Short answer: a CCS charger is not specified by choosing CCS1 or CCS2 and a kilowatt number. A commercially usable configuration must also match the destination market, target vehicles, site electrical system, charging-management backend, and the exact compliance documents required for that model.

That is why two chargers carrying the same “CCS” label can create very different project outcomes. One may have the correct plug but the wrong input supply. Another may energize the vehicle but fail to integrate with the operator’s backend. A third may match the technical requirement but arrive with certificates that refer to a different model or configuration.

This guide gives commercial buyers a practical way to prevent those failures before a purchase order is issued.

The procurement rule: do not order “a 180 kW CCS2 charger.” Order a destination-specific, vehicle-checked, site-checked, backend-validated, document-controlled charger configuration.

What is a CCS charger?

CCS stands for Combined Charging System. The name is useful because it combines AC and DC charging contacts in a vehicle-side interface family, but the visible connector is only one part of the system.

CharIN’s CCS technology guidance treats CCS as a wider architecture that includes the charging process, safety, authentication, authorization and communication between the electric vehicle and the charging equipment. In other words, a plug that fits is necessary, but it does not prove that a charging session will start, reach the expected power, report correctly to a backend, or meet the destination market’s requirements.

For commercial procurement, it helps to divide CCS compatibility into five layers:

1. market fit;
2. vehicle fit;
3. site fit;
4. network fit;
5. document fit.

We call this the 5-Layer CCS Fit.

CCS1 vs CCS2: the practical difference

CCS1 and CCS2 are different physical connector configurations in the CCS family.

The internet often turns this into a permanent map: “CCS1 equals North America; CCS2 equals everywhere else.” That shortcut is unsafe for procurement.

CharIN’s worldwide connector white paper, dated 24 May 2024, documents regional patterns and multiple exceptions. The correct choice should therefore be frozen against the destination country, target fleet, local rule or tender, and operator requirement—not a generic map.

Europe: Combo 2 is a regulatory baseline for public DC charging

For publicly accessible infrastructure in the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 requires DC normal- and high-power recharging points within its scope to be equipped, for interoperability, at least with Combo 2 connectors.

That is a connector baseline, not a complete compliance checklist. The same regulation also addresses matters such as ad-hoc payment and charging-point data. National implementation, grid rules, metering, accessibility, payment, cybersecurity and tender requirements can add further work.

North America: design for the CCS1–J3400 transition

North America cannot be reduced to “replace CCS1 with J3400.” The installed vehicle base, network strategy and funding programme still matter.

The U.S. Joint Office states that federally funded chargers may include a J3400 connector when a CCS1 connector meeting the applicable minimum requirements is also present. Its connector guidance and adapter-compatibility guidance also show why a transition plan must consider vehicles, charging equipment and qualified adapter paths together.

A North American RFQ should therefore answer:

• Which model years and vehicle inlets must the site serve on opening day?
• Is the project subject to a funding or tender requirement?
• Will the charger provide CCS1, J3400, or a deliberately mixed connector strategy?
• If adapters are part of the plan, which OEM-qualified combinations are supported?
• Who owns field validation when vehicle firmware or network policy changes?

Other regions: verify, do not assume

Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America include CCS1, CCS2, GB/T, CHAdeMO and transition or mixed-market situations. Vehicle imports can also create a local fleet that differs from the country’s nominal standard.

For these markets, a serious supplier should ask for the country, vehicle list and project type before confirming the connector.

The 5-Layer CCS Fit

Layer 1 — Market fit

Market fit establishes the rule set around the equipment.

At minimum, identify:

• destination country and, when relevant, state/province or municipality;
• public, semi-public, depot or private access;
• applicable utility, grant, funding or tender programme;
• required connector mix;
• payment and metering requirements;
• electrical safety, EMC, radio and environmental conformity route;
• accessibility and data requirements;
• required certificate, declaration and test-report format.

Do not accept “CE,” “ETL” or another mark as a complete answer. Ask which exact charger model, rating, connector configuration and factory location appear on the certificate or report. Confirm the issuing body, standard edition, validity, scope and any national deviations required by the project.

Layer 2 — Vehicle fit

Vehicle fit is more than checking the inlet photograph.

1. Physical connector

Confirm the target vehicle’s DC inlet: CCS1, CCS2, J3400, GB/T, CHAdeMO or another interface. For mixed fleets, list the count of each inlet and the vehicles that must charge simultaneously.

2. Voltage window

The charger’s output-voltage range must cover the vehicle battery’s charging-voltage range. A “high-power” cabinet is not useful if the charger and vehicle do not share a workable voltage window.

3. Current limit

Power is constrained by both voltage and current:

Power (kW) ≈ Voltage (V) × Current (A) ÷ 1,000

A vehicle charging at 400 V and accepting 250 A is near 100 kW at that operating point. At 800 V and the same 250 A, the electrical product is near 200 kW. Real charging power may be lower because the vehicle, charger, battery temperature, state of charge, cable system, site limit or power-sharing logic asks for less.

This is why a 360 kW nameplate does not mean every connected EV will receive 360 kW.

4. EV–EVSE communication

The charger and vehicle must negotiate a safe session. ISO 15118-2 specifies application and network communication between the EV and EVSE for energy transfer. ISO 15118-20 covers second-generation requirements and includes messages for bidirectional power transfer.

An RFQ should name the protocol implementation required by the target vehicles and the related conformance or interoperability evidence. “ISO 15118 supported” is not enough if the buyer expects a specific function such as Plug & Charge or bidirectional operation.

5. Cable and simultaneous-use conditions

Specify:

• cable length;
• maximum continuous current;
• air- or liquid-cooled cable where applicable;
• connector temperature monitoring;
• cable-management requirements;
• one or two outputs;
• simultaneous charging behaviour;
• static or dynamic power sharing;
• maximum current per connector when both outputs are active.

The cabinet’s total power and each outlet’s available power are not always the same number.

Layer 3 — Site fit

The charger has to fit the electrical project, not just the parking bay.

Before quotation, provide:

• available AC input voltage, frequency, phase and grounding arrangement;
• confirmed service or transformer capacity;
• existing and planned site peak demand;
• number of chargers and expected simultaneous use;
• cable route and approximate distance to the distribution equipment;
• outdoor or indoor location;
• ambient temperature, humidity, altitude, dust, salt or corrosion exposure;
• foundation, bollard, canopy and drainage conditions;
• noise constraints;
• available Ethernet/cellular/Wi-Fi connectivity;
• local engineer or licensed contractor responsible for design and installation.

HG Power’s archived project-solution material reinforces a practical lesson: charger selection belongs inside demand analysis, transformer and switchgear planning, charger placement, cable routing, protection, commissioning and operating responsibility. The connector decision cannot replace site engineering.

If you have not yet chosen between AC and DC architecture, begin with our Commercial EV Charger Buyer’s Guide. The present guide assumes a commercial DC/CCS requirement is already justified.

Layer 4 — Network fit

One of the most common specification errors is treating ISO 15118 and OCPP as interchangeable. They operate on different links.

The Two-Link Compatibility Test

Link A — EV ↔ EVSE

• physical connector;
• voltage and current envelope;
• control pilot / high-level communication;
• DIN 70121 or ISO 15118 implementation;
• charging-session negotiation.

Link B — EVSE ↔ CSMS

• OCPP version;
• required feature profiles;
• security configuration and certificates;
• transactions, authorization and metering data;
• remote diagnostics, firmware and availability;
• integration with the selected charging-station management system.

The Open Charge Alliance describes OCPP as the open protocol connecting charging stations and backend systems. OCPP 1.6 and OCPP 2.0.1 offer different capabilities, and a version label alone does not prove that every optional function has been implemented or validated with the buyer’s CSMS.

Ask for:

• exact OCPP version and transport;
• supported profiles/features;
• OCPP certification status, if required;
• CSMS vendor and test environment;
• endpoint, SIM/APN and firewall responsibilities;
• security-certificate provisioning;
• remote firmware and log-access process;
• failure and offline behaviour;
• signed integration or site-acceptance test cases.

Layer 5 — Document fit

Document fit is what turns a proposal into a controlled configuration.

Every critical document should identify the same commercial object: manufacturer, factory where relevant, model, power rating, input, output, connector, options and revision.

If a certificate carries a different model number from the quotation, ask for the documented relationship. If a report covers a representative family, ask how the shipped rating and options fall within that scope.

How to choose CCS charger power without oversizing

Start with the vehicle duty, not the largest charger available.

Step 1: define the energy task

For each vehicle group, record:

• usable battery capacity;
• energy normally required per visit;
• arrival and departure state-of-charge range;
• available dwell time;
• daily return schedule;
• seasonal temperature conditions;
• required dispatch reserve.

This describes the energy that must move, and the time available to move it.

Step 2: check the vehicle acceptance envelope

Obtain the vehicle maker’s DC charging data:

• DC inlet type;
• battery voltage range;
• maximum charging current;
• peak charging power;
• expected charging curve or sustained-power information;
• protocol/firmware requirements.

Peak power is not average session power. A vehicle can request less power as the battery warms, cools or approaches a high state of charge.

Step 3: check concurrency

A two-connector charger may:

• provide full cabinet power to one connector;
• divide power equally;
• allocate modules dynamically;
• enforce a maximum current on each cable;
• reduce total output because of the site’s load limit.

The RFQ must state the required result when both connectors are occupied. “Dual gun” alone is not a performance specification.

Step 4: check the site limit

The usable output of a charging hub can be constrained by transformer capacity, distribution equipment, utility limits or an energy-management setpoint. In some projects, more charging points with controlled allocation may produce a better operating result than a smaller number of oversized cabinets.

Step 5: model the operating window

Test at least:

• a normal day;
• the busiest expected shift or traffic window;
• one charger unavailable;
• low-temperature or other derating conditions;
• future fleet growth.

Choose the lowest-risk configuration that meets the required departures and queue target—not the largest number that fits on a brochure.

What HG Power’s reviewed CCS documents currently show

HG Power’s approved DC-charger portfolio statement is 40–480 kW. That is a portfolio range, not one universal model.

For this guide, we reviewed the supplied CCS-specific documents separately:

These fields are useful for an initial configuration discussion. They are not a substitute for the final quotation, current model drawings, options list, protocol declaration, matching certificates/reports and destination-market review.

The supplied sheets also contain certification rows. HG Power’s publication rule is simple: before we describe a quoted unit as approved for a destination, the buyer should receive current evidence linked to the exact model and configuration.

Explore the available document library on the HG Power specifications page, then request the model-specific pack for your project.

What real installations can—and cannot—prove

Field installation archived by HG Power; supplied location label: Italy. The photograph shows the installation setting and cabinet form. Connector type, power rating, operator and commissioning result are not inferred from the image.

Real installation photographs are valuable because they reveal practical questions that a studio render hides:

• Can users reach and return the cables comfortably?
• Is the display visible at the installed height?
• Does the cabinet obstruct a walkway or vehicle path?
• Is there protection from vehicle impact?
• Can service doors open?
• Where will water drain?
• Is there room for payment, signage, cable management and accessibility features?

But a photograph cannot prove output power, CCS variant, OCPP integration, certificate scope, uptime or charging performance. Those require matched records.

CCS charger RFQ checklist

Send the following information with the first request. It will reduce clarification cycles and make supplier proposals easier to compare.

A. Market and project

• destination country and city/region;
• public, workplace, dealership, depot, fleet or private use;
• tender, funding or utility programme;
• planned commissioning date;
• applicable local designer/installer and authority.

B. Vehicles

• make, model, model year and quantity;
• CCS1, CCS2, J3400 or other inlet;
• battery voltage range and usable capacity;
• maximum DC current/power;
• daily energy required and dwell window;
• number that must charge simultaneously.

C. Site electrical data

• AC voltage, frequency, phase and grounding arrangement;
• available service/transformer capacity;
• site peak load and reserved charging capacity;
• number of chargers and future expansion;
• distribution/cable distance;
• ambient, altitude and enclosure conditions.

D. Charger configuration

• required total cabinet power;
• connector count and exact type;
• maximum current per connector;
• cable length and cable-management method;
• simultaneous power-sharing rule;
• mounting, ingress/impact rating and cooling;
• display, language and branding;
• RFID, app, QR, password and payment-terminal requirements.

E. Communication and software

• DIN 70121 / ISO 15118 requirement;
• Plug & Charge or bidirectional function, if required;
• OCPP version, profiles and security;
• selected CSMS and test endpoint;
• Ethernet, cellular, Wi-Fi and SIM/APN scope;
• remote diagnostics, logs and firmware process.

F. Evidence and acceptance

• exact-model datasheet and drawings;
• destination-specific certificate/report matrix;
• copies of current certificates and critical test reports;
• factory acceptance test;
• sample-vehicle or interoperability test plan;
• OCPP/CSMS acceptance test;
• commissioning checklist;
• warranty, spares, training and escalation process.

Copy-ready first message: “Please quote for [country], serving [vehicle models], with [connector mix], [site input], [number of outlets], [simultaneous-use requirement], [OCPP/CSMS], and [required certificates]. Attach the exact-model datasheet, connector/cable schedule, drawings, protocol declaration and compliance matrix.”

Frequently asked questions

Are CCS1 and CCS2 directly compatible?

No. They are different physical configurations and do not directly mate. Any adapter strategy must be checked for direction, vehicle support, charger/network support, electrical rating and an OEM-qualified safety path. Do not buy an adapter only because both product names contain “CCS.”

Is a CCS charger universal?

No. It may still be incompatible with a vehicle inlet, voltage/current envelope, protocol implementation, backend, site electrical supply or local rule.

Is CCS1 obsolete in North America in 2026?

That is too broad. North America is transitioning toward SAE J3400, but CCS1 vehicles and programme requirements remain relevant. Select the opening-day connector mix and transition plan from the actual fleet, funding rule and network strategy.

Does ISO 15118 support mean Plug & Charge is ready?

Not automatically. Confirm the exact ISO 15118 implementation, certificate and provisioning architecture, vehicle support, CSMS/contract-certificate ecosystem and acceptance test.

Does OCPP determine whether a car can charge?

No. OCPP connects the charger to a backend/CSMS. Vehicle charging also depends on the physical, electrical and EV–EVSE communication link.

What power should a commercial CCS charger have?

There is no universal answer. Use the vehicle voltage/current acceptance, energy-per-visit, dwell time, concurrency, site capacity and growth case. A larger nameplate can be wasted if another constraint is lower.

Can one charger cabinet be configured with CCS1 or CCS2?

Some product families may offer different connector configurations, but this is model- and market-specific. Require the quotation, drawings, cable schedule, firmware/protocol declaration and certificate set to identify the selected version.

Does HG Power offer 40–480 kW CCS chargers?

HG Power’s approved DC portfolio range is 40–480 kW. The CCS documents reviewed for this article cover specific CCS1 and CCS2 families within that range, not every rating under one identical specification. Send the destination and vehicle list so the exact available configuration can be confirmed.

Build the configuration before requesting the price

A meaningful CCS charger quotation begins with six inputs:

1. destination country;
2. target vehicles;
3. site electrical supply;
4. connector count and simultaneous-use requirement;
5. CSMS/OCPP requirement;
6. required compliance documents.

Contact HG Power with those six items. The response should be a model-specific configuration and evidence list—not only a price beside a kilowatt number.

Technical review: Marvin
Evidence date: 29 July 2026
Editorial note: Standards, regulations, vehicle interfaces and certification scopes change. Confirm the current destination-market requirements and exact quoted model before purchase and installation.

Primary references

• CharIN — CCS technology
• CharIN — Worldwide connector white paper (24 May 2024)
• Regulation (EU) 2023/1804
• U.S. Joint Office — SAE J3400 charging connector
• U.S. Joint Office — Adapter compatibility
• IEC 62196-3 official record
• ISO 15118-2 official record
• ISO 15118-20 official record
• Open Charge Alliance — OCPP