Introduction
The Type 2 standard is the mainstream charging interface for electric vehicles in Europe. With key features such as secure communication, a unified interface, and future compatibility, it has been adopted as the statutory charging standard by the European Union. Its application is extensive, supporting single-phase or three-phase AC charging up to 22 kW, and it can also accommodate DC fast charging exceeding 350 kW.
The Polestar European-standard three-phase AC charging cable extension analyzed in this issue is designed based on this standard. It features a black connector and cable, with a total length of approximately 4.5 meters. Both ends of the extension cable are equipped with rubber protective covers for the plug and socket, providing dust, moisture, and oxidation protection to enhance durability.
The extension cable uses a Type 2 interface, compliant with the IEC 62196-2:2016 standard, and supports communication functions such as connection detection, current handshake, load recognition, status synchronization, capability broadcasting, and safety interruption. Internally, it has a three-phase connection supporting 16 A charging current, delivering up to 11 kW of charging power. The following section provides a teardown of this extension cable to examine its internal construction.
Product Appearance
The extension cable consists of a charging plug, a charging socket, and the cable itself, all finished in black.
The label is marked with “Polestar” and indicates input and output specifications of 480V MAX and 16A MAX.
The other side of the label indicates an operating temperature range of -40 °C to 60 °C, a maximum operating altitude of 4,000 meters, and lists the manufacturer as AMPHENOL.
The handle is equipped with a rubber protective cover and features an integrated tether.
The side is labeled “Charging Station Side.”
The opposite side has no markings.
The bottom is equipped with mounting screws.
The plug contains seven pins internally.
The rear section is secured with screws.
The bottom of the plug handle is marked with the model and serial number, and indicates voltage and current specifications of 480 V / 20 A AC with a three-phase connection.
The socket handle is equipped with an integrated protective cover, and a label is affixed at the cable root.
The side is labeled "Vehicle Side".
There is no label on the other side.
A fixing screw is provided at the top of the handle.
The outlet contains seven internal sockets.
The handle base of the outlet is marked with the model and serial number, as well as the voltage and current specifications: 480V/20A AC, three-phase connection.
The cable sheath is marked with the cable specifications: 5 × 2.5 mm² + 1 × 0.5 mm².
The total length is about 4.5 meters.
The weight is about 1640 g (57.85 oz).
Teardown
Next, let's take it apart to see its internal components and structure.
Unscrew the fixing screws and remove the rear cover at the end of the handle.
Unscrew the screws and remove the rear cover of the handle.
Unscrew the screws at the base of the handle and remove the outlet.
The connected wires are secured with a cable tie.
The interior of the outlet is equipped with silver-plated sockets.
The sockets are fitted with black sealing rings, and the wires are connected via crimping.
Next, disassemble the plug handle by unscrewing the screws and removing the rear cover.
Remove the pins from the plug.
The pins are also fitted with black sealing rings, and the wires are connected via crimping. A resistor is installed between the PE and PP wires, with a heat-shrink tube providing insulation on the outer sheath. The pink PP wire is used to identify the cable cross-section and the supported charging current.
The PP contact is connected to the PE ground wire through a 680 Ω resistor, indicating a cable cross-section of 2.5 mm² and specifying a maximum current of 20 A for the charging gun extension cable.
The red wire is the CP line, used for communication between the charging station and the electric vehicle to report the available charging current. The blue wire is the neutral line, the yellow-green striped wire is the ground line, the brown wire is the L1 phase line, the black wire is the L2 phase line, and the gray wire is the L3 phase line, supporting single-phase or three-phase AC power transmission.
The conductor of the L1 brown phase wire has an outer diameter of approximately 3.3 mm (0.13 inches).
A close-up view of the L1 phase conductor.
The conductor of the L2 black phase wire has an outer diameter of approximately 3.3 mm (0.13 inches).
A close-up view of the L2 phase conductor.
The conductor of the L3 grey phase wire has an outer diameter of approximately 3.4 mm (0.13 inches).
A close-up view of the L3 phase conductor.
The conductor of the blue neutral wire has an outer diameter of approximately 3.4 mm (0.13 inches).
Close-up of the blue neutral wire core.
The conductor of the yellow-green ground wire has an outer diameter of approximately 3.3 mm (0.13 inches).
Close-up of the yellow-green ground wire.
The outer diameter of the red CP wire is approximately 1.9 mm (0.075 inches).
Close-up of the red CP wire core.
The outer diameter of the pink PP wire is approximately 1.6 mm (0.063 inches).
Close-up of the pink PP wire core.
Well, those are all components of the Polestar 3-Phase AC Charging Cable Extension.
Summary of ChargerLAB
Polestar 3-Phase AC Charging Cable Extension, fully black, with a total length of approximately 4.5 meters. It features a Type 2 connector for three-phase connection, supports a 16A charging current, and has up to 11 kW charging power. Both plug and socket are equipped with rubber protective covers for sealing.
After taking it apart, we found that it features a straight-through design. The cable specification is 5 × 2.5 mm² + 1 × 0.5 mm², supporting either single-phase or three-phase AC charging. The cable is connected via crimping and secured to the housing with a clamping plate, resulting in solid and reliable construction.
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