Type 2 | 1 phase | 32a | 7.4kW | coiled charging cable

Schuko is the earthed wall socket used across most of continental Europe, including Germany, the Netherlands, France and Spain. The name comes from the German Schutzkontakt, meaning protective contact, and it supplies 230 volts single-phase. British homes use the BS 1363 three-pin socket instead, so Schuko is something UK drivers meet abroad rather than at home.

Charging from a wall socket is done with a portable charger, a Mode 2 cable. The charger supplied with the car is locked at around 10 A whatever you plug it into. The Voldt® 3-pin granny charger is adjustable across 8, 10 and 13 A, so it draws up to 2.8 kW where your socket and circuit allow it, and steps down where they do not.

Both versions carry a thermal sensor in the plug. Heat build-up is the real consideration when a socket rated for intermittent use is asked to deliver hours of continuous charging, so the charger monitors the temperature at the plug and adjusts the charging current accordingly. Choose a lower setting in an older property, have the socket checked by a qualified electrician so you can charge at full current with confidence, and never charge through an extension lead or a cable reel.

Crossing the Channel changes the plug and nothing else: the Schuko version of the same charger reaches 16 A, around 3.7 kW, on continental sockets. Both sit in the Voldt® portable charger range, which spans lengths from 5 to 20 m, CE, UKCA and TÜV certified, IP67 rated and covered by a 3-year warranty.

Type 2, standardised as IEC 62196-2 and often called Mennekes after the German manufacturer that developed it, is the European standard for AC charging. Virtually every new electric car sold in Europe has a Type 2 inlet, and every public AC charge point uses it. The connector has seven pins and handles both single-phase and three-phase supply, with public posts and home chargers delivering up to 22 kW.

Voldt® makes Type 2 to Type 2 cables in four ratings: 3.7 kW (single-phase 16A), 7.4 kW (single-phase 32A), 11 kW (three-phase 16A) and 22 kW (three-phase 32A).

Choosing between them catches people out here, because UK homes are single-phase. The rating describes the conductors, not a limit your car imposes. An 11 kW cable carries 16A per phase, so on a single-phase wallbox it tops out at 3.7 kW. A 22 kW cable carries 32A, which on that same wallbox gives you 7.4 kW. So even for a car rated at 11 kW, the 22 kW cable is usually the right buy in the UK.

Type 2 cables come in lengths from 2 to 40 m, IP67 rated, CE, UKCA and TÜV certified with a 3-year warranty.

Type G (officially BS 1363) is the British wall plug with three rectangular pins, used here and in Ireland, Malta and Cyprus. Its distinctive feature is the BS 1362 cartridge fuse built into the plug itself, rated at 13A maximum. That caps charging at up to 2.8 kW, which adds roughly 15 km of range per hour, so an overnight charge gives you around 150 km.

Charging from a wall socket is done with a portable charger, a Mode 2 cable. The Voldt® 3-pin granny charger is adjustable across 8, 10 and 13A, and a thermal sensor in the plug monitors the temperature at the connection and adjusts the current accordingly. Most UK sockets sit on a ring final circuit shared with other outlets, so have the socket checked by a qualified electrician if you charge on it regularly, and never charge through an extension lead or a cable reel.

For faster charging, a Type 2 cable covers public charge points and home wallboxes. All Voldt® chargers and cables are CE, UKCA and TÜV certified, IP67 rated and covered by a 3-year warranty.

CEE plugs (IEC 60309) are the rugged industrial connectors you recognise by their colour: blue for single-phase 230 volts, red for three-phase 400 volts. You'll know the blue one as the 16A commando socket on a campsite hook-up post, where it delivers up to 3.7 kW. Red goes considerably further: 11 kW at 16A and 22 kW at 32A.

Domestic three-phase is rare in the UK, so red CEE usually means a workshop, farm building, unit or event site. Where you find one, a portable charger turns it into charging as quick as a public AC point. The blue CEE charger covers campsites and single-phase sockets, while the red versions deliver 11 kW or 22 kW.

All three are adjustable from 8A upwards, so you set the current to match the supply. Voldt® connectors are IP67 rated and built for repeated outdoor use, CE, UKCA and TÜV certified with a 3-year warranty.

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.

Type 1 (SAE J1772) is a charging plug used mainly on older Asian and American electric cars. In the UK the familiar examples are the first-generation Nissan Leaf, built in Sunderland, and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, for years the country's best-selling plug-in. The plug has five pins and supports single-phase AC charging only, up to 7.4 kW, though in practice many of these cars charge slower, typically at 3.3 or 6.6 kW.

Because UK homes are single-phase as standard, that 7.4 kW ceiling costs you nothing at a domestic wallbox. Type 2 has replaced Type 1 across Europe, but plenty of cars with a Type 1 inlet are still on the road.

Every public charge point in the UK uses a Type 2 socket, so you need a Type 1 to Type 2 charging cable. Voldt® manufactures these cables in house in Europe, CE, UKCA and TÜV certified, IP67 rated and available in several lengths.

The difference between the male and female sides of an EV charging cable plug lies primarily in their intended connection points and technical design. The male side of the cable, often referred to as the charging station plug, is the end that connects to the EV charging point or wallbox. This side typically has exposed pins that deliver power and communication signals. The female side, commonly called the vehicle connector, is designed to plug into the electric vehicle's charging port and features recessed contacts to enhance safety.

Both sides conform to international standards like IEC 62196-2 (commonly known as Type 2 in Europe), but their configuration and purpose are not interchangeable. The female vehicle connector includes several safety mechanisms such as proximity detection and locking pins, which ensure a secure and tamper-proof connection with the car. In contrast, the male plug lacks these vehicle-specific features but is optimized to fit the infrastructure side of the charging interface.

This male/female distinction is also critical for regulatory and safety reasons. It prevents users from connecting two cables together to create an unauthorized extension, which could lead to overheating, communication errors, or electrical hazards. By ensuring the cable only connects from the station to the car in one direction, the EV charging system maintains proper current flow, grounding, and handshake protocols, which are essential for safe and efficient charging.

Voldt® provides two styles of charging cable: straight and coiled (spiral). Both are available in different power ratings, so the choice comes down to how and where you charge.

A straight cable gives you the full stated length to work with, which is ideal when the charging station is further from your parking spot or when the charging port location varies between cars. It is also slightly lighter than a coiled cable of the same reach. The trade-off is that the excess length lies on the ground, so you will need to roll it up after each session.

A coiled cable retracts to a fraction of its length when not in use, keeping it tidy, off the ground and out of puddles. It stays compact in your boot, reduces the trip hazard around the charging station, and there is no cable left trailing over the pavement. It is the convenient choice for daily charging at home or at a fixed spot at work, while a straight cable offers more flexibility for varied situations.

Charging power is measured in kilowatts (kW), and it is determined by three things: voltage, amperage (amps) and the number of phases. The formula is simple: voltage × amps × phases = power. In Europe, the grid supplies 230 volts per phase, so a single-phase connection at 16A delivers around 3.7 kW, while the same 16A over three phases delivers 11 kW.

Amps describe how much current flows through the cable, and phases describe how many separate live conductors carry that current. A three-phase connection effectively triples the amount of power that can be delivered at the same amperage. The most common AC charging configurations are: 1-phase 16A (3.7 kW), 1-phase 32A (7.4 kW), 3-phase 16A (11 kW) and 3-phase 32A (22 kW).

Keep in mind that the actual charging speed is always limited by the weakest link in the chain: the charging station, the cable and your car's onboard charger. If your car can only accept 11 kW, a 22 kW cable and charging station will still charge at 11 kW. That said, choosing a cable rated for more than you currently need is a smart way to stay future-proof.

Mode 2 charging is a method where an electric vehicle (EV) is charged using a standard household socket or a reinforced industrial socket, with a special charging cable that provides limited communication and safety features. It is mainly intended as a solution for situations where a charging station is not available.

Features of Mode 2 Charging:

1. Charging via a standard or industrial socket
2. Limited safety with standard sockets
3. Charging speed depends on the connection
4. Easy setup, but not always ideal for daily use

Advantages of Mode 2 Charging:

✔️ Simple and widely available, as most homes have power sockets.
✔️ No charging station installation required, making it ideal for occasional charging.
✔️ With a three-phase power connection (CEE 400V), it can charge as fast as Mode 3.
✔️ Useful as a backup option or in locations without a charging station.

Disadvantages of Mode 2 Charging:

❌ Very slow with a standard household socket.
❌ Standard sockets can overheat, making them less safe for regular use.
❌ No smart charging features, such as load balancing or scheduled charging, when using standard sockets.

Comparison with Other Charging Modes:

• Mode 1: No communication between the power source and the vehicle (outdated and not recommended).
• Mode 3: Charging via a charging station or wallbox, with advanced communication and up to 22 kW power.
• Mode 4: DC fast charging via a fast-charging station (e.g., CCS or CHAdeMO), often up to 350 kW.

Mode 2 charging is a practical solution for charging an EV, particularly when a charging station is unavailable. With a standard socket, it is slow and less safe, but with a three-phase power connection (CEE 400V), Mode 2 can charge just as fast as Mode 3. 🚗⚡

Mode 3 charging for an electric vehicle (EV) is a charging method where the EV is charged via a dedicated charging station or wallbox, with controlled and secure communication between the car and the charging point. It is the most commonly used and recommended way to charge at home and at public charging stations.

Key Features of Mode 3 Charging:

1. Direct connection to a charging station
2. Safety and Intelligence
3. Charging Power
4. Smart Charging

Advantages of Mode 3 Charging:

✔️ Faster charging than a standard household socket (Mode 2).
✔️ Ensures safety with built-in communication and protection mechanisms.
✔️ Efficient energy management with smart charging functionalities.

Comparison with Other Charging Modes:

• Mode 1: No communication between the power source and the vehicle (an outdated and not recommended method).
• Mode 2: Charging via an electrical socket using a special cable where a computer in the cable handles the communication.
• Mode 4: DC fast charging (e.g., CHAdeMO or CCS) where direct current is supplied straight to the battery, often up to 350 kW.

In summary, Mode 3 is the standard and recommended method for daily EV charging, especially at home and public charging points. 🚗⚡