Kia And Hyundai Switch To Tesla-Style NACS Charge Port

At this point, who hasn’t switched?

In a not-so-surprising move, Kia and Hyundai have switched to NACS. Like all of the other manufacturers that have switched to the Tesla-style plug, Kia and Hyundai promise to integrate the plug natively into its products by 2025 (Kia and Hyundai claim it’ll be integrated by late 2024). Also, supercharger access will be available to older Hyundai and Kia vehicles via a CCS to NACS adapter.

This might be the biggest tipping point for NACS. Sure, Ford, GM, Rivian, Honda, Acura, Jaguar, and Aptera’s support are great, but Hyundai and Kia’s officially slide the scale to the majority. Now, the only two major EV manufacturers that haven’t made the switch are Lucid, and any Volkswagen group brand. No one wants to be the odd man out, so we expect those two brands to fall in line before the end of the year.

Competitively, this could spell bad news for Tesla. Unlike the other brands that have announced the switch, Hyundai and Kia have multiple offerings that directly compete with the volume-leading Model 3 and Model Y. The Kia EV9 three-row crossover is competitively priced, and has interior space for real adults in the third row, unlike the Model Y. With this move, the competitive advantage of a functioning, well-maintained charging network is no longer a Tesla exclusive. Consumers will finally be able to choose the product they feel is the best, without the fear they won’t be able to recharge.

True, Hyundai and Kia EVs sold in the US don’t qualify for the $7,500 EV tax credit, but that will likely change sooner, rather than later. Kia plans to move production of the EV6 to the West Point, Georgia plant after the EV6’s first model year, making the crossover eligible for tax incentives. Add in the Tesla Supercharger network, and Kia may be the one to finally give Tesla a run for its money in terms of volume.

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