# Car charger (cigarette lighter) in European cars - same as U.S.? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 18, 2009, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-charger-cigarette-lighter-in-european-cars-same-as-u-s/496843 "2009-05-18T11:28:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-charger-cigarette-lighter-in-european-cars-same-as-u-s/496843/1 "2009-05-18T11:28:42Z")
I’m off to Italy tomorrow for a vacation and am taking my Garmin GPS, which I normally keep charged via my cigarette lighter. Do European cars use the same standard, or do I need another method for keeping it charged? ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-charger-cigarette-lighter-in-european-cars-same-as-u-s/496843/2 "2009-05-18T11:30:38Z")
Same 12 volt systems, same sized lighter socket, you’ll have no problems. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-charger-cigarette-lighter-in-european-cars-same-as-u-s/496843/3 "2009-05-18T13:55:52Z")
Exactly the same socket, yes. ---
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-charger-cigarette-lighter-in-european-cars-same-as-u-s/496843/4 "2009-05-19T02:38:00Z")
thank you both! ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-charger-cigarette-lighter-in-european-cars-same-as-u-s/496843/5 "2009-05-20T03:54:28Z")
I think it was in **Salmon of Doubt** , a collection of essays from Douglas Adams, he presents the idea that the car charger should be the default energy plug for any device. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-charger-cigarette-lighter-in-european-cars-same-as-u-s/496843/6 "2009-05-20T12:19:20Z")
If by some miracle you’re renting a BMW Z4, the charger won’t work. The lighter socket is too shallow to accept the standard adapter. Other models don’t seem to share this problem. Too bad, because cruising around the Continent in a Z4 would be an immense amount of fun! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-charger-cigarette-lighter-in-european-cars-same-as-u-s/496843/7 "2009-05-21T06:56:22Z")
> [@BrassyPhrase](#): > > I think it was in **Salmon of Doubt** , a collection of essays from Douglas Adams, he presents the idea that the car charger should be the default energy plug for any device. Very bad idea. That is a very obsolete design. Way too big & bulky, inefficient and not very safe. We can certainly come up with a better design than that! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-charger-cigarette-lighter-in-european-cars-same-as-u-s/496843/8 "2009-05-21T08:31:10Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Very bad idea. > That is a very obsolete design. Way too big & bulky, inefficient and not very safe. > > We can certainly come up with a better design than that! /hijacking continues Yes, but it is the only power plug you can use all over the world (go figure). ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-charger-cigarette-lighter-in-european-cars-same-as-u-s/496843/9 "2009-05-21T16:37:27Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Very bad idea. > That is a very obsolete design. Way too big & bulky, inefficient and not very safe. > > We can certainly come up with a better design than that! Don’t forget what they were originally intended for. To light cigarettes and cigars, hence the size they are.