1) We call for mandating EN IEC 62196-6 ('Type 6') for public chargers for smaller L-Category vehicles.

The current AFIR mandates the ‘CCS2’ plug (EN IEC 62196-3) for public chargers for L-Category vehicles. However, this standard is unsuitable for most vehicles of this category because a) it is too large, b) the voltage levels are incompatible, and c) as it is a plug that integrates both AC and DC, it necessitates the installation of a large, heavy and expensive on-board charger (OBC).

Consequently, public chargers for smaller L-Category vehicles cannot be installed; this not only delays the electrification of vehicles in this category, but also hinders the roll-out of large-scale delivery services and car-sharing fleets utilising such electric vehicles.

CHAdeMO calls for consideration of making the ‘Type 6’ connector a mandatory requirement in addition to ‘CCS2.’ By adopting this standard, OBCs will no longer be needed, reducing vehicle weight and cost.

2) We urge the preservation of the minimum charging infrastructure required to support legacy EVs

We find the declining adoption by European CPOs of the CHAdeMO charging plug—the world’s first international standard for DC charging adopted in mass-produced EVs and an EN standard—concerning and urge the Commission to ensure that existing chargers are retained and that legacy EV users are not discriminated against based on the type of vehicle they drive (ref Recital 37*).

Given that, in addition to the group that invested in early EVs as ‘first movers’, drivers on low to middle incomes continue to acquire CHAdeMO EVs on the second-hand market, it is estimated that there are still around 600,000 CHAdeMO EVs on the road across Europe. In order to continue the inclusive promotion of EVs without compromising the convenience of ‘all types of EV users’, existing CHAdeMO chargers should be retained and maintained to a minimum standard.

Our supplementary information on L-category charging is found here.