What a CCS port is and how does it work

Firstly, what is the role of a CCS port and what does this abbreviation stand for? The CCS port, which stands for Combined Charging System, is responsible for the fast-charging of electric vehicles and allows for a very fast or ultra-fast charging protocol for batteries, depending on the individual spec of each car.

Charging through the CCS port is done via direct current (DC) and it means transferring the electricity directly in the batteries, without passing it through the car's computer to convert it from alternative current (AC) to DC. This means that charging times are much lower when using a DC connector, around a couple tens of minutes for a 20-80% session, when compared to the few hours on alternative current.

DC charging stations can't be installed at home, but they can rather be installed around places where the charging network allows for the rapid transfer of energy and the charging cables are thicker, as well as they are being connected directly to the station. Among the places where these stations equipped with CCS ports are installed, we can mention gas stations, supermarkets or malls.

CCS1 vs CCS2: why you need to pay attention to these ports

Technically speaking, both ports do the same thing, facilitating fast-charging for electric cars that support this technology. Their basis are the Type 1 and Type 2 ports, which are capable of transferring the electricity on an alternative current basis and which have two more pins attached at the bottom for transferring power using the DC protocol.

The Type 1 port is specific to the US market, as well as the South Korean one and some other countries in South America, while Type 2 is mainly used in Europe, Asia, as well as in some South American markets, such as Brazil or Argentina. Basically, the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 is the way the pins are being arranged, as well as their number, which is why they are not compatible, even though the charging speed is almost identical. I say almost, because, although on the CCS port, it reaches 350 kW in both cases, AC power delivery on Type 1 reaches 7.4 kW, while on Type 2, it is limited to 7.4 kW on a single phase, but on three-phase, it reaches 43 kW, for much faster top-ups.

Type 1 port

Type 1 ports have 5 pins for AC connection, while Type 2 models have 7 pins for this connector.

Some companies note an important difference between CCS1 and CCS2 charging stations, but these might actually be linked to individual manufacturers, rather than a technological limitation. Thus, for CCS1, the specific stations don't pack liquid cooling systems, while CCS2 stations have liquid cooling installed as standard, regardless of the manufacturer. The reason could be the possibility to charge at up to 43 kW on a three-phase system using the AC connector, using the Type 2 connector.

A solution for international travelers and for the second-hand market

Just like in the case of mobile phones, the solution for international travelers and for those that buy EVs from other markets is the use of an adapter for AC and DC charging. It's not necessarily an elegant solution for those who want to buy an electric car that they want to use on the long term, but for a few charging sessions here and there, it should be fine.

Type 2 port

The South Korean market, pretty much the only one in Asia where CCS1 was popular so far, started the transition to CCS2. Replacing the port isn't an official solution in most cases, so using an adapter is the only real alternative if you buy an EV from another market or if you plan on using an incompatible charging station.

As the international market of electric vehicles will grow, so will the need for a universal, global charging connector. Not necessarily because I would buy an EV from the US, but compared to a car with an internal combustion engine, an electric model doesn't release more or fewer harmful emissions in the US or Japan than it does in Europe. There are no CO2 emissions per 100 kms, so there may be a desire to purchase a Tesla or BYD car from the US, if it's cheaper.

But for this, we'll need a universal charging port, such as the USB-C one from our phones.