A vehicle charging device, comprising a charging station outside a vehicle, a charging cable and an electric charging unit of the vehicle, to charge an electric energy store of the vehicle with electric energy from an external alternating current network, wherein - the charging station can be fed with electric power on the input side from the external alternating current network, - the charging cable is electrically connected to the charging station or can be electrically connected to the charging station, and - the charging cable can be electrically connected to the electric charging unit by a plug and socket connection, - the charging station has six electric taps (5 to 10), - the charging cable has six electric lines (14 to 19), - the six electric taps of the charging station are connected in the same configuration to the six electric lines of the charging cable and the six electric lines of the charging cable are connected in the same configuration to at least four electric contacts (23 to 26) of the electric charging unit in order to charge the electric energy store, - the charging station comprises a first charging control unit, which is electrically connected to the first electric tap, - the electric charging unit comprises a second charging control unit, which is connected to the first electric contact, - the charging station comprises a protective conductor, which is connected to the second electric tap, - the electric charging unit comprises a protective conductor, which is connected to the second electric contact, - during charging, the second electric line is used as a protective line, characterised in that on charging the first charging control unit and the second charging control unit exchange data via the first electric line, - the charging station has a first alternating current to direct current converter, - the charging station has a two-stage switch with a first switching stage and a second switching stage, - the two-stage switch can be controlled by the first charging control unit, - in the first switching stage, the first alternating current to direct current converter is fed on the input side from the external alternating current network, - in the second switching stage, the third electric tap is connected to the neutral phase of the external alternating current network, and - in the second switching stage, the fourth electric tap is connected to a conduction phase of the external alternating current network. - the charging station can be fed with electric power on the input side from the external alternating current network, - the charging cable is electrically connected to the charging station or can be electrically connected to the charging station, and - the charging cable can be electrically connected to the electric charging unit by a plug and socket connection, - the charging station has six electric taps (5 to 10), - the charging cable has six electric lines (14 to 19), - the six electric taps of the charging station are connected in the same configuration to the six electric lines of the charging cable and the six electric lines of the charging cable are connected in the same configuration to at least four electric contacts (23 to 26) of the electric charging unit in order to charge the electric energy store, - the charging station comprises a first charging control unit, which is electrically connected to the first electric tap, - the electric charging unit comprises a second charging control unit, which is connected to the first electric contact, - the charging station comprises a protective conductor, which is connected to the second electric tap, - the electric charging unit comprises a protective conductor, which is connected to the second electric contact, - during charging, the second electric line is used as a protective line, characterised in that on charging the first charging control unit and the second charging control unit exchange data via the first electric line, - the charging station has a first alternating current to direct current converter, - the charging station has a two-stage switch with a first switching stage and a second switching stage, - the two-stage switch can be controlled by the first charging control unit, - in the first switching stage, the first alternating current to direct current converter is fed on the input side from the external alternating current network, - in the second switching stage, the third electric tap is connected to the neutral phase of the external alternating current network, and - in the second switching stage, the fourth electric tap is connected to a conduction phase of the external alternating current network.