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These new labels indicate which charging plug fits in your EV

01-07-2021
The vast majority of electric car buyers are introduced to this drive technology for the first time. And that takes some getting used to, especially the switch from refuelling to charging. Good information provision is important to help everyone get started quickly in this new world of electric driving. To make it easier for EV drivers, new labels have been introduced that allow you to immediately see which charge point is suitable for your car.

The new labels were officially put into use in the European Union in March 2021, including the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.

It is the first time that an international harmonized standard has been drawn up to help identify the available charging systems. The goal is to help EV drivers find and choose the right charge point to recharge their electric car.

Where are the labels placed?

The labels are not only placed on the charge plug or on the charge station. Also at the charging port of the car. Despite the fact that these labels were officially introduced just recently, many manufacturers of electric cars started applying these labels earlier.

The label looks like a white or black hexagon with a letter. To find out which charge point is suitable for your electric car, you only have to check whether the label corresponds to the label at the charging connection of the car.

What do the labels look like?

Each MG is equipped with a charging socket that fits a type-2 plug, also known as a Mennekes plug. This plug was designated by the European Commission in 2014 as the standard for charging electric cars with alternating current (AC). The type-2 plug can be recognized by the black label with the letter C.

With the exception of the MG EHS Plug-in Hybrid, you can also charge the electric car at a fast-charging station with direct current (DC). For this, you use the type-3 charging cable that is attached to the charging station. The type-3 plug – also known as a CCS plug – is the European standard for fast-charging with direct current since 2017. The type-3/CCS plug can be recognized by the label with the letter K.

How to use the CCS plug

The CCS (Combined Charging System) plug is basically a type-2 plug with two additional contacts. The car’s CCS connection – the only plug connection the car has – is suitable for both a type-2 and a type-3 plug. When using a type-2 plug, simply plug it into the top part of the connector.

Want to know more? Check out everything you need to know about charging an electric car here, including all the information about the different charging sockets.

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