In a significant development for the electric vehicle (EV) landscape, Honda and its luxury subsidiary Acura have announced their intent to embrace Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging connector across North America. This decision underscores a crucial shift in the industry and comes as part of Honda’s broader strategy to enhance EV charging accessibility.
American Honda Motor Co.’s President and CEO, Noriya Kaihara, confirmed this strategic move in an exclusive roundtable interview with InsideEVs. Kaihara emphasized the importance of Honda’s engagement with the NACS coalition, stating, “It is quite important. We also have to push NACS, as well. It is clear.”
The timeline for implementing NACS charging inlets on the first wave of Honda and Acura all-electric models remains uncertain, with several manufacturers aiming for a transition by 2025. Honda’s progress in this regard hinges on General Motors (GM), as its initial two all-electric models are based on GM’s Ultium platform and are slated for production at GM’s facilities.
Kaihara provided insight into the potential timing, stating, “Maybe 2025 or 2026 timing. For ZDX… we clearly depend on GM. So once they do [switch to NACS], it will follow for ZDX after that.”
Coincidentally, GM has also committed to adopting the CCS1-to-NACS switch, commencing in 2025. This alignment suggests a strong likelihood that Honda and Acura will be poised for NACS compatibility around the same timeframe. However, it’s noteworthy that the initial batch of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), such as the Honda Prologue and the recently unveiled Acura ZDX, will be outfitted with the Combined Charging System (CCS1).
Beyond these transitional steps, Honda is actively developing its own platform for future all-electric models, which will succeed the initial Ultium-based BEVs. The expectation is that, within the North American market, these forthcoming BEVs will be inherently supportive of the NACS infrastructure right from their debut.
In a broader context, Honda is collaborating with a consortium of esteemed original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including BMW Group, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis, to establish a joint venture fast charging network across North America. This endeavor is underscored by a shared commitment to creating a secure, reliable, and accessible charging ecosystem for EV users.
Jay Joseph, Vice President of Sustainability and Business Development at American Honda, emphasized the critical attributes of this new network. “The software needs to be really reliable and really open infrastructure so it communicates with every OEM’s software. The hardware needs to be capable of the highest levels of charging. It needs to be secure, it needs to be reliable, it needs to be accessible.”
Furthermore, Joseph praised Tesla’s Supercharging network as a benchmark for the forthcoming initiative, citing its robust maintenance protocols. “If you look at what’s so great about the Tesla Supercharger network, it’s the maintenance. They stay on top of it, they’ve got someone onsite monitoring the equipment, they’re monitoring it electronically and remotely, and they fix it – fast. That’s probably the most important thing.”
As the EV landscape continues to evolve, Honda and Acura’s adoption of Tesla’s NACS charging standard marks a pivotal step toward bolstering the charging infrastructure and ensuring seamless mobility for all-electric vehicles in North America.
