A Type 2 charging cable is the cable you use to charge your electric car from a wallbox or public AC charger. Both ends have the same seven-pin connector, one plugs into the charger socket, the other into your car. It is the UK and European standard — defined in IEC 62196-2 — and it has been since 2013. If you own any electric car bought new in the UK in the last several years, this is your cable.
The Type 2 connector: seven pins, one open standard
The seven-pin Type 2 connector has a distinctive flat-bottomed D-shaped housing. That shape — sometimes called a Mennekes connector after the German manufacturer that co-designed it — is recognisable at any UK or European charge point.
IEC 62196-2 is the standard that governs the Type 2 connector. The European Commission mandated it as the connector for all public AC charge points across the UK and Europe from 2013. Before that mandate, different manufacturers used different connector formats, and public charging networks had to install multiple socket types to serve them all. IEC 62196-2 ended that fragmentation.
The result is genuine openness: a compliant Type 2 cable from any reputable manufacturer fits any Type 2 vehicle and any Type 2 charge point socket, anywhere in the UK and Europe. No proprietary lock-in, no manufacturer pairing requirement, no compatibility surprises. You buy a cable once and it works everywhere.
What each pin does (IEC 62196-2 pinout explained simply)
Understanding the pins removes any mystery about how a Type 2 cable works. The IEC 62196-2 pinout allocates each of the seven pins a specific job:
L1, L2, L3 — the power pins. These carry the AC phase connections. On a single-phase supply (most UK homes), only L1 carries power. L2 and L3 are present in the cable but idle. On a three-phase supply, all three are active simultaneously.
N — neutral. The return path for AC current.
Earth — safety ground. Provides fault protection — if a fault sends current to the connector body, the earth path takes it safely away.
CP — Control Pilot. This is the communication pin. Before any power flows, the charge point and the car use CP to handshake: the charger signals the maximum current available; the car responds with confirmation that it is ready to receive power at that current. Only when this exchange completes does the charger energise the power pins. This protocol is defined in IEC 61851-1 (EV conductive charging system standard). Without CP communication, no power flows — it is a safety feature baked into the standard.
PP — Proximity Pilot. This pin tells the charger that a cable is connected (not just a socket). It also communicates maximum cable current rating to the car via a resistor in the connector, and signals the car not to drive away while plugged in. The auto-lock mechanism on Type 2 is triggered via CP once charging begins.
How a Type 2 cable delivers 7.4kW and 22kW — in the same cable
This is the aspect of Type 2 that most guides either miss or explain poorly. A single Type 2 cable can deliver two very different power levels — and the difference comes entirely from the electrical supply, not the cable itself.
Single-phase: five pins active, 7.4kW
On a standard UK domestic supply — single-phase, 230V, 32A — five of the seven pins are active: L1, N, Earth, CP, and PP. L2 and L3 sit idle. The delivered power is:
230V × 32A = 7,360W ≈ 7.4kW
At typical EV efficiency, this adds roughly 30 miles of range per hour.
Three-phase: all seven pins active, 22kW
On a three-phase supply — 400V between phases, 32A per phase — all seven pins are active. The delivered power is:
√3 × 400V × 32A ≈ 22,000W = 22kW
At typical EV efficiency, this adds roughly 80 miles of range per hour.
Why a three-phase cable works on a single-phase wallbox
A three-phase Type 2 cable is physically identical to a single-phase cable. The only difference is that it has conductors for L2 and L3 as well as L1. On a single-phase supply, those conductors carry no current — they are simply inert. The cable delivers 7.4kW exactly as a single-phase cable would.
The reverse is not true. A single-phase cable physically cannot carry three-phase power — L2 and L3 have no conductors. Connecting it to a 22kW charger will result in charging at 7.4kW only.
Our recommendation: buy a three-phase cable. The price premium is approximately £20. In return, your cable is ready for any 22kW AC charger you encounter — at workplaces, car parks, and destination chargers across the UK. At home on a single-phase wallbox, it delivers 7.4kW exactly as a single-phase cable would. For a full analysis of when the upgrade is worth it, see our 7kW vs 22kW charging cable guide.
Type 2 cable compatibility: which cars and wallboxes does it fit?
Cars: Every EV sold new in the UK from roughly 2018 onwards uses a Type 2 AC inlet. This includes all current Teslas (Model 3, Model Y), all VW Group EVs (ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, Audi Q4 e-tron, etc.), all current BMW EVs including the i3, all Hyundai and Kia EVs (Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, EV6, EV9), all current MG and BYD EVs, all Renault and Peugeot EVs, and all Mercedes EQ models.
If you have an older EV — specifically a pre-2018 Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, or Mitsubishi i-MiEV — your inlet is Type 1, not Type 2. See our Type 1 vs Type 2 comparison for the full detail.
Wallboxes: All UK domestic wallboxes have Type 2 sockets (if they are untethered). This includes Ohme ePod, Hypervolt Home 3, Pod Point Solo 3, Indra Smart PRO, Zappi v2, Easee One, Wallbox Pulsar, EO Mini Pro, and all other current-generation units. All UK public AC charge points — whether from bp pulse, Pod Point, Osprey, GeniePoint, or any other network — have Type 2 sockets or tethered Type 2 cables.
The IET Code of Practice for EV Charging Equipment Installation, 5th edition (2023) specifies Type 2 as the connector for Mode 3 AC EV charging equipment. This is not a regional preference — it is a standards-defined requirement.
What to look for when buying a Type 2 cable
The Type 2 connector standard ensures every compliant cable fits every Type 2 socket. But connector geometry is not the only thing that matters. These are the features that separate a cable worth owning from one that frustrates you inside two winters:
Current rating: Buy 32A. Most UK home wallboxes are 7.4kW (32A). A 16A cable connected to a 7.4kW wallbox halves your charging speed. The price difference between 16A and 32A is small; the performance difference is not.
Phase: Buy three-phase if budget allows (~£20 more). It works identically on your single-phase home charger and unlocks 22kW at three-phase public chargers.
Sheath material: TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) stays flexible in cold UK weather. PVC sheaths can stiffen significantly below 5°C. Cold-stiff cables put extra stress on connectors and are unpleasant to handle on dark winter mornings.
IP rating: Connectors rated at least IP55 are appropriate for UK outdoor conditions — protected against rain, sleet, and water jets. IP55 is sufficient; anything lower is a consideration for outdoor use.
Warranty: We back our cables with a minimum three-year warranty (up to five years on select products). A short warranty on an electrical product that will see daily use is worth scrutinising.
In our own returns data, the most common reason a customer contacts us about a replacement is a lost or misplaced cable, not a fault. When cables do come back, connector wear from repeated insertion cycles on cheaper builds is the most frequent genuine failure mode — which is why connector housing and strain relief quality matters.
For a full cable decision guide — connector type, current rating, phase, length, and what to look for — see which EV charging cable do I need.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Type 2 charging cable used for?
Charging an electric car from a wallbox or untethered AC public charge point. One end plugs into the charger’s Type 2 socket; the other plugs into your car’s Type 2 inlet. It is the cable for everyday home and destination AC charging. It does not handle rapid DC charging — DC rapid chargers use tethered CCS cables at the charger itself.
Do all Type 2 cables fit all Type 2 cars?
Yes. IEC 62196-2 is an open standard — no manufacturer controls it. A compliant Type 2 cable from any reputable supplier fits any Type 2 vehicle and any Type 2 charge point socket. Check that the current rating matches your wallbox (32A for a 7.4kW wallbox) and choose a length that suits your driveway.
Is a Type 2 cable the same as a Mode 3 cable?
Mode and connector type are different things. Mode 3 describes the charging method — using a dedicated EVSE (wallbox or public charger). Type 2 is the connector standard on the cable ends. Almost all Mode 3 home and public AC charging in the UK uses Type 2 connectors, so in practice they refer to the same thing, but Mode 3 is the method and Type 2 is the plug shape.
What does the Control Pilot pin do?
The Control Pilot (CP) is the communication pin in the Type 2 connector. Before any power flows, the wallbox and the car use CP to handshake — they agree on the maximum current the charger can supply and the car will accept. This protocol is defined in IEC 61851-1. Without CP communication, the charger won’t energise the power pins. It is a fundamental safety feature of Mode 3 AC charging.
Can I use a Type 2 cable for rapid charging?
No. Rapid DC charging uses a CCS Combo 2 plug, which is tethered to the rapid charger — you don’t bring your own. Your Type 2 cable handles AC charging up to 22kW. For rapid charging at motorway services, you use the charger’s own CCS cable. Your Type 2 cable stays in the boot.