BMW Electrifies the Future: Uniting with Tesla's Supercharger Network, NACS Partnership Announced

Beginning in early 2025, BMW, Rolls-Royce, and MINI will adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) for their new electric vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. By doing so, these vehicles will be compatible with Tesla's Supercharger network, which utilizes the NACS charging port design. Additionally, older BMW Group vehicles with a CCS connector will also have access to the Supercharger network in 2025, potentially through the use of adapters.

It is not surprising to hear this news, as many other automakers, such as Ford, Honda, Rivian, GM, Kia, and Mercedes-Benz, also plan to adopt the NACS in 2025. In fact, BMW Group has already committed to partnering with six other vehicle manufacturers to build 30,000 charging stations, accommodating both NACS and CSS. As of now, only Toyota, Volkswagen, and Stellantis, among major automakers, have not announced their NACS transition plans. However, it is worth noting that Stellantis is involved in the joint venture with BMW.

Automakers are transitioning to NACS because Tesla's connector surpasses CCS in terms of quantity. Additionally, it is smaller and more powerful, and since it became "open-sourced" in 2022, there are no licensing fees associated with it. The advantages for new customers are evident, and older vehicles will still have the option of CCS charging alongside NACS, preventing them from being left behind.

Furthermore, the U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act plays a role in this scenario. Bipartisan leaders have agreed on a $1.2 trillion package that heavily emphasizes electric vehicle infrastructure. Automakers are well aware that the lack of charging accessibility is a major issue for customers (and could pose challenges as gasoline vehicles are phased out). Therefore, they are eager to capitalize on these government subsidies.

BMW Group currently offers six models of electric vehicles in the United States, all equipped with the CCS connector. However, by 2025, these vehicles will switch to using the NACS connector. Furthermore, BMW assures its customers that they won't require the Tesla app for payment at Supercharger stations. It is important to note that this information is specific to the United States and Canada. In areas outside of North America, electric vehicle charging follows a relatively standardized system, with Europe utilizing the CCS connector and China opting for the GB/T plug.