What is CHAdeMO charging?

Before you get concerned, we haven’t got a problem with our caps lock key; CHAdeMO is a blend of upper and lowercase letters, formulated as an abbreviation for ‘CHArge de MOve’ or ‘charge for moving’. This term traces its roots to the Japanese expression ‘O cha demo ikaga desuka’, meaning ‘Let's have a cup of tea while charging’.

Now that we know what it means, 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 initially involved were Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota/Lexus, later Hitachi, Honda and Panasonic joined the party and wanted CHAdeMO to become the global charging standard for the entire automotive industry. It didn’t go to plan though, as most manufacturers favoured the European CCS (Combined Charging System) rapid-charging standard, with even Toyota, Lexus and Nissan choosing to jump ship.

The main reason manufacturers chose CCS over CHAdeMO and a key benefit is the faster charging speeds that CCS is capable of. 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 350kW 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.

Which cars currently work with CHAdeMO?

CHAdeMO was created by Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Fuki and Tokyo Electric Power Company, with the Japanese carmakers being some of the biggest adopters of CHAdeMO technology. 

In the UK, some of the cars that can be rapid charged with a CHAdeMO connector include the Nissan Leaf, Lexus UX 300e, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Nissan e-NV200, Kia Soul EV Mk1, Citroen 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 Porsche Taycan to the BYD Dolphin.

The CHAdeMO Association has stated that, across the globe, there are more than a million electric vehicles equipped with a CHAdeMO inlet, while another million electric cars can be charged with CHAdeMO chargers via an adapter.

How do I find a CHAdeMO rapid charger?

If you’ve got an electric car that still has the CHAdeMO plug - such as the Nissan Leaf - there are 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 InstaVolt, Gridserve and Osprey, among others. However, you won’t find them on the very latest 350kW ultra-rapid chargers as these only use CCS cables. 

It may be worth considering investing in an adapter for your CHAdeMO connector. It could prove invaluable for those times when you require a charge, but the charging station doesn’t have the necessary connectors. These adaptors are readily available online, and a quick search reveals options priced anywhere from £80 to £200.

Finding a CHAdeMO charger is relatively simple, you can use apps like Zap-Map that allow you to 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, the company now has charging points in 112 countries and over 60,000 charging points around the world. Europe has the greatest concentration of CHAdeMO chargers, with over 31,000 charge points. This compares with 9,400 in North America and over 9,000 in Japan. With CCS now becoming the industry standard, your best bet with CHAdeMO cars in the UK is to get an adapter.