Honda has provided an update on plans to adopt Tesla's proprietary charging connector, known as NACS (North American Charging Standard), for future electric vehicles sold in North America.
Following comments made in August by American Honda Motor Co. President and CEO Noriya Kaihara that both Honda and Acura will adopt the NACS connector, Honda on Thursday said it will start adding the connector to its EVs in 2025.
It will initially be used on a Honda EV planned for introduction in 2025, and then on all future EVs from Honda past that point. Acura hasn't said when it plans to add the connector.
Honda EVs launched before 2025, like the upcoming Prologue being developed with General Motors, will stick to the current CCS1 (Combined Charging System) connector found on most non-Tesla EVs. An adaptor will be provided to enable those vehicles with the CCS1 connector to use Tesla chargers.
Tesla Supercharger connector - now called NACS
Adding the NACS connector will make access to Tesla's vast charging network seamless and convenient for Honda EV owners. It will also significantly increase the number of DC fast-chargers available to them. Tesla's DC fast-chargers account for about 60% of fast-chargers in the U.S., according to the Department of Energy, and they are currently being opened up to rival brands in a deal made between Tesla and the White House earlier this year.
Fisker, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Rivian, and Volvo have also made deals with Tesla to use its chargers, and many of those companies have also announced plans to adopt the NACS connector for their vehicles in the U.S. Hyundai, Stellantis, and Volkswagen have indicated that they may also follow suit.
Honda and Acura together with GM, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes, and Stellantis in July also announced plans to partner on their own network of DC fast-chargers across North America. The first station is planned to be opened in the U.S. in mid-2024. Mercedes is also working on its own network of Mercedes-branded charging stations, with the first locations to open this fall.
While Honda teamed up with GM for the Prologue, the automaker in April said it will move to its own EV platform starting with a mid- to large-size model debuting in the U.S. in 2025. Honda, together with Acura, is committed to launching at least 30 EVs globally by 2030, including potentially a new NSX supercar.
