Honda and its Acura luxury brand will join a growing cadre of automakers adopting Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector.
The news was confirmed via Autoblog, citing Honda's top U.S. executive, but details remain to be worked out.
"It is quite important," American Honda Motor Co. CEO Noriya Kaihara said in an interview with Autoblog. "We also have to push NACS, as well. It is clear."
“We are focused on providing the best electric vehicle ownership experience for our customers as we prepare for the launch of our first volume BEV models," said spokesperson Chris Martin, relating an American Honda Motor statement on the issue to Green Car Reports Monday. "We want to ensure an excellent user experience and access to reliable public charging and we continue to investigate all possible options to deliver on this commitment.”
2024 Cadillac Lyriq
That timing for the best user experience also depends on General Motors. The Japanese automaker's two upcoming EVs for North America—the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX—utilize GM's Ultium hardware, so the Detroit automaker will determine when NACS ports can be added. the ZDX, which is scheduled to launch first, will initially have Combined Charging Standard (CCS) connectors and switch to NACS in 2025 or 2026, Autoblog reports.
Both Honda and GM are among the seven global automakers in a joint venture that aims to that seeks to install 30,000 high-power DC fast-chargers. The partners previously said charging sites will include both CCS and NACS ports. The first stations in this network are due to open in the summer of 2024.
2024 Honda Prologue
Things have moved quickly, with much of the industry stepping up to shift to NACS for North America—starting with Ford in May. That was after Tesla in November made its first serious appeal, applying the NACS branding to its existing fast-charging standard and inviting other EV brands to use it. To date, in addition to Ford, GM, and Honda/Acura, the automakers pledging to adopt NACS include Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Volvo, Rivian, and Fisker.
The NACS connector is also getting some regulatory reinforcement. Texas, which is home to Tesla's headquarters, is requiring NACS connectors for future state-funded charging sites, while the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has begun the process of standardizing the connector. Despite the name, NACS is currently just a technical specification, not an actual standard that allows for interoperability across multiple hardware designs.
