Patent ID: 8653788

Claim:
A charging cable for connecting a power source external to an electrically powered vehicle to said electrically powered vehicle, in order to charge a power storage device mounted on said electrically powered vehicle from said power source, the charging cable comprising: a charging connector configured to be connectable to a charging inlet provided in said electrically powered vehicle; a plug configured to be connectable to said power source; and an electric wire unit provided between said charging connector and said plug, said electric wire unit including a power line for supplying electric power from said power source to said electrically powered vehicle, a first control wire for communicating a control signal representing information regarding electric power supplied to said electrically powered vehicle, and a ground wire connected to a vehicular earth, said charging connector including a lock button for locking said charging connector onto said charging inlet, a switching circuit configured to be switchable, according to an operation onto said lock button, between a first state in which said first control wire and said ground wire are connected to each other and a second state in which a second control wire for communicating a connection signal and said ground wire are connected to each other, said connection signal indicating a connection state of said charging cable, and a lighting device configured to be capable of being driven according to a signal in a corresponding control wire upon at least one of said first state and said second state.