IEC 62196

IEC 62196 Plugs, socket-outlets, vehicle connectors and vehicle inlets – Conductive charging of electric vehicles is a series of international standards that define requirements and tests for plugs, socket-outlets, vehicle connectors and vehicle inlets for the conductive charging of electric vehicles. It is published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and is developed and maintained by its technical committee TC23 subcommittee SC23H (which prepares standards for Plugs, Socket-outlets and Couplers for industrial and similar applications, and for Electric Vehicles). Accessories (that is plugs, socket-outlets, vehicle connectors and vehicle inlets as defined by IEC 62196) together with their cable assemblies provide physical connections between electric vehicle supply equipment (abbreviated EVSE, as defined by IEC 61851 or by IEC 62752) and electric vehicles (abbreviated EV, as defined by ISO 17409 or by ISO 18246). Accessories have contacts that conduct electricity, and according to ISO62196 most connectors also provide additional contacts that support specific functions that are relevant to charging of electric vehicles, e.g. to ensure that power is not supplied unless a vehicle is connected and is immobilized. Several parts of this series of standards have been published as European Standards (EN 62196 series), which in turn have been published as British Standards (BS EN 62196 series). Similar requirements are contained in SAE J1772, which is widely applied in the United States.

Published standards The following parts of the IEC 62196 series have been published:

Part 1: General requirements Part 2: Dimensional compatibility requirements for A.C. pin and contact-tube accessories Part 3: Dimensional compatibility and interchangeability requirements for D.C. and A.C./D.C. pin and contact-tube vehicle couplers Part 3-1: Vehicle connector, vehicle inlet and cable assembly for DC charging intended to be used with a thermal management system Specification 62196-4: Dimensional compatibility and interchangeability requirements for DC pin and contact-tube accessories for Class II or Class III applications Part 6: Dimensional compatibility and interchangeability requirements for DC pin and contact-tube vehicle couplers for DC EV supply equipment where protection relies on electrical separation Specification 62196-7: Vehicle adapter is in development (publication expected in 2026), as well as other specifications and updates (as of December 2025).

IEC 62196-1 General requirements

Contents IEC 62196-1 provides a general description of the interface between an electric vehicle and a charging station as well as general mechanical and electrical requirements and tests for plugs, socket-outlets, vehicle connectors and vehicle inlets that are intended to be used for EV charging. It does not describe specific designs, which can be found in the other parts of the standard.

History The first edition, IEC 62196-1:2003, was published in 2003. This edition was applicable to plugs, socket-outlets, connectors, inlets and cable assemblies for AC and DC charging of electric vehicles with rated voltages and rated currents as follows:

AC: up to 690 V, up to 250 A DC: up to 600 V, up to 400 A. Typical connectors and inlets that were built according to this edition of the standard used spring-loaded butt contacts and were made by Avcon and Maréchal Electric. The second edition, IEC 62196-1:2011, was published in 2011. One significant change was the increase of the maximum voltage of connectors, inlets and cable assemblies for DC charging to 1500 V. The development of this edition was coordinated with the first edition of IEC 62196-2, which describes several configurations of pin-and-sleeve contacts for AC charging, the combined a.c./d.c.charging was under consideration. The third edition, IEC 62196-1:2014, was published in 2014. One significant addition was the general description of a “combined interface” as used by the Combined Charging System. The development of this edition was coordinated with the first edition of IEC 62196-3, which describes connectors and inlets for DC charging. The fourth edition, IEC 62196-1:2022, was published in 2022. This edition includes additional requirements for contact materials and plating, makes changes to the temperature rise test to include additional points of measurement, and includes additional tests for accessories to address thermal stresses and stability, mechanical wear and abuse, and exposure to contaminants. Rated AC and DC voltages and currents in IEC 62196-1:2022 are as follows:

AC: up to 690 V, up to 250 A DC: up to 1,500 V, up to 800 A This edition do deletion of references to universal AC and DC interfaces. The fifth edition, IEC 62196-1:2025, was published in 2025. This edition adds new tests for latching and retaining of connectors and type 4 accessories.

IEC 62196-2 Dimensions for AC accessories

Contents IEC 62196-2 extends IEC 62196-1 and describes specific designs of plugs, socket-outlets, vehicle connectors and vehicle inlets that are intended to be used for AC charging of electric vehicles in the modes 1, 2 and 3 as described by IEC 61851-1. The specific designs are grouped into three configurations. The designs are described with sufficient detail to allow compatibility between products of different manufacturers.

Configurations IEC 62196-2 describes three different designs (Types 1, 2, and 3) with different configurations and dimensions which support:

single-phase charging at up to 16 A, without control pilot contact, single-phase charging at up to 32 A, three-phase charging at up to 63 A (only for Types 2 and 3).

Each design includes male and female connectors, generally arranged as

a (female) socket-outlet on the electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE, charger) a (male) plug on one end of the cable a (female) connector on the opposite end of the cable a (male) vehicle inlet on the EV itself The EVSE may be a tethered station, in which case the cable is permanently attached and only the latter two interfaces are relevant. In Europe, untethered stations may be offered, where the cable is detachable and all four interfaces are present.

Type 1

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