The Combined Charging System (CCS), specifically CCS1 in North America, combines the standard J1772 AC connector with two additional DC power pins below it. This dual-purpose design allows a single vehicle inlet to accept both Level 2 AC charging (via the J1772 portion) and DC fast charging (using all pins).
CCS1 supports power levels from 50 kW up to 350 kW, making it suitable for the fastest DCFC stations available today. It was adopted as the standard DC fast charging connector by SAE International and has been required by the NEVI program for all federally funded charging stations.
Most non-Tesla EVs sold in North America between 2018-2024 use CCS1 for DC fast charging. However, the landscape is shifting: in 2023, Tesla opened its NACS connector as the SAE J3400 standard, and major automakers including Ford, GM, Rivian, and others announced adoption of NACS starting in 2025. Despite this transition, CCS infrastructure will remain critical for the millions of CCS-equipped vehicles already on the road, and adapters will bridge the gap between connector types.