Volvo Is Latest Automaker to Agree to Adopt Tesla's Charge Port
Volvo has agreed to adopt Tesla’s proprietary charing port, which will provide access to the U.S. company’s extensive Supercharger network of fast-chargers. Called the North American Charging Standard, Volvo’s electric models will have a NACS port starting in 2025; an adapter for earlier models is coming next year. Volvo is the latest—and first foreign automaker—to announce switching to the NACS port, with Ford, GM, and Rivian already making the move.
A seismic shift in how electric vehicles are charged is gaining momentum after more and more automakers are agreeing to adopt Tesla’s proprietary charging port known as the North American Charging Standard—or NACS, for short. Volvo becomes the latest automaker to make the shift, as today it announced an agreement with Tesla to use the U.S. company’s charging structure.
Switching In 2025
Volvo says that starting in 2025 all of its electric vehicles will be equipped with a NACS port. This will allow them to charge at Tesla’s far-reaching Supercharger network in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The charging network is currently said to consist of 12,000-plus fast-chargers and is expected to continue to keep growing.
“One major inhibitor to more people making the shift to electric driving, a key step in making transportation more sustainable, is access to easy and convenient charging infrastructure,” Volvo CEO Jim Rowan said in a press release.
Adapters Coming
What does this mean for the owners of Volvo models built before the NACS adoption? The company says its current lineup of EVs, which includes the XC40 Recharge, the C40 Recharge, the recently revealed EX30, and the new three-row EX90 SUV that are are currently equipped with CCS-type charge ports, will be able to use an adapter to connect to Tesla’s chargers.
Volvo says the CCS-to-NACS adapter will be made available in the first half of next year, but what remains to be seen is how much it will cost, if anything. Also worth noting is that the automaker plans to offer a NACS-to-CCS adapter for future 2025 models for owners who wish to replenish their battery using that style charger.
While Volvo is the first foreign brand to agree to adopt Tesla’s charging port, several U.S. automakers have already signed on. It was Ford who got the ball rolling, followed by GM signing on, and then most recently Rivian agreeing to a deal with Tesla. There’s also chatter that Hyundai and Stellantis could be next in line to implement NACS.
