Mercedes-Benz, Volvo use Tesla’s NACS charging connector to gain access to Supercharger network
Mercedes-Benz and Volvo have both agreed to adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) for their electric vehicles (EVs), which will give owners access to Tesla’s Supercharger network.
Starting in 2025, electric vehicles from both automakers will be equipped with NACS charging ports in North American markets, namely the United States, Canada and Mexico. Before that, an adapter will be provided to allow the company’s existing electric vehicles with Combined Charging System (CCS) ports to charge seamlessly with chargers with NACS connectors.
Exterior Volvo EX30
In June of this year, the automotive standards organization SAE International announced that they will standardize the NACS connector (SAE J3400) to ensure that any supplier or manufacturer can use, manufacture or deploy the connector on electric vehicles and at charging stations across North America. Volvo and Mercedes-Benz join Ford, General Motors, Rivian and several electric vehicle charging companies in adapting the NACS connector.
The NACS connector is not new as it was previously known as the Tesla charging connector and has been used on the brand’s electric vehicles since 2012. The renaming of the connector following SAE’s announcement coincides with Tesla’s announcement allows other electric vehicle manufacturers to use this standard, citing the more compact design of the connector.
In a statement posted by Tesla, the company said NACS is the most popular charging standard in North America, with more NACS-equipped vehicles than CCS-equipped vehicles by a two-to-one ratio. The report adds that the Supercharger network has 60% more NACS posts than all CCS equipped networks combined in the region.
Adopting a single standard makes it easier to deploy and set up more charging points, which is what car manufacturers are trying to offer their customers. This adds to the extensive coverage already provided by Tesla’s Supercharger network in the region.
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