7.4kW vs 22kW EV Charging Cables: Which Do You Need?

The honest answer is that most drivers need 7.4kW. A charging cable only carries as much power as your car's onboard AC charger will accept, so a 22kW cable on a single-phase car or a single-phase home still charges at 7.4kW. Check what your car actually takes, or enter your reg, then compare 7.4kW and 22kW cables.

At a glance: 7.4kW vs 22kW

What does 7.4kW actually mean?

7.4kW is 32A of single-phase power at around 230V, which is what a standard UK home supply and a typical home wallbox deliver. It adds roughly 25 to 30 miles of range per hour, enough to fully refill most cars overnight. For the large majority of drivers, with a single-phase home and a car that charges at 7.4kW or 11kW, this is all the cable you will ever use.

What does 22kW need to work?

22kW is 32A of three-phase power at around 400V, and it only delivers its full speed when two things are both true: your car has a three-phase onboard AC charger, and you plug into a 22kW AC supply. That supply means either a rare three-phase home installation or a 22kW public AC point. Miss either condition and the charge simply falls back to 7.4kW.

Will a 22kW cable charge my car faster?

Only if your car and your supply are both three phase. On a normal single-phase home, or with a car that caps AC charging at 7.4kW, a 22kW cable makes no difference at all: you get exactly the same speed as a 7.4kW cable. This is the myth worth clearing up, because a thicker cable sounds faster but cannot outrun your car's onboard charger.

Which cars can use 22kW AC?

Only a minority. Some Renault Zoe models historically charged at 22kW AC, and cars like certain Teslas, some MG, Smart, BMW and Audi models support three-phase 11kW or 22kW. Many popular EVs cap AC charging at 7.4kW or 11kW, so check your car's specification before assuming it can use 22kW. When in doubt, our checker reads the maximum AC rate for you.

So which should you buy?

Buy 7.4kW unless you have a specific reason not to. It covers almost every car and home in the UK. Choose 22kW only as genuine future-proofing, if you might move to a three-phase car and expect to use 22kW AC points, and accept that it is thicker, heavier and a little dearer. We cover that decision in detail in do I need a 22kW cable.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 22kW cable worth it?

Only if your car has a three-phase onboard AC charger and you regularly use 22kW AC charge points. For a single-phase home and a single-phase car, a 22kW cable charges at exactly the same 7.4kW as a cheaper cable, so it is not worth the extra.

Will 22kW damage my car?

No. Your car only ever draws the power its onboard charger is rated for, so plugging a single-phase car into a 22kW source simply results in 7.4kW charging. The cable and charge point cannot force more power into the car than it accepts.

Can my home deliver 22kW?

Only with a three-phase supply, which is uncommon in UK homes. Standard domestic supplies are single phase and cap home charging at 7.4kW. Getting three phase installed is expensive and rarely worth it just for car charging.

How much faster is 22kW?

On a car that supports three-phase AC, up to around three times faster than 7.4kW at a 22kW AC point. On any single-phase setup the difference is zero, because both cables deliver the same 7.4kW.

What is 11kW then?

11kW is 16A three-phase charging, a middle step some cars cap at. A 32A cable rated for 22kW also handles 11kW without any issue, so you do not need a separate cable to charge an 11kW car.

Does a 22kW cable help at rapid chargers?

No. Rapid DC chargers have their own tethered cable and bypass your lead entirely, so the rating of your own cable makes no difference to rapid charging speeds. Your cable only matters at AC wallboxes and untethered AC points.

For most drivers a 7.4kW Type 2 cable is the right buy. If you are still weighing it up, read do I need a 22kW cable or start with which EV charging cable do I need.