Tesla NACS Hyundai adoption still on the table

Key Points

• 💡 Hyundai is still considering the adoption of Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS).
• 💡 President Chung of Hyundai mentioned that they are assessing the benefits and charging efficiency of Tesla’s standards.
• 💡 Ford, General Motors,Rivian, Volvo, and Mercedes Benz have already announced the adoption of Tesla NACS.
• 💡 Some US states are considering making Tesla NACS available alongside CCS charging ports, but there is pushback from certain groups.
• 💡 Hyundai is concerned about Tesla NACS charging speed and the potential impact on EV production if different ports are required for different regions.
• 💡 Elon Musk discussed the possibility of bringing SpaceX’s Starlink internet connection to Malaysia with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
• 💡 Malaysia is interested in Starlink internet services to provide coverage to rural areas.
• 💡 Tesla has received approval to conduct business in Malaysia and plans to launch Model Y sales there.
• 💡 Malaysia aims to develop an EV ecosystem and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
• 💡 Tesla Malaysia and BYD plan to enter the Malaysian EV market, with BYD partnering with Sime Darby Motors San for EV sales.

The President of the Hyundai Motor Company, Chung Jae-hoon, shared that the South Korean automaker is still considering the adoption of Tesla’s North American Charging Standard. 

President Chung briefly discussed Hyundai’s thoughts on using Tesla NACS for its vehicles during the unveiling event of the Ioniq 5 N at the Goodwood Festival in West Sussex, England. 

“We must consider how helpful it would be to our customers if we used Tesla’s standards and verify whether the charging efficiency is effective,” commented President Chung. “Tesla also has a lot to help us with,” he added. 

At least two of the Big Three automakers in the United States announced Tesla NACS adoption: Ford and General Motors. Following Ford and GM’s announcements, EV startup Rivian announced Tesla NACS adoption as well. Volvo and Mercedes Benz followed in the US automaker’s footsteps. 

US states have also started contemplating the idea of making Tesla NACS available across all electric vehicle (EV) charging providers alongside CCS charging ports. The state of Texas is strongly considering a Tesla NACS mandate that would push EV chargers to offer Tesla’s charging ports next to CCS ports. The Tesla NACS mandate in the Lone Star state has received pushback from a few groups, including the Americans of Affordable Clean Energy Association. 

A few foreign automakers, like Hyundai, have stayed on the fence about Tesla NACS. Global automakers with significant markets outside the United States have a lot to consider when deciding to support Tesla NACS. Among those considerations is Tesla NACS charging speed, which Hyundai is concerned about, especially for customers.

“We will decide soon on whether to join the charging alliance, taking into account the benefits to our customers, such as how to apply the charging fees discount that Tesla customers get if our customers go to Tesla for charging and it takes longer,” explained the President of Hyundai Motor Company. 

Another reason for Tesla NACS push back is the widespread adoption of CCS ports in other regions worldwide. If Hyundai does adopt Tesla NACS, it will affect EV production. The South Korean company would start producing EVs with different ports for North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, making EV production slightly more complicated.