so often associated.

The EU settled on Type 2, and every new post uses it. Where an old 3C socket remains, a Type 2 to Type 3 cable still gets you charging.