Type 2 or CCS: which one does your Audi actually need?

If you're new to EVs, the words Type 2 and CCS tend to sound like two competing products you have to pick between. In practice, your Audi uses both, and the only one you ever buy yourself is the Type 2 cable.

One socket, two charging modes

Every fully electric Audi (e-tron, Q4 e-tron, Q6 e-tron, Q8 e-tron, e-tron GT) has a CCS Combo 2 inlet. The top half is a standard Type 2 socket; the bottom half adds two larger DC pins. Audi plug-in hybrids such as the A3 TFSI e, Q3 TFSI e, Q5 TFSI e, Q7 TFSI e and Q8 TFSI e have the Type 2 portion only, with no DC pins, because they don't support DC fast charging.

The connector itself decides which mode you're in:

• A Type 2 (Mode 3) cable engages only the upper part of the inlet. It carries alternating current (AC) and is what you use at home, at a wallbox, or at a public AC charging station.
• A CCS cable is always permanently attached to a DC fast charger. It engages the Type 2 portion and the DC pins to deliver direct current (DC) straight to the battery.

The two plugs have different shapes, and the inlet only accepts the matching connector. So the common worry of "plugging in the wrong cable and damaging the car" isn't really a realistic scenario. The hardware prevents it.

What that means in practice

• For home and public AC charging, you bring your own Type 2 cable. Most Audis ship with one, but a higher-quality replacement is worth considering if the OEM cable feels stiff, gets warm in use, or shows wear at the plug.
• For DC fast charging, you just grab the cable hanging from the charger. Nothing to buy, nothing to carry.
• On AC, most current Audi e-tron models accept up to 11 kW (three-phase, 16 A); the Q4 35 e-tron is capped at 7.2 kW. On DC, capability ranges from roughly 50 kW on older PHEV-derived platforms up to 270 kW on the e-tron GT and 175 to 270 kW on the Q6/Q8 e-tron family.

Bottom line

Type 2 vs CCS isn't really a choice. It describes when each mode is used. The only purchase decision is which Type 2 cable you carry. A well-built Voldt® Audi-compatible Type 2 charging cable covers every AC scenario your Audi will encounter, from a 3.7 kW domestic socket through to a 22 kW three-phase public point.