The cigarette lighter receptacle (also called a cigar lighter receptacle) in an automobile was initially designed to power an electrically heated cigarette lighter, but became a de facto standard DC connector to supply electrical power for portable accessories used in or near an automobile.n the 1890s, these tools were sold as electrical cigar lighters (Cigarrenanzuender), and later as Zigarrenanzuender in the major German warehouse catalogues. Probably in the 1920s they were renamed cigarette lighters, as cigarettes overtook cigars in sales.