Hyundai president said the company will consider adopting the Tesla NACS. He promised that an assessment will be made of whether the transition to the new charging standard will be what customers need. Jaehoon Chang said he would consult with Tesla.
Hyundai weighs acceptance of Tesla NACS
Hyundai Motor will consider making its vehicles more compliant with the charging standard that Tesla is promoting in North America, the automaker’s CEO said Tuesday, according to Reuters. Company president Jaehoon Chang said Hyundai is considering joining an alliance of automakers that have switched to the Tesla standard, now called the North American Charging Standard (NACS). Before making a final decision, the company will need to determine that it will be in the best interests of its customers.
« That’s what we will look into from the customer’s perspective, » Chang told analysts at the automaker’s investor day.
Hyundai needs consultation with Tesla
Chang explained that for owners of Hyundai cars, it can be a problem to switch to charging on Superchargers. Tesla’s current Supercharger network does not allow faster charging of Hyundai electric vehicles than they can achieve on other chargers.
Hyundai’s new electric vehicles use an 800-volt electrical architecture to enable faster charging. But Tesla Superchargers operate at a lower voltage. Hyundai will consult with Tesla for details. During the consultation, the company is looking to see if it can make adjustments to its charging system so its cars can charge faster.
Tesla NACS Accepted by Major US Automakers
Tesla Superchargers make up about 60 percent of available fast chargers in the US. Obviously, access to them will bring great benefits to EV drivers. In recent weeks, Ford and General Motors have announced that they have struck deals with Tesla to use its charging technology. On Tuesday, Rivian also announced it would adopt NACS. All manufacturers have said they will start producing EVs with the new charging port starting in 2025.
