Jaguar is the latest automaker to announce plans to adopt Tesla’s proprietary charging connector, known as NACS (North American Charging Standard), for future electric vehicles sold in North America.
The automaker on Thursday said it has signed an agreement with Tesla to provide its customers in North America with access to Tesla’s local charging network, which includes more than 12,000 Supercharger DC fast chargers.
Jaguar’s sole EV at present is the I-Pace. It features the CCS1 connector and will require an adapter to connect with Tesla’s chargers, which Jaguar plans to make available to I-Pace owners. But for its next-generation EVs arriving starting in 2025, Jaguar will build the NACS connector into the vehicles.
By the time 2025 rolls around, Jaguar will be a fully electric brand selling mostly high-end vehicles. The automaker’s future lineup is rumored to include a coupe-like sedan, a full-size sedan, and a midsize SUV.
Jaguar is part of JLR (formerly Jaguar Land Rover), which will likely introduce the NACS connector to the rest of its EVs eventually, possibly including the upcoming electric Range Rover. Thus far, no announcement for vehicles from JLR’s additional brands has been made.
Adding the NACS connector will make access to Tesla’s charging network seamless and convenient for owners of EVs from rival brands. It will also significantly increase the number of DC fast chargers available to them. Tesla’s Superchargers account for about 60% of DC fast chargers in the U.S., according to the Department of Energy, and they are currently being opened up to rival brands in a deal made between Tesla and the White House earlier this year.
Fisker, Ford, Honda (and Acura), Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Rivian, and Volvo have also made deals with Tesla to use its chargers, and many of those companies have also announced plans to adopt the NACS connector for their vehicles in North America. Hyundai, Stellantis, and Volkswagen have indicated that they may follow suit.
