What does CCS stand for in electric-vehicle charging?

CCS stands for Combined Charging System in electric-vehicle charging.

CCS combines ordinary AC charging connections with additional DC power contacts in one vehicle inlet. This lets a compatible car use slower AC charging at home or work and much faster direct-current charging at public rapid chargers.

There are two main physical versions. Combo 1 is based on the Type 1 AC connector and became common in North America, while Combo 2 is based on Type 2 and became the dominant CCS format in Europe and several other markets. The communication protocol and charging rules are part of the broader CCS standard.

CCS is often confused with CHAdeMO, another DC fast-charging system developed in Japan, and with Tesla’s proprietary connectors. A car may support more than one charging standard through different markets or adapters, but CCS itself specifically describes the combined AC-and-DC approach.