Vauxhall Corsa-e EV Charging Cable
Quick recommendation
When the Vauxhall Corsa-e was new, the options list included an 11 kW three phase onboard charger for about eight hundred and fifty pounds. It is worth knowing what that box actually bought, because plenty of used Corsa-e buyers are now told they need a matching 22 kW cable. At a British house a Vauxhall Corsa-e charges at 7.4 kW whether the option was ticked or not, since the optional charger needs three phases to show its value and a home has one. The Vauxhall Corsa-e charging cable answer is therefore the same on every car in the country.
The connector is a Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable on all of them, from the original Corsa-e through to the current Corsa Electric. Vauxhall put the socket on the rear nearside wing, behind the passenger door, and never moved it.
The lead to order is the 32A single phase one. It carries the whole 7.4 kW a house is able to send, and no Corsa can go past that on a driveway. The 22 kW cable is only useful on an 11 kW car parked at a workplace with three real phases, where the 51 kWh battery falls to roughly 5 hours. Anywhere else it is extra weight and extra money for the same finish time.
Skip the 16A cable on this car. It halves the rate to 3.7 kW and stretches a full charge past 14 hours from 7 hours. You would need two full nights on 16A to do what one night on 32A does.
Then there is the domestic socket lead, which does a job nothing else does. Our Type 2 to 3-Pin Charging Cable draws 2.3 kW off an ordinary household socket and gives a Corsa-e about 11 miles an hour, so a night at a relative's house is worth ninety miles or so. For a small car used mainly for local trips, that is often a full week of driving recovered without a wallbox in sight. Read our guide to charging from a normal socket.
The Mokka-e shares this car's platform and its charging answer, and has its own page at Vauxhall Mokka-e charging cable, while the estate is covered at Vauxhall Astra Electric charging cable. Find the rest in Vauxhall EV charging cables, and see our IP ratings guide for what the sealing figures cover.
All of these leads are made to IEC 62196 Type 2, hold CE certification and work from -30C to +50C, or +60C for the 3-pin. IP55 covers the Type 2 to Type 2 cables and IP67 covers the Type 2 to 3-Pin. Add a 2 year manufacturer's warranty and same-day dispatch on working-day orders placed before 2pm.
Vauxhall Corsa-e Charging Times by Battery
Corsa Electric 51 kWh, 48.1 kWh usable, up to 246 miles WLTP
Maximum onboard AC charging speed: 7.4 kW single phase, with an 11 kW three phase charger offered as an option
| Cable Type | Max Charge Rate | Empty to Full | Range Added Per Hour | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 16A (5m / 10m) | 3.7 kW | 14 hours 45 mins | approx. 19 miles | Too slow for this battery |
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 7.4 kW | 7 hours 15 mins | approx. 38 miles | Best Fit at home |
| Type 2 - 3-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 7.4 kW at home, 11 kW on a three phase supply | 7 hours 15 mins at home | approx. 38 miles | Only with the 11 kW charger and three phases |
| Type 2 to 3-Pin (5m / 10m) | 2.3 kW | 23 hours 45 mins | approx. 12 miles | Ideal backup |
Corsa-e 50 kWh, 46.3 kWh usable, up to 222 miles WLTP
Maximum onboard AC charging speed: 7.4 kW single phase, with an 11 kW three phase charger offered as an option
| Cable Type | Max Charge Rate | Empty to Full | Range Added Per Hour | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 16A (5m / 10m) | 3.7 kW | 14 hours 15 mins | approx. 18 miles | Too slow for this battery |
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 7.4 kW | 7 hours | approx. 35 miles | Best Fit at home |
| Type 2 - 3-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 7.4 kW at home, 11 kW on a three phase supply | 7 hours at home | approx. 35 miles | Only with the 11 kW charger and three phases |
| Type 2 to 3-Pin (5m / 10m) | 2.3 kW | 22 hours 45 mins | approx. 11 miles | Ideal backup |
These numbers soften in winter and on sustained high speed runs.
Vauxhall Corsa-e Charging Cable FAQs
What charging cable should a Vauxhall Corsa-e owner buy?
Choose the 32A single phase Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable. A Vauxhall Corsa-e will take 7.4 kW at home, and that lead carries all of it, including on cars fitted with the optional faster onboard charger.
Was the 11kW charger worth the option price on a Corsa-e?
Only for owners with three phase access. The 11 kW charger was roughly an eight hundred and fifty pound option on the Vauxhall Corsa-e, and at a house it delivers exactly the same 7.4 kW as the standard unit. It pays back at an industrial unit or workplace fed by three real phases, where a full charge drops to about 5 hours.
Is there a difference between the Corsa-e and the Corsa Electric?
For charging purposes, almost none. Vauxhall renamed the Corsa-e to Corsa Electric and later moved from a 50 kWh battery to a 51 kWh one with more range, but both take 7.4 kW single phase at home and both use the same Type 2 to Type 2 cable.
How long does a Vauxhall Corsa-e take to charge overnight?
About 7 hours from empty for the 50 kWh Vauxhall Corsa-e on a 32A cable, and 7 hours 15 minutes for the 51 kWh Corsa Electric. Both fit inside a normal overnight window, which is exactly what the 16A cable at over 14 hours does not.
What cable length fits a Vauxhall Corsa-e?
With the socket on the rear nearside wing of a 4.06 metre car, a 5m lead is enough on a single drive where the wallbox is behind the car on the passenger side. Anything else, a shared drive, a kerbside charge or a unit mounted by the front door, and the 10m is the one that will not annoy you.
Does a Vauxhall Corsa-e need a special cable for public charging?
No. A Vauxhall Corsa-e uses the same Type 2 to Type 2 lead on a public untethered AC post as it does at home, and most UK on-street and car park units are untethered. Rapid CCS chargers come with their own attached cable.