Charging Coattails: More Automakers Succumb to Tesla for Charging
What do Nissan, Toyota, Volvo, Polestar, Volkswagen (VW, Audi, Porsche, and the upcoming Scout brand), Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Stellantis, Ford, and Rivian all have in common? Each company is adopting the Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS).
Maybe the most important investments ever made by Tesla are the “one-two punches” consisting of:
The once-proprietary NACS charging connector originally developed for its Model S in 2012, and
The buildout of its Supercharging network across North America.
Currently, the Tesla Supercharging network boasts over 12,000 chargers. Soon, every EV customers from the above automakers will be able to access these Tesla Superchargers.
Initially, many automakers perceived range anxiety as the primary obstacle to EV adoption. Tesla recognized early on that addressing charging anxiety is more crucial for EV owners.
In the traditional automotive internal combustion engine world, imagine owning a Ford but going to Toyota gas stations to fill-up with gasoline because Toyota stations are widely available and always have gas. This is what non-Tesla EV owners will experience when charging at a Tesla Supercharging station. And this experience will be a constant reminder that maybe they purchased the wrong EV.
For those continuing to doubt which company leads the business transition to an EV future, NACS adoption is more evidence that most automakers are chasing Tesla. As NYU finance professor has suggested, Tesla is driving the automotive sector closer to its vision rather than trying to mimic any legacy auto sector conventions.”
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