Your questions answered

What is CHAdeMO charging?

CHAdeMO was the original rapid-charging DC standard and allows for quick top-ups in the Nissan Leaf, plus a handful of other models

CHAdeMO port

No, we haven’t got a problem with our caps lock key; CHAdeMo really is a mixture of upper and lowercase letters. It’s an abbreviation of ‘CHArge de MOve’, or ‘charge for moving,’ which stems from the Japanese ‘O cha demo ikaga desuka,’ or ‘Let’s have a cup of tea while charging.’ Got that?

Now that we’ve established what it means – and you’ve stuck the kettle on – what does it do? In short, CHAdeMO was the original rapid-charging standard for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), established by a group of Japanese companies. Following trials in Japan, a charging infrastructure was commissioned in 2009, coinciding with the launch of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car.

The companies involved – initially Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota/Lexus, but later Hitachi, Honda and Panasonic – wanted CHAdeMO to become the global charging standard for the entire automotive industry. However, most manufacturers favoured the European CCS (Combined Charging System) rapid-charging standard, with even Toyota, Lexus and Nissan choosing to jump ship.

A key benefit of CCS over CHAdeMO is faster charging speeds. Cars with CHAdeMO inlets can reach speeds of up to 50kW, while electric vehicles with CCS charging capabilities can hit 150kW or more – some even reaching nearly 300kW when fitted with more complex 800-volt architecture. You needn’t worry if you’re buying a used car with a CHAdeMO inlet, because it’s still possible to find DC rapid chargers with both CCS and CHAdeMO connectors.

Nissan Leaf charging

Which cars currently work with CHAdeMO?

As CHAdeMO was created by Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Fuki and Tokyo Electric Power Company, Japanese carmakers were some of the biggest adopters of CHAdeMO technology. In the UK, the cars that can be rapid charged with a CHAdeMO connector include the Nissan LeafLexus UX 300eMitsubishi Outlander PHEV, now-discontinued Toyota Prius Plug-InTesla Model S (when fitted with an adapter), Nissan e-NV200Kia Soul EV Mk1Citroen Berlingo Electric Mk1 and the platform-sharing Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Peugeot iOn and Citroen C-Zero. A CHAdeMO charging port is also available as an optional extra on the LEVC London Taxi.

However, it is worth noting that those same Japanese brand’s latest electric cars – the Nissan Ariya, Lexus RZ 450e and Toyota bZ4X – all feature CCS charging ports. Aside from the UX 300e and Leaf, you’ll also find CCS rapid charging ports on all new electric cars sold in the UK from the BMW i7 to the Fiat 500.

The CHAdeMO Association says that, globally, there are more than a million electric vehicles equipped with a CHAdeMO inlet, while another million EVs can be charged with CHAdeMO chargers via an adapter.

How do I find a CHAdeMO rapid charger?

If you’ve got a slightly older electric car like a Nissan Leaf there are still charging points out there with CHAdeMO connectors. You’ll find CHAdeMO connectors on a lot of DC rapid chargers capable of 50kW charging speeds or faster like those operated by InstaVoltGridserve and Osprey, among others. However, you find them on the very latest 350kW ultra-rapid chargers as these only use CCS cables. 

Partnership
Need to sell your car?
Find your best offer from over 5,000+ dealers. It’s that easy.

To find a CHAdeMO charger you can use apps like Zap-Map that let you filter search results by the type of charging port/connector you need, as well as the charging speeds nearby units are capable of.

According to CHAdeMO Association figures, Europe has the greatest concentration of CHAdeMO chargers in the world, with nearly 25,000 charge points. This compares with 8,900 in North America and 7,800 in Japan. Of the 25,000 charge points in Europe, around 4,500 are in the UK.

Welcome one and all, I’m Ellis the news reporter on Auto Express, the brand’s former online reviews editor and contributor to DrivingElectric. I’m proud to say I cut my teeth reporting and reviewing all things EV as the content editor on DrivingElectric. I joined the team while completing my master’s degree in automotive journalism at Coventry University and since then I’ve driven just about every electric car and hybrid I could get my hands on.

Recommended

Has the UK given up on EVs? New government ‘Plan for Drivers’ says no
Plan for Drivers
News

Has the UK given up on EVs? New government ‘Plan for Drivers’ says no

3 Oct 2023
Comment: finance, funding and fuel prices means now’s the best time to buy an EV
Header
Comment

Comment: finance, funding and fuel prices means now’s the best time to buy an EV

15 Sep 2023
BP Pulse opens UK’s biggest EV charging station
BP Pulse Gigahub
News

BP Pulse opens UK’s biggest EV charging station

7 Sep 2023
Best home electric car chargers 2023: how to choose the right EV wallbox
BP pulse charger
Your questions answered

Best home electric car chargers 2023: how to choose the right EV wallbox

7 Sep 2023

Most Popular

Morgan Super3 XP-1 is an electric three-wheeler
Morgan XP-1 - front
News

Morgan Super3 XP-1 is an electric three-wheeler

Morgan’s latest prototype previews an all-electric version of its Super3 three-wheeler
6 Dec 2023
MINI Cooper Electric: pricing and specs for British-built electric supermini
MINI Cooper Electric - header
News

MINI Cooper Electric: pricing and specs for British-built electric supermini

MINI’s latest electric hatchback introduces a revolutionary interior design, as well as larger batteries to provide a 250-mile range
6 Dec 2023
Kia EV9 review: here’s why it’s our Car of the Year
Kia EV9 - front tracking
In-depth reviews

Kia EV9 review: here’s why it’s our Car of the Year

As posh as it is palatial, the Kia EV9 sets a new standard for large mainstream SUVs while offering a strong and accurate electric range to boot
11 Dec 2023