Key points:
- Mercedes-Benz to integrate North American Charging Standard (NACS) in its electric vehicle line-up – introduction in North America starting 2025
- Mercedes-Benz drivers gain access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across North America beginning in 2024
- Mercedes-Benz to simultaneously expand new Mercedes-Benz Charging Network with more than 2,500 high-power chargers in North America to provide a best-in-class charging experience
- First Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging sites to open in Q4 2023 for both Mercedes-Benz and non-Mercedes-Benz drivers
So committed to using NACS GM, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Rivian, and Volvo/Polestar. Stellantis, Hyundai, and VW all reportedly in talks. Then EA, Blink, and ChargePoint saying they will add the NACS plug.
Seems likely that NACS will be the standard in North America and CCS1 is on the way out.
Well the most important committed onboard party is Society of Automotive Engineers International. So it will be a real standard. Well atleast will be as long as Tesla agrees to the patent release. SAE doesn’t allow undefined patent encurbements in technology on their standards. Tesla has to either issue Reasonable and Non-discriminatory patent license letter or Free of Charge, Reasonable and Non-discriminatory letter. The free of charge part is up to Teslas choice. Reasonable and non-discriminatory is not.
I would expect lot of brands to back out, if SAE cries foul on Tesla not being committed to standardisation. Then again I don’t expect Tesla to back out. I’m sure lot of these super charger access and adoption deals by the big players have a “NACS gets officially standardised or we are out” clauses.