Learn Hardcore German: Mein Ladekabel ist zu kurz; Deutschlands Züge haben immerhin Steckdosen am Platz. - My charging cable is too short; Germany’s trains at least have power outlets at the seat.

It’s the adverb meaning too (as in “excessively”), not the preposition “to.” So zu kurz = “too short.” Note that zu can also be a preposition with the dative (e.g., zu dir = “to you”), but in this sentence it’s an intensifier of the adjective kurz.

Why is it written as one word: Ladekabel and not Lade Kabel?

German loves compound nouns. Ladekabel combines Lade- (charging) + Kabel (cable) into a single noun. Spelling it as one word is standard. Related words:

Ladegerät = charger (the brick)
Ladestation = charging station

Why is it Mein Ladekabel and not Meine Ladekabel?

Because Kabel is neuter (das Kabel), and it’s singular here. The possessive for masculine or neuter singular is mein. You’d use:

mein Kabel (neuter singular)
meine Tasche (feminine singular)
meine Kabel (plural)

Is the semicolon (;) normal in German? Could I use something else?

A semicolon is fine to join two closely related main clauses. Alternatives:

A period: Mein Ladekabel ist zu kurz. Deutschlands Züge …
A dash: Mein Ladekabel ist zu kurz – Deutschlands Züge …
A coordinator: …, aber Deutschlands Züge … A plain comma between two main clauses (comma splice) is not correct in German.

Why is there no apostrophe in Deutschlands Züge?

In German, proper names form the genitive by adding -s without an apostrophe: Deutschlands Züge. An apostrophe (like English “Germany’s”) would be wrong here. You could also say:

die Züge Deutschlands (more formal)
die Züge in Deutschland (very common, neutral)

Is there a nuance difference between Deutschlands Züge, die deutschen Züge, and die Züge in Deutschland?

Yes:

Deutschlands Züge: genitive; somewhat formal/literary, “Germany’s trains.”
die deutschen Züge: adjectival; can imply “German (as in belonging to/operated by Germany) trains,” but sometimes sounds like a quality of being German.
die Züge in Deutschland: location-based, very natural in everyday speech, avoids ambiguity.

What does immerhin add here, and where can it go?

immerhin is a stance adverb meaning roughly “at least / after all / on the bright side.” It softens the complaint by pointing out a redeeming factor. Positioning is flexible in the middle field:

Deutschlands Züge haben immerhin Steckdosen am Platz.
Immerhin haben Deutschlands Züge Steckdosen am Platz. Near the verb or early in the clause is most natural. Close synonyms:
wenigstens = at least (minimal concession, often quantitative)
zumindest = at least (restrictive, “at any rate”) immerhin often feels a bit more upbeat or appreciative.

Does am Platz mean “at the square”? What does it mean here?

Here am Platz means “at the seat.” In train contexts, Platz commonly means “seat” (like “seat number” = Platznummer). So Steckdosen am Platz = outlets at (your) seat. The “town square” meaning of Platz is irrelevant in this context.

Why is it singular am Platz when we’re talking about multiple seats?

It’s the generic singular in a set phrase: am (Sitz)platz refers to the typical location “at the seat” in general. If you want to be explicit, you can say:

an jedem Platz (at every seat)
an den Sitzplätzen (at the seats) But am Platz is idiomatic and concise.

Why is there no article before Steckdosen?

Indefinite plural nouns often appear without an article in German. … haben Steckdosen … means “have outlets,” implying “some/outlets in general.” If you used an article, it would change the meaning:

haben die Steckdosen would sound like “have the outlets” (specific, previously mentioned ones).

Does Steckdosen mean plugs or sockets?

Steckdose is a wall socket/power outlet (female). The plug (male) is the Stecker. Cable = Kabel. So:

Steckdose (socket/outlet)
Stecker (plug)
Kabel (cable)

Why is the verb in second position: Deutschlands Züge haben …?

German main clauses are verb-second (V2). The first position is filled by one element (Deutschlands Züge), and then the finite verb (haben) must come next:

[1st element] Deutschlands Züge | [2nd] haben | …

Why does Züge have an umlaut? Isn’t the singular Zug?

Yes, singular is der Zug, but its plural is die Züge with an umlaut. Many German nouns add an umlaut in the plural (e.g., Buch → Bücher, Mann → Männer), though not all do.

Could I rephrase the second clause with es gibt?

Yes: Es gibt immerhin Steckdosen am Platz (in Deutschlands Zügen). That focuses on existence rather than possession. Both are natural; the original emphasizes the trains “having” the feature.

Why am Platz and not im or auf dem Platz?

am = an dem (“at/by the”), the idiomatic choice for something located at your seat position.
im = in dem (“in the”), would imply inside the seat, which is odd.
auf dem (“on the”) would mean on top of the seat surface.
For sockets mounted near the seat area, am Platz (or am Sitzplatz) is the standard phrasing.