Last updated: 25 January 2026
CCS 1 (Combined Charging System type 1), often referred to as CCS Combo 1 or SAE J1772, is a charging plug and inlet standard predominantly used in electric vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico. (Click here for the full list of all countries that use the CCS 1 charging plug.)
It combines the standard Type 1 plug with two additional high-power DC charging pins. This configuration is the dominant DC fast-charging standard in North America.
The CCS 1 connector incorporates the AC portion of the Type 1 design and adds two larger DC pins beneath it for rapid charging. CCS 1 uses the same communication protocol as the Type 1 connector, allowing manufacturers to integrate both AC and DC charging into a single inlet rather than requiring separate ports.
CCS 1 can deliver up to 500 amps at 1000 volts DC, achieving a maximum charging capacity of 500 kW. For ultra-rapid charging, CCS 1 requires liquid-cooled cables to avoid damage caused by overheating. Inside those cables there are circulation channels containing a liquid coolant that absorbs and dissipates heat. The liquid cooling process involves a closed-loop system in which the coolant travels back and forth between the connector and the cooling unit of the charger.
Inside liquid-cooled cables, circulation channels (highlighted in blue in the image) carry a liquid coolant that absorbs and removes the heat produced by the power conductors (highlighted in red in the image). This liquid-cooling approach relies on a closed-loop system in which the coolant continuously flows between the connector and the charger’s cooling unit.
A CCS 1 inlet on a car with the DC pins covered by a rubber flap.
During AC charging only the top half (the Type 1 part) of the inlet is used, leaving the lower two DC pins untouched. These pins are often covered by a rubber flap that you simply remove at the DC charging station before putting in the plug.
The CCS 1 connector supports bidirectional charging, allowing EVs to send power back to the home, the grid, appliances or another vehicle, turning the car’s battery into a backup power source.
Until 2025, nearly all electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in North America were equipped with either a Type 1 or CCS1 connector, with Tesla being the sole exception due to its proprietary charging interface. Since then, however, a growing number of automakers have begun adopting Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) for all new models in the region, signalling a major shift in the market.
