The dominos are falling as more automakers sign onto Tesla’s North American Charging Standard.
In a landmark deal, Volvo Cars, the Swedish auto manufacturer, is joining forces with Tesla, to offer Volvo electric vehicle (EV) drivers access to Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network in North America. This initiative significantly bolsters charging infrastructure for Volvo customers and is the first collaboration of its kind between Tesla and a European car manufacturer.
The agreement permits owners of fully electric Volvo cars to plug into any of Tesla’s Supercharger points across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which currently stand at about 12,000. The network is anticipated to expand as Tesla’s presence in these regions continues to grow.
Beginning in 2025, new Volvo vehicles in these areas will come equipped with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging port. This new addition comes in conjunction with Volvo drivers’ existing access to a multitude of fast-charge points.
Jim Rowan, CEO at Volvo Cars, believes that the partnership will help alleviate the concerns regarding charging infrastructure, a key hurdle for many potential EV buyers. “As part of our journey to becoming fully electric by 2030, we want to make life with an electric car as easy as possible,” Rowan explained.
Volvo car owners, including those of the XC40, C40 Recharge, and the recently unveiled EX30 and EX90 models, will be able to locate charging locations via the Volvo Cars app. Moreover, starting from the first half of 2024, they are expected to be able to use the Supercharger network with an adapter.
Additionally, drivers of future Volvo cars fitted with the NACS charge port who prefer to keep charging in the Combined Charging System (CCS) will have the ability to do so using an adapter provided by Volvo Cars.
The Volvo Cars app also enables electric Volvo car owners in the US and Canada to locate tens of thousands of public charging stations, check real-time availability of chargers, and pay for charging sessions through a single interface, thereby simplifying the charging process.
Also announced today was SAE adopting NACS as well. The dominos just keep falling and it looks like Tesla’s standard is set to overtake CCS soon.
