Nissan to become first Japanese automaker to utilise Tesla’s fast charging system and vast network

Nissan is the first Japanese automaker to commit to using Tesla’s electric-vehicle charging system in the United States and Canada.

Nissan will equip its EVs with the Tesla-developed North American Charging Standard (NACS) port beginning in 2025, as the automaker aims for 40% of U.S. car sales to be entirely electric by 2030. Nissan joins a growing list of automakers shifting to NACS for EV charging, including Ford, General Motors, and Mercedes-Benz. 

The switch to NACS contradicts previous efforts by the Biden administration to make the Combined Charging System (CCS) the main charging standard in the United States. According to the White House, electric-vehicle charging stations that use Tesla-standard connections will also be eligible for billions of dollars in federal subsidies as long as they also incorporate the US charging standard connector, CCS. 

So far, the 2024 Nissan Ariya is using the CCS1 for DC fast charging in the United States. However, from 2024, Nissan will give NACS charging adapters to Ariya vehicles, allowing them to charge on Tesla’s Supercharger network which accounts for over 60% of all fast chargers in the United States, according to the US Department of Energy.