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A Belt-and-Suspenders Tech Question

Posted by (Abruzzo Mountains) on

All rental cars I've had in the last few years have had USB ports in the dash or center console to plug my phone charger in directly. Just in case I hit a quirky car model, I am considering packing along a cigarette-style plug with USB port. Does anyone know for sure if European cars take the same size cigarette plugs that we have (mine has 5A output, 12-24V input and the usual nipple-style connector.) If not, or if you all agree there will be a direct USB port, I'll just leave the plug home.

This is specifically for cars in England and Ireland. Can't say for sure what model car I will get.

Any thoughts? Thanks

Posted by
451 posts

We used the cigarette lighter adapter in Ireland. They fit.

Posted by
2681 posts

not sure about the cigarette adaptor but I cannot remember having a hire car in the last few years in the UK without at least one USB port but usually a few of them, sometime the are on the dashboard and sometimes beside the cigarette lighter and often under some sort of flap so you might have to hunt a bit but they will be there.

Posted by
5541 posts

All cigarette adaptors are the same the world over.

Posted by
228 posts

I can't say for sure that the cigarette lighter plugs are the same the world over but they have been in all the countries I've visited (and used the plug) and they are definitely the same in Europe.

Posted by
55 posts

I am considering packing along a cigarette-style plug with USB port

I'd pack one anyway, just in case you end up on one of American Airline's unrenovated 747s where that is your only in-flight power option... there's one in my "travel tech" pouch whenever I fly. It's tiny, weighs nothing, and has been super useful many times.

Posted by
6790 posts

The US tobacco companies have been hard at work all around the world. The "cigarette lighter" ports all are the same.
Take this off your list of things to worry about.

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