A Type 2 to Commando cable connects an EV with a Type 2 inlet to a CEE industrial socket — known in the UK as a Commando, blue or red plug. It's the cable for charging from caravan hook-ups, building site sockets, generators, marina pontoons, and any 16A or 32A IEC 60309 outlet. If you're touring, working off-grid, or your only nearby socket is the heavy-duty industrial one in the workshop, this is the cable that turns it into an EV charge point.
Blue Commando vs red Commando — what's the difference?
The colour of an industrial socket tells you the supply behind it:
- Blue (3-pin) — single-phase 230V, typically 16A or 32A. The standard caravan / motorhome / building site outlet. Charges at up to 3.6kW (16A) or 7.4kW (32A) on a Type 2 EV.
- Red (5-pin) — three-phase 400V, typically 16A or 32A. Found at industrial premises, larger marina pontoons, some workshops. Charges at up to 11kW (16A) or 22kW (32A) on a three-phase capable EV.
If you're not sure which you have, ask the site owner — never guess. A red 32A plug looks superficially similar to a blue but the pinout is different and the supply is double.
What you can charge from
Commando cables open up charging locations a normal Type 2 cable can't reach:
- Caravan and campsite hook-ups — almost universally blue 16A. Add 80-120 miles overnight.
- Building sites and trade workshops — usually a 32A blue or red Commando on the site board.
- Generators (3kW+) — most portable trade generators have a 16A blue Commando outlet. Useful for events and remote charging — but check the generator can hold continuous load for the duration.
- Marinas and pontoons — blue 16A or 32A.
- Garages and outbuildings — if your sparky has fitted a 16A or 32A Commando in the workshop, this cable plugs straight in without needing a wallbox.
Power and charging speed
The cable's power output depends on the Commando rating it's terminated in and the EV's onboard charger:
- 16A blue (3.6kW) — adds 13-16 miles per hour. Standard caravan hookup speed.
- 32A blue (7.4kW) — same as a home wallbox; 25-30 miles per hour.
- 16A red (11kW three-phase) — 35-40 miles per hour, only useful if the car accepts three-phase AC.
- 32A red (22kW three-phase) — fastest AC speed possible; 60-70 miles per hour.
Single-phase Commando cables work with every EV. Three-phase cables only deliver their full speed if the car has a three-phase onboard charger (most premium EVs — Tesla Model 3 LR, Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron, MG4 XPower, Renault Zoe — do; many cheaper models cap at single-phase).
Built-in safety: why a cable, not just an adapter
An EV won't charge from a Commando socket via a passive plug-on-plug adapter — the car needs the Mode 3 control pilot signal that a wallbox normally provides. A proper Type 2 to Commando cable has a built-in ICCB (in-cable control box) that generates the pilot signal, manages the handshake, and provides residual-current and over-temperature protection. This is essentially a portable wallbox in cable form.
Choosing length
Most Type 2 to Commando cables are 5m or 8m. 5m is fine for most caravan pitches and workshop installs where the socket is on the wall by where you park. 8m gives you breathing room on awkward pitch layouts. Cables longer than 10m are rare in this format — for longer reach, a wallbox properly installed by an electrician is the safer answer.
Related
- Type 2 to Schuko — for European 2-pin sockets when travelling.
- Granny chargers — for UK 3-pin sockets.
- Extension leads — to reach further than the cable allows.