More and more companies are signing up to use Tesla’s propriety charging connector, known as the North American Charging Standard (NACS). The latest are Polestar and Electrify America.
Polestar’s announcement, made on Thursday, isn’t a surprise as sister brand Volvo announced similar plans one day prior. Like Volvo, Polestar plans to install the NACS connector in its vehicles destined for sale in North America starting from 2025 and offer customers an adapter for the Combined Charging System (CCS) connector.
It means owners will be able to use Tesla’s vast network of charge points, including the Supercharger DC fast chargers. Tesla’s Superchargers account for about 60% of 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.
Polestar has also reached an agreement with Tesla that will allow current owners of Polestar vehicles with the CCS connector to use Tesla’s charging network with an adapter that Polestar plans to offer around mid-2024.
Tesla Supercharger connector – now called NACS
Operators of rival charging networks are also making plans to install the NACS connector at their stations. Both ChargePoint and Electrify America announced plans to adopt the NACS connector this week. The companies plan to have the connector available at most of their stations by 2025, when it will become the standard connector for many vehicles sold in North America.
Ford, General Motors, and Rivian have all made similar deals with Tesla to use its charging network, and Ford and GM have also announced plans to adopt the NACS connector for their vehicles in North America.
Volkswagen Group with its portfolio of brands is also evaluating the installation of the NACS connector in its vehicles destined for sale in North America, the automaker told CNBC this week. Hyundai and Stellantis have also previously indicated that they may adopt the connector for North America.
