Hyundai and Kia say they're adopting North American Charging Standard ports for their electric vehicles in the US and Canada, which will give the vehicles access to thousands of Tesla Superchargers across the two countries and Mexico, reports the AP. Tesla's Superchargers are coveted by other automakers because the company has more direct-current fast-charging plugs in the US than any other network, and its stations are in prime locations along freeway travel corridors. Hyundai Motor North America said Thursday that new Hyundai electric vehicles in the US will come with the NACS port starting in 2024's fourth quarter. It will begin in Canada in the first half of 2025. Hyundai's luxury brand, Genesis, will also start using the NACS ports.
Kia said it plans to build the NACS port into new electric vehicles sold in the US, Canada, and Mexico, also in the fourth quarter of next year. "Having this kind of sprawling access to chargers will no doubt boost customer satisfaction, elevate the EV ownership experience, and enable drivers to reach more destinations across the continent on electricity," says SeungKyu (Sean) Yoon, president & CEO of Kia North America and Kia America. Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles with NACS ports will be able to access more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico. This will double the size of the DC fast-charging network available to Hyundai electric vehicle customers. The Tesla network will be able to support the charging speeds on Hyundai's advanced Electric-Global Modular Platform vehicles, including the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 and the upcoming IONIQ 7.
Tesla's electric vehicle plug has steadily moved closer to becoming the industry standard. In June, SAE International, formerly the Society of Automotive Engineers, said it would set performance standards for Tesla's electric vehicle charging cords. The move came just weeks after Ford, General Motors, and Rivian said they'd join Tesla's large Supercharger network and adopt its NACS connector in new versions of their electric vehicles. Volvo Cars has also signed a deal with Tesla to join the network. "This new alliance will provide Hyundai EV owners confidence in their ability to conveniently charge their vehicles and complements our joint venture company to create a new, high-powered charging network with at least 30,000 stations across North America," says Jose Munoz, president and global COO of Hyundai Motor Co. and president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America.
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Owners of existing and future Hyundai electric vehicles with the current combined charging system will have access to the Tesla Supercharging network starting in the first quarter of 2025. Hyundai will offer an adapter to these customers and will also make adapters available to charge NACS-equipped vehicles at combined charging system chargers. Kia expects to have adapters available at its dealers, also in 2025's first quarter. The partnership with Tesla adds to Hyundai's network expansion efforts. The company previously announced it was teaming with six global automakers to develop the high-powered charging network. The first US stations in that new network are targeted to open in the summer of 2024, and in Canada at a later date. (More charging stations stories.)
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