Charging electric cars can sound like a complicated affair because of the connectors and sockets, but it doesn't have to; so it is, even if you have to pay attention to some aspects of the network to which you connect.
The charging standard exists, and it is; unique for all European cars
Although by now widespread and well-known, electric cars remain for many a mystery because there is confusion between sockets and plugs , between those on the electrical network side and those on the car side. And in doing so, electric vehicles are accused of not having a standard.
- THE STANDARD CHARGING CONNECTORS: TYPE 2 and CCS COMBO2
- OUTSIDE THE EU STANDARD: CHAdeMO
- CABLE FOR CHARGING AT HOME, SOCKETS AND ADAPTERS
- SINGLE-PHASE AND THREE-PHASE: 7.4 kW, 11 kW or 22 kW
- HOW TO CHOOSE WALLBOX AND TYPE 2 CABLE
- AUTO-ELECTRIC CHARGING MODE AND DIFFERENCES
- WHAT YOU NEED TO CHARGE … PIGRI EDITION
- VIDEO
THE STANDARD CONNECTORS OF ELECTRIC CARS 
Let's make it very simple: recharged with AC at home or at the public columns you need to use your cable? You are using the Type 2 socket of your electric car and you are connecting in the same way that all electric cars connect, so (made some clarifications that we will see) you can swap your cable with that of any other model.
The CCS Combo connector you find in fast dc columns
Are you charging at a fast dc station? No need to bring the cable from home because & eacute; & egrave; already integrated in the column (or rather, & quot; columnon & quot; since it is a & quot; cabinet & quot;): in this case the standard & egrave; the CCS Combo2 .
You can find it referred to as CCS, CCS Combo but technically it is called CCS Combo2. The reason? Europe has made this standard connector from the one used for direct current charging, the Type 2. In this way, a unique combination of sockets on the vehicle electric allows you to insert the two & quot; plugs & quot;, the single one (Type 2) and the combined one.
The socket to connect the CCS Combo2 on the electric car. The upper part ? the one for Type 2
I can't connect the cable with CCS Combo connector in my electric car, why? Check your car well: under the Type 2 socket there is; probably an additional door to open to turn it into a CCS combo.
I BOUGHT A USED JAPANESE ELECTRIC: CHAdeMO 
If trying to recharge your electric car, the “ mold game '' does not work, and the CCS Combo2 does not enter, it almost certainly means that you have purchased a used electric car of a Japanese brand, thus finding yourself dealing with the Japanese standard, the CHAdeMO.
The columns DC fast charging devices like Enel X have both connectors to support fast charging of the most Japanese electric cars. old, before even the Japanese announced the switch, in the EU, to the CCS Combo2 connector. Also because & eacute; Countries like France have decided to say goodbye to CHAdeMO.
CABLE FOR HOME CHARGING, SCHUKO AND ADAPTERS 
The problem is not; cars and not even columns. You only need one cable to charge an electric car in public , and it is; the Type 2 cable: on one side (wide plug, the one in the picture in the previous chapter) enters the car. On the other hand, narrow plug, enters the columns (and wallboxes without integrated cable). And remember to connect first the column (or the power socket) and then the car.
Plug and socket: the difference . A thorn & egrave; the connector that plugs into the socket, usually installed on the wall. Is there a standard? S & igrave ;, but & egrave; a disaster because & eacute; each country has its own. In Italy the standard is; the type L, also called “Italian three-pole”. Within the legislation exist for & ograve; 6 sockets and 11 plugs, similar but different. The Type F socket, also called schuko, is; widely used and & egrave; easy to find because & eacute; many European appliances and power supplies are sold with this plug.
- AC 7.4 kW (single phase, 32 A)
- AC 11 kW (three phase, 16 A)
- AC 22 kW (three phase, 32 A)
The difference between these cables does not exist on an aesthetic level, the connectors are the same . For & ograve; changes their realization because & eacute; they have to withstand different powers. Before continuing, for & ograve ;, & egrave; good to review some basic concepts:
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If your electric car is of those more & ugrave; cheap, you will probably have a 7.4kW single phase AC charger. It means that it charges at a lower power than cars that have an 11 or 22 kW three-phase AC charger.
Remember that in AC (alternating current) is; the on-board charger to control the speed; charging , a little as happens with smartphones , except that in cars the charger is; inside the car and not outside. Do you buy the optional iPhone charger? Well, you will load with a higher speed. The same goes for electric cars: have you chosen the 22 kW option? The columns that support this power will give you an advantage.
Do all cars have the 11 or 22 kW option? No, just a few. There are models limited to 7.4 kW, models that come standard with the 11 kW charger (most of them will be from here on) and models that come out with 11 kW but, on request and with a surcharge, there are allow you to switch to 22 kW.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE TYPE 2 CABLE (AND THE WALLBOX) 
You need to buy a Type 2 cable because the & eacute; the one that came with the car si & egrave; damaged (or why not supplied)? Well, pay attention to what the market is offering you and re-read the previous paragraph.
If your car is charging at 7.4 kW, it makes no sense to buy a 22 kW cable much more; expensive because & eacute; it would be a waste. And it is; even more & ugrave; heavy. Then check the description of the product you are buying and, rather, ask for advice by also indicating the model of electric car for which you would use the cable to buy.
A wallbox can be of two types : with integrated cable or without cable. If it is without cable, it will suffice; use the same cable supplied for use in public columns. The difference? It is only a matter of convenience.
The same applies to the choice of the wallbox, perhaps with an integrated cable. You could for & ograve; wanting to make an exception by providing a system (wallbox + cable) capable of withstanding greater powers like this; to support a second electric vehicle that uses them, if already; intended for purchase.
Then there are modular or universal solutions . The home charger from Tesla is not suitable for charging columns but is; a prime example because & eacute; allows you to change the sockets on the mains side between industrial, Schuko and so on.
Juice Booster 2 , on the other hand, & egrave; a universal all-rounder: as powerful as a 22 kW three-phase wallbox, it can transform from a cable for the columns (single-phase and three-phase) to a home charger with an interchangeable final plug for Italian, Schuko, single-phase and three-phase industrial sockets or other sockets among the most; common in European countries.
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This cable represents an exception to the advice of a few lines more; above : & egrave; true that it costs more & ugrave; and & egrave; more heavy but & egrave; practically a Swiss army knife (yes, the company is Swiss) of recharging , useful for those who often travel to places that may not be provided and want to have all the emergency options, as well as being a real portable wallbox . To be evaluated only for those who really need it.
WHAT YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW: THE TOPPING WAYS 
The ways of reloading are none other than technical terms to define where and how an electric car is charged. The standard IEC 61851-1 defines them but, in practice, there is; useless to know them. For lovers of theory, let's see what it is, not in numerical order but in order of importance in everyday life:
- Mode 3 : & egrave; the refill to be preferred. The term describes charging at home in alternating current (AC) with a wallbox that integrates the control box inside.
- Mode 4 : & egrave; charging for long journeys. The term describes the charging of the electric car in direct current (DC) via the CCS Combo2 connector or via CHAdeMO.
- Mode 2 : & egrave; in third position because & eacute; the wallbox & egrave; the most method; safe and practical to recharge an electric car every day. Actually, if the implant is reliable you only need the maximum 2.3 kW of power offered by the home charging cable, you can & ograve; also choose to always charge in mode 2. The control box takes care of safety and the Schuko or the Italian socket can be easily replaced by an electrician with the industrial socket (the blue single-phase, the red one is three-phase): in this way you they solve the risks of overheating of the Schuko in the event of prolonged charging and at maximum amperes.
- Mode 1 : & egrave; charging the vehicle directly to the classic socket (Italian three-pole or Schuko) without a control and safety device in the middle. Given the absence of the control box, it is used to recharge electric bikes and scooters that have low charging powers.
What is it; the control box? Literally & egrave; a control box and effectively identifies that casing positioned halfway with the control box; between one end of the cable (the one with the Italian plug, the Schuko or the industrial plug) and the other (the one with the Type 2 connector). Inside this enclosure there is a PWM circuit that controls the charging and avoiding damage to people or to the vehicle itself.
ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING: IN BRIEF, FOR THE Lazy 
Arrived at the end of this guide for charging the electric car and guide to the cables and connectors, let's make a summary mirror for the most & ugrave; lazy by answering the question: I bought an electric car, what cables do I need to charge?
Answer? Probably only the ones that came with the car , unless you have specific needs. The household cable usually ends with the Schuko: call an electrician, have the Schuko socket installed in the box and you can use it. If it ends with the Italian hold you are fine, but it is not; advisable to use it for long and frequent refills. In both cases, it is better to have the final part replaced with an industrial plug and install the relevant socket in the box.
The Type 2 cable is; the one for the columns : usually & egrave; calibrated for the maximum power of the charger in your car.
To do things right , for & ograve ;, & egrave; recommended (but not mandatory) buy a wallbox (based on the network available at home and the power of the car's AC charger), possibly increase the power of the meter and use only the Type 2 cable for charging, at home and at the charging stations.
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