A CCS1 connector is the DC fast-charging plug used in North America. It is built in two halves inside one tall housing: a Type 1 (J1772) section on top, and two large DC pins added below it. You meet it on the cable of a DC fast charger, and it plugs into the matching CCS1 inlet on the car — the same inlet that accepts a plain J1772 plug for AC charging (see whether J1772 works with CCS).
Key Takeaways
- A CCS1 connector is one tall housing: J1772 section on top, two DC pins below, a latch to lock it in.
- Recognise it by the extra depth under the round section — and by the fast charger it hangs on.
- The car’s inlet mirrors it: two extra openings below the round socket.
- NACS-to-CCS1 adapters exist, but only under both conditions: car-maker approval and a station open to the car.
Anatomy: Two Halves in One Housing
The connector is easiest to understand as two plugs sharing one body:
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Upper J1772 section | The familiar round AC interface — power pins plus the signal pins that let car and charger agree a session. In the car’s inlet, this is the part a plain J1772 plug uses for AC charging. |
| Two DC pins below | The large added contacts that carry the DC fast-charging current — the reason the housing is tall. A plain J1772 inlet has no openings for them, so a CCS1 plug cannot fit an AC-only car. |
| Latch on top | The hook that locks the plug into the inlet for the session and releases with the handle button. |
On the car, the inlet mirrors this shape: a round J1772 socket with two large extra openings underneath. That pair of openings is the whole difference between a car that can fast-charge on CCS1 and one that can only AC-charge. How the systems work together is covered in our explainer on how DC fast chargers work.
How to Recognise One at a Station
- Look below the round part. A plain J1772 plug ends under its five pins; a CCS1 housing extends down to two chunky DC pins. That extra depth is the test.
- It hangs on a fast charger. CCS1 is the DC connector, so you find it on DC fast-charging posts, on a noticeably heavier cable than a Level 2 lead.
- It is not the slim plug. NACS is a single small connector with no pin cluster and no separate DC section. A tall plug with a round top and pins below is CCS1, not NACS.
- It is not the round DC-only plug. CHAdeMO, where it survives, is a separate round connector that does DC only, on its own inlet.
Dirt or damage on the large contacts is a reason to choose the next post, not to force the plug — our guide to cleaning an EV charger connector covers what is safe to do yourself.
Where You Meet It
CCS1 is the DC connector of North America, and its place is written into the funding rules: the U.S. NEVI standards in 23 CFR Part 680 require DC ports at funded corridor stations to provide CCS1 connectors, alongside 24/7 access and contactless payment. Highway fast-charging sites in the U.S. present this plug, while home and workplace charging stays on the plain J1772 section of the same inlet. Many newer cars are moving to NACS inlets instead — where the adapters below come in.
Adapters That End in a CCS1 Plug
The EVDANCE JT08 (up to 500 A / 1000 V, IP66) and JT09 with handle (up to 500 A, IP66) are NACS-to-CCS1 DC adapters: the CCS1 end plugs into the car’s inlet, the other end accepts a NACS DC connector, so an approved CCS1 car can charge at NACS DC stations, including Superchargers open to it. Two conditions are mandatory: the car maker must approve third-party DC adapters for that exact car, and the station must be open to that car. If either answer is no, the adapter stays in the boot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell a CCS1 connector from a J1772 one at a station?
Look at the bottom of the plug. A J1772 connector is a round plug that ends under its pins; a CCS1 connector is taller, with two large DC pins in an extended housing below the round section.
Does every North American EV have a CCS1 inlet?
No. Some cars are AC-only with a plain J1772 inlet, many have the CCS1 inlet, and a growing number use NACS instead. The inlet shape behind the charge door settles which one your car has.
Is a CCS1 connector the same thing as J1772?
No. J1772 is the upper AC section; CCS1 is that section with two DC pins added — what makes DC fast charging possible through one inlet.
Related Reading
- Does J1772 Work With CCS? CCS Connectors Explained
- How Do DC Fast Chargers Work?
- What Is J1772? The North American EV Plug Explained
- How to Clean an EV Charger Connector
