Honda and its Acura premium brand are the latest to announce plans to adopt Tesla’s proprietary charging connector, known as NACS (North American Charging Standard), for their future electric vehicles sold in the U.S.
The information was revealed by American Honda Motor Co. President and CEO Noriya Kaihara in an interview with Autoblog published last week.
“It is quite important—we also have to push NACS, as well,” he said.
Specifics on Honda and Acura’s plans to adopt the NACS connector weren’t mentioned. However, neither brand likely has much sway in the decision, at least at present.
The Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX electric crossovers arriving for the 2024 model year are based on General Motors’ Ultium EV platform and battery technology set. GM will also build both models.
2024 Honda Prologue
GM in June said it will adopt the NACS connector for its EVs starting in 2025, and this will likely extend to Honda and Acura EVs built by GM. According to Autoblog, the ZDX will feature the NACS connector by 2025 or 2026. An adapter would then be required for anyone wanting to use the current CCS1 (Combined Charging System) connector that most non-Tesla EVs are currently designed for.
The move will make access to Tesla’s vast charging network seamless and convenient for Honda and Acura 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-Benz, 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.
Honda and Acura also plan to eventually introduce their own EV platforms, including potentially for a future NSX supercar. It isn’t clear whether vehicles based on these platforms will feature the NACS connector as standard in the U.S.