General Motors has become the newest carmaker to adopt Tesla’s winning strategy.
On Thursday, GM revealed plans to align with Tesla by 2024, enabling its electric vehicle (EV) users to DC-fast charge on Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network. Initially, this linkage to Superchargers will be facilitated through an adapter.
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By 2025, GM intends to completely transition from the more cumbersome and less efficient Combined Charging System (CCS) to Tesla’s more streamlined and capable connector, a key component of Tesla’s North American Charging Standard.
“This partnership is a crucial element of our strategy and a significant progression in expanding fast charger access for our customers,” stated GM Chair and CEO, Mary Barra. “This move will not only simplify the shift to electric vehicles for our customers but could also lead the industry towards a unified North American charging standard.”
2024: GM EVs Gain Access to Tesla Superchargers
This revelation marks a radical shift away from the fast-charging protocol employed by virtually every other automaker, with the exception of Nissan and Mitsubishi, who continue to utilize the Japanese fast-charging standard CHAdeMO (China employs a distinct protocol).
GM’s announcement follows on the heels of Ford’s decision in late May to entirely abandon CCS and fully adopt the NACS interface in the future.
GM plans to incorporate the Supercharger network into its vehicles and apps, making the network of 12,000 fast chargers as easily discoverable as existing CCS fast chargers. According to GM, the Superchargers will complement its current network of 134,000 chargers (including Level 1 and 2), enhancing the over 5,000 DC fast chargers currently in the pipeline and the existing 13,000 DC fast chargers.
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Once NACS ports are installed in GM vehicles by 2025, GM plans to counter by offering a CCS adapter.
The CCS1 combo coupler (or CCS2 in Europe) merges AC and DC charging capabilities in a single port, with a five-pin AC connector on top and a large dual-pin DC connector at the bottom. It’s large and unwieldy, necessitating a fuel-door sized hole in the vehicle’s body. Tesla’s connector is smaller, lighter, and only needs an opening the size of a smartphone.
The NACS Connector – Previously Known as Tesla Supercharger
Although both connectors can sustain up to 350 kW, the NACS connector can manage 1 Megawatt of DC charging, as per Tesla. Currently, there are no EVs designed to accommodate this capacity, but this may change in the future.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about GM Adoption of Tesla’s NACS Supercharger System
General Motors has announced that it will align with Tesla to allow its electric vehicle owners to DC-fast charge on Tesla’s robust Supercharger network as early as 2024.
Which current charging system will GM replace, and with what?
GM will switch from the Combined Charging System (CCS) to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector by 2025, which is sleeker and more efficient.
Who else has adopted the NACS interface?
Ford announced at the end of May that they would abandon the Combined Charging System (CCS) and fully commit to the NACS interface moving forward.
How will GM integrate the Supercharger network into its vehicles?
GM plans to integrate the Supercharger network into its vehicles and apps, making the network of 12,000 fast chargers as easy to locate as existing CCS fast chargers.
What will be the capacity of the NACS connector?
The NACS connector will have the capability to handle 1 Megawatt of DC charging, according to Tesla. However, as of now, no current electric vehicles are built to handle this amount.
More about GM Adoption of Tesla’s NACS Supercharger System
- General Motors Official Announcement
- Tesla Supercharger Network
- Combined Charging System (CCS) Overview
- North American Charging Standard (NACS) Information
- Ford’s Adoption of NACS
5 comments
Whoa! GM jumping on the Tesla train. Didn’t see that one comin. Good move for electric, though!
That’s the way to do it, GM! finally waking up to Tesla’s tech. Hopefully it won’t be too late, right?
kinda funny, huh. a few years ago, everybody was laughing at Tesla. Now look at em – setting the standard for the rest.
so happy to hear this! More compatibility means more EVs on the road. It’s about time we all work together for green.
1 Megawatt of DC charging? Seriously? That’s some serious juice… Wonder how long until we have cars that can handle it.