EV Charging Connectors in the Philippines
Updated June 2026 · station counts pulled live from our directory of 800 stations
In the Philippines, most EV drivers only need to know two plugs: Type 2 for AC charging and CCS2 for DC fast charging. Type 2 is common for home, mall, hotel, office, and destination charging. CCS2 is used for faster public charging along major routes. CHAdeMO mainly serves older EVs such as the Nissan Leaf, and GB/T is mostly relevant to China-market imports.
The simple mental model
Charger type = how electricity flows
AC goes through your car's onboard charger. DC bypasses it and is much faster.
Connector = the plug shape
Type 2, CCS2, CHAdeMO, GB/T. Your car's inlet decides which fit.
kW = the speed
How fast energy is delivered. kWh is the battery size — the tank, not the pump.
Your car sets the real limit
A 50 kW car on a 180 kW charger still charges at 50 kW.
AC vs DC charging
With AC charging, power reaches the car as alternating current and the car's onboard charger converts it to DC for the battery. That conversion is the bottleneck, which is why AC is slower — best for home, condo, mall, hotel, office, and overnight charging. With DC fast charging, the station does the conversion and sends DC straight to the battery, bypassing the onboard charger. That is why DC is far faster and suits expressway stops and quick top-ups. Meralco describes the same split: AC is slower because the conversion happens inside the car, DC is faster because it bypasses the onboard charger.
Charging levels, in Philippine terms
We avoid US "Level 1/2/3" labels because the Philippine household voltage differs. Here is what you actually plug into:
| Tier | Typical PH example | Connector | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable AC | 220V socket / portable EVSE (~2 kW) | Type 2 (car side) | Emergency, low daily mileage, overnight |
| Wallbox AC | 7–22 kW | Type 2 | Home, condo, office, mall |
| Public DC fast | 50–180 kW+ | CCS2 (some CHAdeMO) | Expressway stops, road trips, quick top-up |
EV connectors compared
| Connector | Current | Typical kW | Cable | PH status | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 | AC | 7–22 kW | Sometimes socket-only | PH AC standard | 662 |
| CCS2 | DC fast | 50–180 kW+ | Attached | PH DC standard | 123 |
| CHAdeMO | DC fast | Up to ~50 kW | Attached | Legacy | 18 |
| GB/T | AC / DC | Varies | Attached (DC) | Import edge case | 105 |
Station counts from our live directory (800 stations: 137 DC-fast, 663 AC). Sourced from the DOE registry + OpenChargeMap, last refreshed June 2026.
"Will my car charge here?"
- CCS2 inlet → can use CCS2 DC fast chargers and Type 2 AC chargers. This covers almost every modern EV sold here.
- Type 2 only → can use AC Type 2, but not CCS2 DC fast charging.
- CHAdeMO → use CHAdeMO DC stations; a CCS2-only station will not fit.
- GB/T → check the station's connector and do not assume compatibility.
Set your EV on the finder and every map auto-filters to chargers that fit your car.
Connector guides
The Philippine standard
The connector standards are set in policy, not by chance. The Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (Republic Act No. 11697, EVIDA) makes the Department of Energy the lead agency for EV adoption and charging infrastructure, including accreditation of charging-station providers and the standards they follow. Under the DOE's guidelines the country has standardized on Type 2 for AC and CCS2 for DC fast charging. The DOE's roadmap (CREVI) targets 7,300 charging stations by 2028, up from the 912 publicly accessible stations recorded as of 31 March 2025 — so the network you see today is early, and CCS2 is where new DC capacity is being built.
FAQ
What type of EV charger is used in the Philippines?
Two plugs cover almost everything: Type 2 for AC charging (home, malls, hotels, offices) and CCS2 for DC fast charging (public and expressway stations). Under the DOE's connector guidelines these are the national AC and DC standards.
What is the difference between Type 2 and CCS2?
Type 2 is an AC connector, limited by your car's onboard charger (usually 7–22 kW). CCS2 is a DC fast connector that bypasses the onboard charger for much higher speeds. CCS2 uses the Type 2 AC shape with two extra DC pins below it.
Can a Type 2 EV use CCS2 fast charging?
No. A car with a Type 2-only inlet lacks the lower DC pins, so it cannot use a CCS2 DC fast charger. A CCS2 car, however, can use Type 2 AC chargers.
Is CCS2 the same as DC fast charging?
In the Philippines, almost all public DC fast charging uses CCS2, so the terms are often used together. CHAdeMO is the other DC connector, but it is legacy and far less common here.
What does kW mean in EV charging?
kW is the charging speed — how fast energy flows. kWh is the battery's size. A higher-kW charger only helps if your car can accept that rate; a 50 kW car on a 180 kW charger still charges at 50 kW.
Do I need to bring my own EV charging cable?
DC fast chargers (CCS2, CHAdeMO) have attached cables. Some public AC Type 2 stations are socket-only, so you may need your own Type 2 cable. Check the station listing before you go.