CHAdeMO is the Japanese direct-current fast-charge plug: a socket separate from Type 2, carried by the Nissan Leaf and a handful of other used EVs. It tops out at 50 kW on most Belgian charge points that offer it, no new car sold here asks for it any more, and the Renault Zoe never had one.
What exactly is CHAdeMO?
The name dates from March 2010, when the Japanese utility Tepco and five national carmakers launched the standard. It comes from a Japanese phrase, "o cha demo ikaga desu ka", which Wikipedia renders as "how about a cup of tea?", a wink at how long a charge takes.
The first version delivers 62.5 kW at most (500 V, 125 A). Version 2.0, published in May 2018, reaches 400 kW on paper, and 3.0, known as ChaoJi, aims higher still. On Belgian ground none of that is installed: you find 50 kW, and 100 kW at Total, according to Febiac (the Belgian automotive federation).
Two sockets, then, on an affected car: Type 2 for home, CHAdeMO for the road. Nothing ever runs through both at once, and CHAdeMO carries direct current only.
Which cars still carry CHAdeMO?
All of them come from Japan or its alliances: the first two generations of the Nissan Leaf, the e-NV200, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV with its twins the Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero, the first Kia Soul EV, the Outlander PHEV and the Lexus UX 300e, according to the list in Automobile Propre. The table gives the reflex to have for each car.
| Your car | Fast charging | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Nissan Leaf 40 kWh | CHAdeMO, 50 kW | Look for a charge point that lists CHAdeMO, otherwise charge on Type 2 |
| Nissan Leaf e+ 62 kWh | CHAdeMO, up to 100 kW | Aim for the rare 100 kW units: 45 minutes from 0 to 80% |
| e-NV200, i-MiEV, iOn, C-Zero | CHAdeMO, 50 kW | Keep to short trips, plan every fast stop |
| Kia Soul EV, first generation | CHAdeMO | Same rule, check the charge point before leaving |
| Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV | CHAdeMO | Fast charging is a convenience, petrol is the fallback |
| Renault Zoe | Type 2 up to 43 kW, CCS 50 kW optional | No CHAdeMO adapter to look for |
| Nissan Leaf sold from 2026 | CCS, 105 or 150 kW | An ordinary CCS charge point will do |
Does the Renault Zoe have CHAdeMO?
No, never. It charges on alternating current up to 43 kW through its Type 2 socket, and the 52 kWh version of 2019 gained a 50 kW CCS option, as Wikipedia notes.
How long and how much does a CHAdeMO charge take?
CHAdeMO is not slow, the charge point is.
On a 62 kWh Leaf e+, Beev measured 45 minutes from 0 to 80% on a 100 kW unit and about an hour on a 50 kW unit.
For a 40 kWh Leaf, going from 10 to 80% takes 28 kWh. At a constant 50 kW that would be 34 minutes, but the car does not hold full power: in the French test of May 2024 relayed by Automobile Propre, a 62 kWh Leaf topped out at 45 kW on 50 kW CHAdeMO. At 45 kW, count 37 minutes at best.
On the bill, the network decides. Here is the price of the same 10 to 80% charge across the tariff range surveyed by Moniteur Automobile in July 2026.
| Car | Energy added | Network at 0.40 €/kWh | Network at 0.89 €/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaf 40 kWh, 10 to 80% | 28.0 kWh | 11.20 € | 24.92 € |
| Leaf e+ 62 kWh, 10 to 80% | 43.4 kWh | 17.36 € | 38.63 € |
| 2026 Leaf 52 kWh on CCS, 20 to 80% | 31.2 kWh | 12.48 € | 27.77 € |
In-house calculation on charge windows chosen for the comparison. The price per kWh depends on the network and the time of day, never on the plug used.
The same 28 kWh charge costs 9.02 € to 10.59 € at home, on the domestic ceilings published by the CREG (the Belgian energy regulator) for the third quarter of 2026. CHAdeMO is therefore a roadside rescue, not a way of life.
Are there still CHAdeMO charge points in Belgium?
Yes, but they are getting rarer and the recent offer is almost entirely CCS. According to GIREVE, CHAdeMO makes up under 30% of European connectors, under 15% of newly installed fast chargers and 4.4% of charging sessions in 2024. Allego, which used to install them in bulk, has fitted only CCS on new sites since 2023.
Febiac still lists Allego, Luminus and Lidl as operators offering 50 kW CHAdeMO next to CCS, plus Total for 100 kW. That page was consulted on 29 September 2026 and shows no update date: treat it as a starting point, not a route plan.
The European AFIR regulation requires at least CCS Combo 2 on direct-current fast charge points. No new charge point therefore has a reason to add CHAdeMO.
Before you leave, filter by plug type in your charging app, plan two charge points rather than one, and keep a Type 2 plan B with a mode 3 cable in the boot.
Does a CHAdeMO to CCS adapter exist?
Yes. It is a box weighing about a kilo, containing an electronic board and a battery, made by Dongguan Longood in China. The association e-France Café tested it in May 2024 and charged a 62 kWh Leaf at 75 kW on a CCS charge point, against 45 kW on CHAdeMO. It goes for around 1,100 to 1,200 € on Alibaba, and the association was aiming for 999 € shipping included in a group purchase (Automobile Propre). It does not work on Tesla Superchargers.
The Belgian sum is less cheerful. At 999 €, the adapter is nearly 11% of a 40 kWh Leaf at 9,200 €, a price taken from Belgian used-car listings on 25 September 2026. I found neither a test carried out in Belgium nor a European certification, and I do not recommend it until a European importer stands behind it. Ask your insurer first.
CHAdeMO keeps one card: V2G
It is the one field where it was ahead. CHAdeMO's V2G protocol dates from 2014, and the Leaf long remained the only car able to push energy back into the grid. The 2026 Leaf, on CCS, can also do V2L and V2G. In Belgium this remains at pilot stage, and our guide to bidirectional charging takes stock.
Five traps on a used Leaf
- Do not stop at the word "Leaf" in the listing: since 2026 the new car carries CCS, the old one CHAdeMO, and only the year of first registration tells them apart.
- Do not confuse 50 kW advertised with 50 kW received: a 62 kWh Leaf topped out at 45 kW on 50 kW CHAdeMO in the May 2024 test.
- Never build a trip around a single CHAdeMO charge point: two charge points, and a Type 2 plan B.
- Do not neglect the battery: on the 40 kWh Leaf found at 9,200 € in Belgian listings on 25 September 2026, the battery warranty had already expired, as our used-car ranking details.
- Do not buy an adapter before counting your fast stops: if you mostly drive in town, Type 2 at home is enough.
Frequently asked questions
Are CHAdeMO and CCS the same plug?
No, they are two competing direct-current fast-charging standards. CCS Combo 2 adds two pins under the Type 2 and fits in a single socket, whereas CHAdeMO is an entirely separate socket. The European AFIR regulation requires at least CCS Combo 2 on fast charge points, which is why new cars now carry only that one.
Can my Nissan Leaf charge at a CCS charge point?
Not without an adapter, because the socket is different. A CHAdeMO to CCS box exists and was tested in France in May 2024, but I found no Belgian test and no European certification. On Type 2, at home or on the street, the Leaf plugs in normally.
Will CHAdeMO disappear from Belgian charge points?
The trend is clear: fewer than 15% of new European fast chargers offer it, according to GIREVE, and Allego has installed none on new sites since 2023. I found no official closure date in Belgium. Existing units stay, they are simply no longer replaced like for like.
Can a CCS car plug into a CHAdeMO charge point?
No, a CCS car does not have the matching socket. I found no adapter for that direction sold in Europe. A CCS car loses nothing by this, since CCS charge points are far more numerous.
How much power does a Leaf accept on CHAdeMO?
The 62 kWh Leaf e+ reaches 100 kW at best, according to the Beev road test, and takes about an hour to go from 0 to 80% on a 50 kW charge point. In a French test in May 2024, the same car topped out at 45 kW on 50 kW CHAdeMO. A 40 kWh Leaf follows the same logic, with a 50 kW ceiling.
Does the new Nissan Leaf still have CHAdeMO?
No. The 2026 Leaf charges on CCS, at 105 kW for the 52 kWh battery and 150 kW for the 75 kWh one, with 30 minutes quoted for 20 to 80%. It also handles V2L and V2G, according to L'argus.
Is charging a Leaf at home cheaper than fast charging?
Yes, clearly. The 28 kWh of a 10 to 80% charge on a 40 kWh Leaf cost 9.02 € to 10.59 € on the domestic ceilings published by the CREG for the third quarter of 2026, against 11.20 to 24.92 € on a fast network. That job is done by the Type 2 socket, never by CHAdeMO.
Le verdict de Christophe F.
CHAdeMO should not make you give up on a used Leaf, it should change how you plan with it. Charge at home on Type 2, treat the fast charge point as a rescue, check the plug and the year in the listing, and leave the 999 € adapter alone until somebody stands behind it in Europe. The model sheets give the fast-charging power of every new version sold here, and the comparison tool lets you line them up side by side.
