The Big Announcement

On the morning of October 5, 2023, Hyundai dropped a bombshell: they’re hopping on the Tesla NACS bandwagon for their cars, starting in the tail end of 2024.

Hyundai has officially announced its strategic alliance with Tesla, marking a significant milestone in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. This collaboration will see Hyundai’s new and revamped electric vehicles in the U.S. equipped with Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) ports, starting in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Why This Matters

In layman’s terms, this strategic maneuver will essentially make the DC fast-charging playground twice as big for Hyundai’s electric clientele.

  • Accessibility: The move will grant Hyundai EVs access to Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network, which boasts over 12,000 stations across North America.
  • Convenience: This will effectively double the size of the DC fast charging network available to Hyundai EV owners.
  • Sustainability: The partnership aligns with both companies’ commitment to accelerating the transition to sustainable energy.

What’s in Store for Hyundai EV Owners

What about Hyundai EV owners with the existing CCS ports, you ask? Well, they’ll be welcomed into the Tesla Supercharging family starting in the first quarter of 2025, courtesy of a nifty adapter from Hyundai.

  1. Ultra-Fast Charging: Hyundai’s E-GMP vehicles like the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and the upcoming Ioniq 7 will fully support Tesla’s ultra-fast charging speeds.
  2. Adapter Availability: Hyundai will offer adapters for existing and future EVs with CCS ports to access Tesla’s Supercharging Network starting in Q1 2025.
  3. Global Expansion: While the initiative kicks off in the U.S., Canada is set to follow suit in the first half of 2025.

The Broader Picture

Increasingly, car manufacturers, tired of third-party charging services dropping the ball and hindering EV adoption, are opting to buddy up with Tesla as the go-to solution.

Hyundai is not alone in this endeavor. The automaker is also partnering with six other global carmakers to develop a new, high-powered charging network in North America. The first stations are expected to open in the U.S. in the summer of 2024.

Hyundai’s move to adopt Tesla’s NACS connector is a game-changer in the EV landscape, offering a win-win situation for both companies and consumers alike. As the electric vehicle market continues to evolve, collaborations like these are setting the stage for a more sustainable and convenient future.

References and Facts

  • Hyundai is the latest major automaker to announce a switch to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) on its vehicles starting in late 2024, giving owners access to Tesla’s massive charger network124.
  • Hyundai’s new or refreshed electric vehicles in the United States will come exclusively with a NACS charging port beginning in the fourth quarter of 2024; Canada will follow in the first half of 202512.
  • Hyundai EVs with NACS connectors will gain access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico14.
  • Owners of existing and future Hyundai EVs with the current CCS port will get access to the Tesla Supercharging Network starting in Q1 2025, when Hyundai will offer an adapter to these customers1.
  • Hyundai’s sibling company, Kia, is also expected to make a similar announcement soon13.
  • Hyundai and Kia are both involved in a joint venture with BMW, GM, Stellantis, and Mercedes-Benz to build out a nationwide network of fast EV charging stations. The plan is to install at least 30,000 high-speed EV chargers by 2030, with the first ones to open summer 2024 in the US2.
  • NACS adoptees include Ford, GM, Rivian, Volvo, Polestar, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, and Fisker2.
  • The holdouts are two of the biggest automakers in the world: Volkswagen and Toyota2.
  • Hyundai’s adoption of Tesla’s NACS connector has put the spotlight on Volkswagen, which has yet to announce whether it will adopt the standard5.