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4EVnewbies
Since so many ask this question, or, "my adapter doesn't work!"
Adapters for charging an electric vehicle have often been the source of confusion for some drivers. This is because different adapters must be used for DC fast (Level 3) or AC (Level 2) charging, to use NACS plugs for CCS plugs or vice versa.
Example of a CCS1 plug used in North America to deliver fast DC (Level 3) on most non-Tesla cars before 2024.
Example of a J1772 plug used in North America to deliver AC (Level 2) charging, generally at speeds of 20 kW or less.
Example of a NACS, or J3400, plug used in North America to deliver fast (Level 3) charging. This standard was exclusively used for Tesla cars until 2024, and then gradually made standard on other brands.
The Tesla/NACS/J3400 standard uses the same two big connection pins to deliver both AC and DC charging to the EV. CCS1, devised as an evolutionary enhancement to the AC-only J1772 standard, as high power DC fast charging became practical, has two additional pins grafted onto the bottom of the connector to make the electrical connections directly to the car's high voltage traction battery.
For this reason two different adapters must be used, for AC or DC fast charging, to make the necessary electrical connections. This is true for charging both NACS or CCS equipped vehicles.
Here are examples of each type of adapter for CCS1 vehicles. They're now available from many manufacturers (and, for some, directly from your EV's maker or dealer) but these are the two that I regularly use.
Here are examples of each type of adapter for NACS/J3400 vehicles.
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