5m EV Charging Cables, Type 1, Type 2 and 3 Pin

When five metres is the right call

Five metres works when the parking is predictable. Reverse onto the drive, charge point on the same side as the inlet, and a short lead is lighter to handle, quicker to coil and cheaper to buy. It is the length to take if you have measured the run and it comes in under three metres.

What catches people out is the car moving. A different parking angle, a visitor on the drive, or a charge point on the far wall, and five metres stops reaching. If any of that sounds like your week, ten metres is the safer buy.

Choosing the right cable on this page

Count the pins on the car inlet. Seven means Type 2 and the Type 2 to Type 2 cable is yours. Five means Type 1, which is a pre 2015 car such as an early Leaf or an Outlander PHEV, and the Type 1 to Type 2 cable is the one. If there is no charge point in the picture at all, the three pin cables run from an ordinary socket instead.

Figures are calculated rather than quoted: battery divided by power, 13 per cent for losses, quarter hour rounding. The miles column uses 3.5 miles per kWh, which holds up in winter as well as summer.

What the numbers mean at your house

British homes are supplied with one phase, so an 11 kW or 22 kW car rating lands at 7.4 kW on the driveway. So the 32A single phase cable is the one that reaches your ceiling, and the three phase version is for workplaces and 22 kW posts rather than the driveway.

The three pin cables are a different proposition. Around 2.3 kW from a household socket is roughly eight miles of range an hour, which is a useful backup at a holiday cottage and a slow way to fill a 60 kWh car from empty.

How these cables are built

Type 2: Construction is to IEC 62196-2 with CE marking, IP55 weather protection and a -30C to +50C operating range.

On the three pin side the standard is IEC 62752, with CE marking, IP67 sealing and a -30C to +60C range.

Two year warranty from the manufacturer, free next day delivery in the UK, 30 day returns.

See also: 8m charging cable, 10m charging cable and all universal cables.

5m charging cable questions

Is a 5m EV charging cable long enough?

It is if you always park the same way and the charge point is on the inlet side of the car. Measure the run from charge point to inlet and add two metres of slack. If the answer is over three metres, or if where you park varies, take ten metres instead.

What is the difference between Type 1 and Type 2?

Type 1 is the older five pin inlet used on cars sold up to about 2015, including the first Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Type 2 is the seven pin connector used since, and it is the UK and European standard. Count the pins on your car to be sure which you need.

Can I charge from a normal plug socket with a 5m cable?

Yes, with one of the three pin options on this page. The current is adjustable so it can be eased back on an older circuit, and the unit is IP67 sealed. Expect around 2.3 kW, so treat it as a backup rather than a daily charger.

Does a shorter cable charge faster?

No. The rate is set by the car and the charge point between them, and length makes no useful difference to it. Shorter simply means less to coil and a little less to carry.

Will this work with my home wall box?

If the box has a socket and your car is Type 2, yes, and the 32A version uses the full 7 kW such units deliver. If the box has its own lead attached, you do not need a cable at all, you need an extension or a replacement tethered lead.