Another point for Tesla!
Nissan US has become the first Japanese automaker that lets you charge with Tesla's proprietary North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug type.
Nissan's adoption of the Tesla EV plug standard now allows customers looking for charging stations to have an easier time, as it will enable them to gain access to the American EV-maker's wide network of supercharging stations.
The agreement between Tesla and Nissan sees that from 2024, NACS charging adapters will be fitted to the Ariya EV, while the ports will be installed in Nissan EVs for the United States and Canadian markets beginning in 2025. It will allow Nissan customers to access Tesla’s vast network of supercharging stations and other charging facilities, increasing the convenience of charging options.
Nissan is targeting more than 40% of its US vehicle sales to be fully electric by 2030 as part of its Ambition 2030 plans, including two more all-new BEVs that will be introduced in late 2025.
More automakers are shifting to the NACS plug type, with Volvo and Mercedes-Benz leading the charge along with other American brands such as Ford, General Motors, and Rivian.
In June, SAE International, the automotive standards organization, announced the standardization of the NACS connector (SAE J3400). Standardization will enable suppliers or manufacturers to utilize, produce, or implement the connector on North American electric vehicles and charging stations.
The result is that every EV maker can use the same plug type and benefit from Tesla's charging infrastructure being created in the US.
However, it is essential to note that the changes are only for the American market, as EVs from Europe and the Asia Pacific region (except China) use a different standard of plugs. These regions use the CCS2 port, the same socket format all European EVs use.
The EV market is still divided, as no universal plug option has been settled. Still, the American market is moving in the right direction to allow more users to utilize the growing EV infrastructure.
Here's hoping one day, we have a common charging port solution like what USB-C is for mobile phones and devices.