Industry-wide shift to NACS slows down, Mercedes added to ‘coming soon’ list

The electric vehicle charging landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with Tesla leading the field by finally opening its Supercharger network to Mercedes-Benz. It is the latest move in a series of developments that signal a broader industry shift towards the North American Charging Standard (NACS).

The NACS connector, recently certified as J3400 by the SAE, and already a staple in Tesla vehicles, is set to become the industry standard, simplifying EV charging and offering significant technical advantages over the older CCS standard. Most manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, are transitioning their vehicles to the NACS standard, with many offering adapters for compatibility with existing CCS chargers.

Tesla's Supercharger network, known for its reliability and extensive coverage, is widely considered the gold standard in North America. By opening up this network to other manufacturers, Tesla is not only streamlining the charging experience for EV owners but also solidifying the dominance of the NACS standard.

Ford and Rivian have already begun shipping NACS adapters to their customers, granting them access to the Supercharger network. Other manufacturers, including General Motors, Volvo, and Polestar, are listed as "coming soon" on Tesla's NACS webpage, suggesting that their vehicles will soon be compatible with Superchargers.

However, the timeline for broader NACS adoption has faced delays due to a recent reorganization of Tesla's charging team. The abrupt firing of the entire team, formerly led by Rebecca Tinucci, who played a crucial role in negotiating the industry's shift to NACS, temporarily disrupted discussions with other manufacturers.

Despite these setbacks, Tesla has started rehiring some Supercharger workers, and progress on NACS adoption is resuming. While the exact timeline for Mercedes-Benz's integration into the Supercharger network remains unclear, the addition of the luxury brand to Tesla's NACS web page indicates that it will happen soon.

Via