Toyota Motor Corp, the world’s largest automaker by sales, announced Thursday that it has inked a deal to adopt Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) technology from 2025 onwards.
“By aligning ourselves with an established framework like NACS, we are securing our position at the forefront of the electrification movement,” said Hiroshi Kato, Senior Vice President of Toyota. “This decision reflects Toyota’s commitment to creating a more seamless charging infrastructure for our customers.”
The agreement stipulates that certain Toyota and Lexus battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), including a new Toyota SUV set to be manufactured at the company’s Kentucky plant, will incorporate NACS ports.
For existing Toyota and Lexus BEV owners equipped with the rival Combined Charging System (CCS), the Japanese automaker has a contingency plan. “Starting in 2025, we’ll offer our customers an adapter to make the transition to NACS charging as smooth as possible,” added Kato.
Toyota joins Ford Motor, General Motors, and Nissan as the latest automakers to adopt Tesla’s NACS. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, NACS makes up approximately 60% of all fast chargers in the United States.
The move could edge out the CCS, a system currently backed by several automakers, most notably Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE). Interestingly, the German automaker has also engaged in discussions with Tesla regarding potential NACS adoption.
