Hyundai will offer free NACS adapters to its EV customers

Hyundai has announced a plan to make charging its electric vehicles (EVs) easier by offering free NACS (North American Charging Standard) adapters to its customers. Starting in the first quarter of 2025, Hyundai EV owners who purchased or leased their vehicles by January 31, 2025, will be eligible to receive the adapter at no cost.

This move will allow these vehicles, which are equipped with CCS (Combined Charging System) ports, to access Tesla’s Supercharger network of over 20,000 charging stations in the U.S.

Hyundai’s senior vice president of product, Olabisi Boyle, emphasized the importance of listening to EV owners to improve their charging experience. “These adapters will make DC fast-charging more convenient for current owners,” she said in a statement.

The program includes a variety of Hyundai EVs, such as the 2024 and earlier Kona Electric, Ioniq hatchback, Ioniq 5, and Ioniq 6 models, along with the upcoming 2025 Ioniq 5 N and Kona Electric. Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, will also participate in the program.

Unlike Hyundai, Kia, another brand under the same parent company, limits its free NACS adapters to the EV6 and EV9 models delivered after September 4, 2024. Kia’s earlier models, including the Niro EV, are not included in this offer.

In addition to providing adapters for older models, Hyundai plans to integrate NACS ports directly into its upcoming vehicles. The 2025 Ioniq 5 will be the first non-Tesla car to feature a native NACS port, with other future models like the Ioniq 9 expected to follow.

However, Hyundai noted that initially, NACS charging through Tesla’s Supercharger network might be slower than using CCS, as the Supercharger network itself is due for upgrades in 2025.

This development aligns with a broader industry shift toward adopting NACS as a standard. The U.S. government recently recognized NACS as an open industry standard, encouraging manufacturers and charger networks to make it more widely available.

Hyundai’s decision to adopt NACS follows similar moves by other automakers like Ford, as they aim to provide their customers with greater access to Tesla’s extensive charging infrastructure.

With Hyundai now ranking as the second-largest seller of EVs in North America after Tesla, this initiative underscores the company’s efforts to stay competitive in the rapidly growing EV market.