• Tesla has introduced a NACS connector for electric vehicle charging.

• With the adoption of the NACS connector and the existing Tesla Superchargers network, Tesla is leading the electric vehicle market.

• Other automaker companies are collaborating with Tesla to use their NACS connector for charging, that will eventually lead to an increase in Tesla’s dominance in the electric vehicle market.

Tesla is a prominent electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer company. It has significantly shifted automobile production from ICE vehicles to EVs, a trend that has been embraced by manufacturers such as General Motors and Mercedes-Benz. Tesla is on the verge of achieving dominance in the EV market through its unique EV charging plug with NACS connector and providing accessibility of Tesla superchargers to other electric vehicle brands in the future. The collaboration between Tesla and other companies will simplify EV usage, contributing to the proliferation of electric vehicles. This article discusses the advantages of Tesla’s charging plug design and the substantial impact it will have on the EV market’s growth.

How are Tesla Chargers Better?

Tesla’s first charging connectors were built on the SAE J1772 standard, used by many other electric vehicle manufacturers. These chargers were only compatible with the electric vehicle of a specific manufacturing company. This hindered the efficient deployment of the electric vehicle network on the road. Tesla identified this issue and made its own Tesla Model S Connector. The Tesla Model S connector is a high-power connector that can send up to 145 kW of energy. This is a lot more power than what the SAE J1772 standard allows. Tesla’s connector is different as it does not have a separate connector design for AC and DC charging. Both types of charging are possible using the same connector. The charger can provide high power, up to 50kW to 150kW+ through DC charging which speeds up the charging process.

Figure 1: Several Types of EV Charging Plugs Used in Various Parts of the World
Source: EV Charging Connector Types Guide – Versinetic

In November 2022, Tesla let other car companies look at the design and standard files for the NACS. At the time, Tesla said that the NACS plug was “the most tested in North America”. Moreover, they said that it offered AC charging and up to 1 MW of DC charging in a small package. It doesn’t have any moving parts and is half the size and twice as strong as CCS links. There are five pins on the NACS. The two main pins are used for both AC charging and DC fast charging. The other three pins do the same things as the three pins in the SAE J1772 link. All these qualities made NACS better than CCS. Apart from the high charging speed of the connector, Tesla has the largest charging infrastructure available on the roads. There are around 12000 Tesla charging stations in the US and 45000 Tesla charging stations in the World. This gives Tesla an edge over other Automobile OEMs.

Impact of Tesla on the Growth of the EV Market

With recent technology, Tesla is leading the EV charging industry. Tesla NACS connector and the network of superchargers are the gold standard for the EV industry. Tesla has one of the most charging stations installed in the US. Tesla has been the biggest contributor to promoting electric vehicle infrastructure by spreading awareness of green energy fuel and implementing efficient systems to incorporate electric vehicles for regular usage.

Tesla NACS connector can become a standard charging connector if it not only charges Tesla EVs, but other EVs as well. Different manufacturing companies like GM and Ford have already agreed to provide adapters to their EV owners from 2024 so that they can charge on Tesla superchargers. As Tesla allows vehicles of other manufacturers to charge their EVs on Tesla charging network from next year, penetration of electric vehicles at least in the US market is bound to increase.

Figure 2: This Graph Shows the Growth of Tesla Superchargers Across Different Geographies Over the Period of 10 Years
Source: supercharge.info

Moreover, Tesla’s NACS connector is popular among different automobile OEMs. Many automobile manufacturers are on board for using this highly efficient Tesla charger. Automakers such as Ford, GM, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Volvo, and Rivian have already agreed to adopt the Tesla charging standard effective from 2025. Automakers like Hyundai, Stellantis and Volkswagen are in conversation with Tesla about using these charging plugs.

Analysis of Tesla’s Growth

Tesla has had a significant impact on the electric vehicle (EV) market in terms of charging capacity. The company’s one-of-a-kind charging interface, the NACS connector, is widely recognized as the most efficient method of charging. Tesla’s Supercharger network is the largest and most extensive rapid charging network in the US. The expansion of the Supercharger network, as well as Tesla’s pioneering use of fast charging technology, have boosted the practicality and utility of electric vehicles for drivers significantly. The company’s technological initiatives and marketing campaigns have also contributed to the dissemination of information about the advantages of electric vehicles (EVs) and hastened EV adoption.

In 2024 and 2025, an increasing number of automakers will have adopted the NACS connection and begun to have a NACS connector in their vehicle. This improvement is advantageous since it increases charging station accessibility and usability for electric vehicle drivers of any make or model. With more charging stations, people are inclined to shift towards electric vehicles. However, several problems must be overcome before improving the ease and usability of electric vehicle (EV) charging. The variable functionality of charging connectors is a primary concern. Although Tesla has standardized the charger plugs for every electric vehicle, drivers are still using their older charger plugins as they are already familiar with them. Due to this, drivers are having difficulties locating compatible chargers for their vehicles since there are multiple charging connections available now.

Way Forward

Tesla is making great contributions in the electric vehicle industry. The emerging dominance of the NACS interface is a significant development in the evolution of automotive technologies. The new charging standard that Tesla introduced into the market led to the transfer of high DC energy into the battery, reducing charging time. Moreover, Tesla Supercharger has made EVs more usable and portable, and as the EV market grows, Tesla connector is expected to become even more important in the future.

However, there are certain implications that will have to be addressed, having seen the abrupt growth in acknowledgement of this connector. Firstly, this connector is not yet an open standard, so not all automakers use it. More cars need to use the NACS connector for it to become the norm. Secondly, even if the Tesla NACS connector becomes the standard in the business, there must be enough charging stations for people who drive electric cars. And the government can get car companies to use the Tesla NACS connector by giving them cash incentives and paying for new charging stations to be built. The Tesla NACS connector could become the usual way to charge electric cars (EVs), but there are some problems that need to be fixed before this goal can be reached.