CCS vs. CHAdeMO: What’s the Difference?

Electric Vehicles (EVs), especially electric cars, have seen a massive upsurge in recent years. The globe’s swiftly moving toward adopting EVs en masse, as they are said to deliver substantial savings on fuel as well as environmental benefits. EV production and usage are by no means perfect but represent a shift towards a market more conscious of the environment and sustainability. It’s a bonus that they tend to be a lot quieter than gas-powered vehicles, too.

If you’ve recently purchased or are considering buying an electric car, you’re definitely not alone. Of course, when it comes to maintaining and running an EV, the clue’s in the name. Sooner or later, you’re going to need to charge the battery. This can seem a complicated endeavor since both the plug type and charge connector standards vary widely across models and markets. Regarding plug type, every EV in the U.S. uses a standard SAE J1772 connector. Therefore, any vehicle can be charged at any station which has a J1772 connector. When it comes to rapid DC charging, however, there are some different options available.

While Combined Charging System (CCS) connectors are very widespread, there are a few car models that can make use of the CHAdeMO (an abbreviation of “Charge de Move”) connector. Come with us as we carry out a full comparison of CCS vs CHAdeMO.

CCS vs. CHAdeMO: Side-By-Side Comparison

CCS vs. CHAdeMO: What’s the Difference?

The table has some highlights, but let’s take a closer look at the key differences between CCS and CHAdeMO.

Design

First off, the connectors for CCS and CHAdeMO are quite obviously designed differently. The CCS connector essentially uses a standard AC J1772 inlet, but with two extra pins added below which allow for DC fast charging. These pins operate at a higher voltage than a typical connector. This combination of charging pins is what gives it the name “Combined Charging”. In the U.S., CCS makes use of the type 1 J1772 inlet, whereas in Europe it uses the type 2 Mennekes inlet. However, the DC charging pins are the same. The benefit of CCS is that it combines all possible interfaces – single-phase AC, three-phase AC, home DC, and DC fast charging.

In contrast, the CHAdeMO connectors do not share parts with the AC connector, J1772. As such, if you want to charge your vehicle via CHAdeMO, having an additional inlet specifically designed for this purpose is required. This also means you need a larger port area. CHAdeMO doesn’t vary across regions – the connector and pins always look the same.

Usage

In practice, using either kind of charger is a very similar process, though there are some differences. When you want to rapidly charge your vehicle, chances are you’ll be at a charging station, often at a station on the freeway, business centers, shopping centers, or public car parks. Some of these locations offer free charging, but a lot of them require a subscription. 

Both connector types are known as DC charging connectors, meaning that they have a converter incorporated into them. When using AC charging, the connector converts the current into DC within itself. This is in contrast to AC chargers, which feed AC electricity into the vehicle charger, which then converts it to DC. 

When using a CCS charger, you can make use of level 1 and 2 AC charging ports, or DC fast charging ports if they’re available. Because the connector is combined, you don’t need to do anything extra here. If you’re charging with AC, the DC pins simply won’t be used. 

CHAdeMO chargers are different, however, in that they’re specifically designed to use DC fast charging. If you don’t mind a slower charge or AC is the only available option, you’ll have to use an additional J1772 connector cord. If you’re wondering why you see an extra socket next to the CHAdeMO socket in your vehicle, this is the reason. Either way, don’t worry too much, as charging stations tend to have instructions to guide you through the process.

Charging

As previously mentioned, both CCS and CHAdeMO make use of DC fast charging. Originally, the max current supplied by rapid DC chargers was around 50 kW for either type of connector. The situation was the same for a couple of years, but significant improvements have been made as time has gone on. While CCS vehicles do vary in their power ratings, it’s not uncommon to find models these days that support a current of 350 kW. This also goes for CHAdeMO, since the second version (CHAdeMO 2.0) can support power ratings of up to 400 kW.

With that said, in reality, charging times for the two connector types don’t vary much. This is due to the charging speed being dependent on the voltage, which is similar across models that use either connector type. You can rest assured that fast charging will be suitable speedy since it’s common to reach a full charge after 20 minutes to 1 hour with either type. Either kind will have your vehicle ready to go in substantially less time than traditional AC charging.

Development

CCS was first proposed in October 2011 by a collaboration between the SAE and ACEA. Volkswagen built the first public charging station in June 2013, in Wolfsburg. In 2014, the European Union (EU) mandated type 2 CCS ports within the European EV network. It wasn’t long before CCS became widely accepted and endorsed by a lot of major manufacturers from Germany and America. 

CHAdeMO, on the other hand, was developed in 2010 by the CHAdeMO association. Tepco, also known as the Tokyo Electric Power Company, formed this association along with Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Subaru. CHAdeMO became an international standard in 2014, endorsed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Availability

The development of both connector types happened at a similar time. The majority of EVs these days will use CCS charging, as this is the accepted standard with most American and German manufacturers. These include General Motors, Ford, Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Mercedes, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, Honda, Porsche, Kia, Volvo, Rolls Royce, and several others. This applies to both North America and Europe.

CHAdeMO, however, is predominantly used in Japan, with few cars across Europe and the U.S. making use of this connector nowadays. Most stations in Japan will use the CHAdeMO connector. Even some Japanese manufacturers are opting to incorporate CCS plugs into their charging stations as of late, including Toyota. Essentially, CHAdeMO is being slowly but surely phased out. Manufacturers that still use CHAdeMO include Nissan, Mitsubishi, and some Citroen, Peugeot, and Honda models.

CCS vs. CHAdeMO: 7 Must-Know Facts

• CCS is much more widely adopted than CHAdeMO in the U.S. and Europe. CHAdeMO is predominantly used in Japan
• The only manufacturers to use CHAdeMO connectors are currently Nissan and Mitsubishi
• Development happened at a similar time
• Charging times for both are essentially equivalent
• DC fast charging is possible with both CCS and CHAdeMO
• CHAdeMO requires an additional connector cord to use AC charging, whereas CCS does not
• CHAdeMO offers bidirectional charging, whereas CCS only offers unidirectional charging

CCS vs. CHAdeMO: Which is Better? Which One Should You Use?

Your choice will largely come down to what EV model you’ve decided to purchase, since most will use CCS charging, except for Nissan and Mitsubishi. Some Citroen, Peugeot, and Honda models also use CHAdeMO, but the majority of EVs use CCS. CHAdeMO will be phased out eventually. If you’re deadset on a Nissan or Mitsubishi model, then you’ll likely go with CHAdeMO. Since charging times are almost the same, the choice mostly comes down to the EV model.  This is especially true since buying an EV is hardly a small investment.

Still, CCS is generally more convenient, since it can make use of AC charging without an additional cord being required. This is helpful if you plan on charging your EV at home as well as on the road. One aspect where CHAdeMO has the advantage is when it comes to bidirectional charging. This essentially means you can offload electricity back to the power grid while the EV is charging up. The environmentally-minded will appreciate this since it helps to reduce pressure on the grid at peak times as well as paying you some money back. Theoretically, you could even use this to power your house, but doing so would likely require a massive restructuring of your infrastructure so isn’t an option for most people. All in all, the convenience and ubiquity of CCS means that in most cases it’s the smarter choice.

Recent Technology Updates for CCS and CHAdeMO

Since February 2023, there have been technological advances for CCS and CHAdeMo, including:

• CCS2: The CCS2 is a newer version of CCS that offers faster charging speeds and better compatibility with electric vehicles.
• CHAdeMO 4: The CHAdeMO 4 is an updated version of the CHAdeMo standard which offers faster charging speeds. Although it is not as widely adopted as CCS2, CHAdeMO 4 is gaining traction.
• Combined charging system (CCS) and CHAdeMO dual plug: Some EVs come with a dual CCS and CHAdeMO plug which allows more flexibility as an EV can be charged with either standard.

Potential Technology Advances for CCS and CHAdeMO

While planned technology advancements have not been announced for CCS and CHAdeMo, it is likely that you may see some or all of the following in the next six to 18 months:

• Faster charging speeds: We can expect to see faster charging speeds for CCS and CHAdeMo.
• Longer battery ranges: With battery ranges constantly being improved, we can expect to see longer battery ranges for both CCS and CHAdeMo.
• More widespread availability: As CCS and CHAdeMo chargers are becoming more widespread, we can see even more CCS and CHAdeMo chargers, making them more available for EV drivers.
• Dual plug: More electric vehicles can be expected to come with CCS and CHAdeMo dual plugs, allowing for vehicles to be charged using either standard.
• Over-the-air updates: Over-the-air updates can be expected to become more common, which will allow new features to be added and improved charging speeds without recalling vehicles.  
• Intelligent charging: We can expect to see intelligent charging becoming more common with electric vehicles, which allow vehicles to charge at efficient times.
• Vehicle-to-grid (V2G): V2G is expected to become more common for electric vehicles. This allows EVs to send power back to power grids which can provide backup power during power outages.

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