The Volkswagen Group has just announced that they will be joining the ranks of automakers who have embraced Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS). This move marks a significant step for the German giant, as it was one of the last major car manufacturers in the United States to adopt the de facto EV plug.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Volkswagen Group revealed that all future vehicles in their extensive portfolio, including Audi, Porsche, and Scout Motors, will come equipped with a built-in NACS charge port. This change is set to take place in 2025, signaling a significant shift towards electric mobility for the company.
Although Volkswagen Group was initially a holdout, their charging network, Electrify America, recently announced plans to also switch to the NACS standard. This was a strong indication that the automaker was not far behind, and today’s announcement has confirmed this.
The NACS standard has been gaining widespread traction with other car manufacturers as well. In May 2023, Ford made headlines when they announced that their EV owners would have access to Tesla’s extensive network of 12,000 chargers through an adapter. They also shared that their next generation of electric vehicles will come integrated with Tesla’s NACS charge port, starting in 2025.
Since then, numerous major brands like GM, Rivian, Honda, Mercedes, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, and most recently Subaru, have followed suit and announced their plans to leverage Tesla’s charging standard. Even smaller luxury EV company Lucid has jumped onboard, announcing in November that they will be adopting the NACS standard.
Interestingly, not all automakers have joined the NACS standard. Stellantis, the parent company of well-known brands like Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, and Peugeot, has yet to make the switch. However, the company has stated that they are currently evaluating the NACS standard and its benefits.
