Despite technically having already adopted the North American Charging System (NACS) standard, Volvo and Polestar have announced that their vehicles will soon begin shipping vehicles with NACS adapters. This means that the Combined Charging System (CCS) that its products default to will likewise be capable of utilizing Tesla’s Supercharger network — which is the only EV charging infrastructure to garner any serious praise from the public.
Not all vehicles will receive the adapter at once, however. Volvo plans to introduce NACS on its all-electric crossovers, starting with its flagship EX90. The smaller EX40 and EC40 are likewise supposed to get NACS adapters before other models.
While this only pertains to 2025 model year vehicles, the company does allow pre-existing customers to purchase the same hardware from dealers. Starting on November 18th, anyone who wants to can purchase an NACS adapter for $230 USD. Canadians will need to pay $310 CA.
Volvo has also hinted that it would get adaptors out for the EX30 upon its launch. The model has been repeatedly delayed due to being manufactured exclusively in China and expected to drop sometime in 2025. Regardless, the company seems to want to offer customers the option of NACS so it can benefit from American charging standards and utilize what is probably the only reliable public network.
It’s a similar story for Polestar. Since they’ll likely be using the same equipment at the same locations, adapters should become available on the same day. But it hasn’t been crystal clear on upcoming models and the first new vehicle we’re likely to see any integrated NACS hardware on would be the Polestar 5, which isn’t supposed to arrive until 2027.
If you’re wondering why the company is waiting until the middle of November to roll out what is effectively an extra plug, Volvo plans to issue a software update (both for the vehicles and its phone app) that will map Superchargers in a manner similar to Tesla’s own products. Hunting for charging points will become its own feature within the dashboard and not only tell you where to drive but also how many chargers are free, how much time the current occupants have left, and integrated payment options.
[Images: Volvo Cars]
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