The dominoes are falling fast when it comes to finding a standard charging protocol here in North America; what was once looking like the Combined Charging System (CCS) would be the de facto standard is now swinging towards Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) design. Four automakers have already signalled the switch, and now Nissan has announced it will adopt NACS for its upcoming EVs.
Nissan is the first Japanese automaker to announce its deal with Tesla; the NACS charging port will be standard in its Ariya and all EVs it builds for Canada and the US from 2025 on. As Japan has adopted the CHAdeMO charging system, the automaker will likely stay with that in its home country for the foreseeable future.
2023 Nissan Ariya
“Adopting the NACS standard underlines Nissan’s commitment to making electric mobility even more accessible as we follow our Ambition 2030 long-term vision of greater electrification,” said Jérémie Papin, chairperson, Nissan Americas. “We are happy to provide access to thousands more fast chargers for Nissan EV drivers, adding confidence and convenience when planning long-distance journeys.”
Read more: Electrify Canada will move to NACS connectors
Ambition 2030 is Nissan’s plan that will target more than 40 per cent of its US vehicle sales to be fully electric by 2030. This will include two new EVs that will be built at the Nissan plant in Canton, Mississippi starting in 2025.
Nissan Surf-Out
Ford was the first automaker to announce its adoption of NACS, followed by General Motors, Rivian and then Volvo. NACS offers a few benefits over CCS, including a smaller charge connector and the ability to handle more power. It also allows other automakers access to Tesla’s unparalleled Supercharger network, which offers more than 12,000 fast-charging ports across North America.
