India didn't settle on one single EV charging connector standard — it has several, aimed at different vehicle categories, and knowing which is which avoids showing up at a charger your vehicle can't actually use.
AC vs DC, the basic split
AC (Alternating Current) charging sends power through the vehicle's own onboard charger, which converts it to DC to fill the battery. This is the slower method — typically overnight home/destination charging — because the onboard charger's conversion capacity caps the speed (commonly 3.3 kW to 11 kW).
DC (Direct Current) charging — "fast charging" — skips the onboard charger, feeding DC power directly into the battery from an external charger capable of much higher power (30 kW to 350 kW+). This is what public fast-charging stations use, and why they can add real range in 20-60 minutes instead of hours.
The standards actually in use in India
Bharat AC001: India's own low-cost AC standard, built for two- and three-wheelers and small EVs. Uses an industrial-style IEC 60309 plug, capped at 15A/230V/3.3 kW.
Bharat DC001: An early Indian DC fast-charging standard, based on the Chinese GB/T standard with CCS2-style communication, delivering up to roughly 200V/120A (about 15 kW). Introduced under the FAME-I scheme around 2017, used by early EVs like the Mahindra e2o and e-Verito.
GB/T: The Chinese national standard, used by some EVs sold in India that share a platform or components with Chinese-market models. Not universally compatible with CCS2 stations without an adapter.
CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2): The international standard that's become the backbone of India's DC fast-charging network for cars, supporting charging speeds exceeding 350 kW depending on the vehicle and charger. Virtually every modern electric car sold in India today — from the Tata Nexon EV to the Kia EV6 — uses CCS2 for DC fast charging.
Type 2 (Mennekes): The standard AC connector for cars, used for home and destination charging.
What this means practically
- Two/three-wheelers typically charge via Bharat AC001 or, increasingly, simply plug into a standard household socket (many scooters ship with a portable charger for exactly this).
- Cars almost universally use Type 2 for AC and CCS2 for DC fast charging today — Bharat DC001 and GB/T are largely legacy at this point for passenger cars.
- Before relying on a specific public charging station, check its connector type against your vehicle's — not every fast charger has a CCS2 head, especially at older installations.
Facts above checked via web search 2026-09-24. See EV Charging in India: Connectors, Speeds and Costs Explained for the broader charging-cost picture this article's connector detail feeds into.