Tesla has added Mercedes-Benz to the list of electric vehicle (EV) brands set to gain access to its Superchargers, following the adoption of Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) by major automakers last year.
While Tesla had previously opened its Superchargers to EVs from Rivian and Ford earlier this year, the company is planning to gradually extend access to other EV brands. Tesla had initially mentioned General Motors (GM), Polestar, and Volvo as the next automakers to gain access, but Mercedes-Benz has now been added to the list, as indicated on Tesla’s website.
Although Tesla has not disclosed a specific timeline for opening the Supercharger network to these brands, reports suggest that mass layoffs at Tesla affecting the charging department may have delayed some of these plans. However, Tesla’s inclusion of Mercedes on its NACS access web page is seen as a positive sign for owners of other EVs.
As part of the NACS adoption, automakers will start integrating Tesla’s charging port into their vehicles in the coming years. In the meantime, Tesla is providing automakers with charging adapters for their customers to use the Supercharger network’s built-in plugs.
In April, Tesla announced several layoffs across its global workforce, including key employees in the Supercharger team. However, the company later rehired some of the laid-off workers, including Tesla Charging Program Manager and Business Development Lead TJ Connolly, who reassured the industry that Tesla’s charging team would continue to “lead and inspire.”
Tesla’s move to expand Supercharger access to additional EV brands reflects a broader industry trend towards interoperability and collaboration in the EV charging infrastructure.
