- Volkswagen EV homeowners in North America will achieve entry to the Tesla Supercharger this summer time.
- The German automaker stated it is on monitor to get entry in June or July.
- An official charging adapter will likely be accessible, however we do not know if it will likely be provided totally free.
Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.Buzz homeowners in North America will achieve entry to the expansive Tesla Supercharger community of DC quick chargers this summer time, marking a brand new entry on the record of automakers which have struck offers with Tesla.
“We get entry to the community in June/July, when we have now an official VW adapter,” Mark Gillies, director of public relations at VW Group of America, instructed PC Magazine at this yr’s CES. A earlier model of the PC Magazine story acknowledged that Volkswagen EV homeowners in North America would get entry to Tesla’s charging community in March, however the article was up to date with a brand new timeline.
Ford, Rivian, Common Motors, Volvo, Polestar and Nissan EV drivers can already use over 15,000 Tesla Supercharger stalls throughout North America to top-up their autos’ batteries. Extra automakers, together with Volkswagen Group’s Audi, Porsche and Scout Motors, are set to realize entry to Tesla’s DC charging stations later this yr, however a timeline has not but been disclosed. That stated, all firms which have offers for Supercharger entry will get it by the tip of this yr. Some firms, like Hyundai and Kia, will quickly begin transport EVs with an NACS port from the manufacturing facility, eradicating the necessity for an adapter.
Within the case of Volkswagen, it’s presently engaged on sourcing and approving suppliers to fabricate the NACS to CCS charging adapter that’s wanted for the overwhelming majority of non-Tesla EVs that got here from the manufacturing facility with a unique charging port than the one discovered on Tesla fashions. Gillies stated for PC Magazine that Volkswagen would “favor” its driver use the official Volkswagen-supplied adapter however is aware of “there are adapters in the marketplace” that some homeowners may go for as an alternative.
Formally, all non-Tesla automakers which have entry to the Supercharger community say their EVs’ guarantee will likely be voided if one thing goes unsuitable whereas charging at a Supercharger with an adapter that’s not manufacturer-approved. That stated, all of those carmakers have outsourced their NACS to CCS adapter provide to different firms, together with Tesla and Lectron. There are different names in the marketplace, too, reminiscent of A2Z.
Volkswagen lately resumed manufacturing of the ID.4 crossover in america following a widespread recall for digital door locks that would unlatch whereas driving.
Cheaper alternate options are additionally accessible. Nevertheless, homeowners ought to remember the fact that whereas there isn’t a energetic communication passing by means of the adapter throughout charging periods, the temperature sensor inside some knockoff adapters is simply dangling within the enclosure and is nowhere close to the DC pins, as a teardown from Auto Consumers Information revealed late final yr.
If the charging adapter will get too scorching, the sensors inside will finish the charging session–but when the sensors will not be subsequent to the warmth supply, the adapter case may soften.
