More manufacturers are jumping on NACS.

If they don't adopt it, it will lead to reduced sales with most shoppers going to a NACS enabled vehicle. I'm hopping they do, I love the Ioniq 5 and want to buy one in the next few years once my existing vehicle wears out.

 

Much of the world outside of China and Japan already has a single standard and that is CCS Combo 2 (informally called CCS2), and that includes Tesla. For Tesla to open up their infrastructure to others takes merely the flick of a switch. Tesla drivers have always had access to all public CCS2 stations.

All this change to NACS will eventually do is finally provide a unified EV connector in N. America, 5% of the global population, but by way of corporate strength rather than regulation. Given Tesla's stance long ago of not making charging a profit center, I would imagine that their charging prices would now need to increase to match what it actually costs to profitably provide this service.


- not just Europe, Australia and New Zealand have also standardised on CCS2.

 

The only thing happening here is the handle, and for any non-Tesla manufacturer to adopt the Tesla connector is some minor engineering changes to the on-board charger so the AC and DC inputs share the same pins. Software-wise, NACS uses the CCS protocol because Europe passed a law mandating that Tesla use CCS. Since they were being forced to use the CCS protocol anyway, they started using in in vehicles made in N. America too; this is why Teslas made before May 2019 can't use the CCS adapter... older Teslas used their own protocols and aren't compatible.

I point that out, because the arguments in favor of NACS falls roughly into three categories:

1) The Supercharger network is more built out and generally more robust than the CCS network in N. America. This is true, and regardless of which way it goes having all vehicles use the same connector and protocol means any charger can be used with a simple, relatively inexpensive adapter. Even existing CCS vehicles can, on the newer Superchargers that support CCS under the hood, get by with just an adapter (Magic Dock was the proof of concept for that). Older Superchargers do not have the hardware support for CCS so those won't be available to non-Tesla vehicles.

2) The NACS connector is "more elegant" - also true, though much of that benefit is in the cable which is tragically undersized for the power Tesla puts through them even now, so it remains to be seen how this holds up once they make the cables longer and try to push the 350A that CCS is already capable of. (Tesla's cables are, per their own documentation, only rated for 200A continuous...)

3) Tesla superchargers are more reliable and have a better used experience than CCS chargers. This is true, but it is not necessarily the case that this means non-CCS vehicles using Superchargers will get the same level of reliability. Virtually all of the CCS issues are software related, and the majority are issues with how every manufacturer of both vehicles and chargers have wide discretion with how the CSS protocols are implemented. Unless someone is overseeing the development of non-Tesla equipment, there is no guarantee that you'll see any improvement in the user experience. If the software ain't right, it's basically all for nothing.

There are also further hurdles to get over before everyone gets to excited; The lack of standardized charge port location and super short cables (necessarily short - they are undersized after all so need to be as short as possible) will need to be worked out. The lack of payment options at Supercharger sites also needs to be resolved as a matter of law in some areas, if not general convenience. Having third-party manufacturers get involved means quality will be just as varied as it is now, too, so I don't have high hopes that situation will improve any time soon either.

Overall opinion: meh/10 it's still going to be a mess.

 

I think tesla owners would not like that, more waiting in line. but I guess Elon does not mind as long as more people use their charging infrastructure right after another gives him more money in his pocket.

 

The Tesla Supercharger experience reminds me of the Apple iPhone environment, it works very well when you control the hardware, software and interfaces. Introduce any new variables and the experience falters. I see this often in my local community where Tesla owners have been using the free CCS level 3 chargers and are charging at sub 40 kWh while my Kona EV is pulling 72 kWh. Ironically it doesn’t seem to occur to them that they are blocking CCS cars from charging while an 8 station Supercharger sits empty.


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs

 

Here in New Zealand Tesla owners often use CCS Combo 2 chargers when they cost less.
The single CCS2 charger here is fixed at a very low NZ$0.40/kWh while the rates for the four Tesla SuperChargers are only revealed once you check with the app and will be a lot higher. Plus they apply idle fees after 5 min.

 

On the whole I try to be patient with Tesla drivers but it does get a bit trying when they are using the only fast charger available while there are Super chargers free a block away and I have to recharge for a three hundred km journey to the next charger. The excuse is always it's cheaper.

 

Press release just issued, Hyundai adopts NACS standard.

NACS to CCS adapters will be made available to current Hyundai drivers starting in Q1 2025.

https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/3952

 

So the new cars then will need an adapter to charge at the older CCS stations? Here in BC, Tesla Superchargers are only on the main routes. CCS are all over. So here we actually have better coverage than Tesla.

 

I agree. I will wait for certification and also reviews showing the adapter works well. I am in no rush to test the first one. While I would like the ability to charge at Superchargers I don't travel long distances enough to make it critical.

 

Until the NACS to CCS adapter is produced, I still feel more comfortable with the Tesla-j1772 adapter.

 

I watched Tom Moloughney's review and it worked fine for him. Seems to me like an isolated case. Read in other forums that Lectron has reached out to those who expressed their concerns about this design flaw. Kudos to them for being quick on their feet