Hyundai Gives Old EVs Free NACS Adapter, But Tesla Superchargers Are Too Slow
If you have a Hyundai EV, then the Korean car company has a holiday gift for you. Owners of current cars will get a free Tesla Supercharger adapter. The new NACS plug will let CCS-port EV owners use more than 20,000 US Supercharger sites. The free adapter covers not just Hyundai’s latest EVs but even goes back to its first generation of electric models. However, owners of Ioniq 5 and 6 models should expect their charging experience to be a bit slower than they’re used to.
Hyundai
Hyundai Motor Company was founded in 1967 by Chung Ju-yung, 20 years after the birth of the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company. The automotive marque’s first model was the Cortina, birthed with the help of Ford in 1968, while its first self-developed car arrived the year after as the Pony. Since then, the company has found success with affordable cars and has consistently become known for reliability and value. Nowadays, its ventures vary from combustion, hybrid, all-electric, and hydrogen mobility solutions to robotics.
- Founded
- 29 December 1967
- Founder
- Chung Ju-yung
- Headquarters
- Seoul, South Korea
- Owned By
- Hyundai Motor Group
- Current CEO
- Jae-Hoon Chang
Access To Supercharger Network An EV Gamechanger
Owners and lessees of any Kona Electric, Ioniq 5, and Ioniq 6 that didn’t come with the NACS port built-in (the 2025 Ioniq 5 includes the port) will be able to order their free NACS adapter. Even owners of the Hyundai Ioniq Hatchback, the oddball EV produced from 2017-2022 will be able to get a free adapter.
Add CarBuzz to your Google News feed.
“To accelerate EV adoption, we started by listening to our current owners,” said Olabisi Boyle, Senior Vice President of Product Planning and Mobility Strategy at Hyundai Motor North America. “These adapters will make DC fast-charging more convenient for current owners. Plus, the NACS port on new models like the upcoming IONIQ 9 along with improvements to our digital charging ecosystem, will further enhance the customer experience for future EV drivers. Our goal is to make the transition to electric seamless.”
NACS Charging Slower For Hyundai’s Fast-Charging Models.
Charging with that adapter won’t be as quick as some owners expect, though. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 both accept 800-volt charging inputs. Tesla’s Superchargers can’t yet deliver on that. For now, Hyundai says that an Ioniq 5 will take 20 minutes to go from 10 to 80 percent charge when used with a CCS adapter (to use a CCS station) but will take 24 minutes for the small-pack standard range model or 30 minutes (50% longer) for the extended range and 84 kWh pack to do the same at a Tesla Supercharger. Expect similar reductions for the Ioniq 6 when charging using the new NACS port.
The order process is simple. Use the MyHyundai online owner portal. Register your vehicle if you haven’t already and you’ll be able to order the adapter. Not yet, though, it will become available starting in Q1 of 2025. Hyundai will release more details as well as pricing for those who don’t qualify for the free model.
Related
Attention Non-Tesla EV Owners: Don’t Hold Your Breath For Supercharger Access This Year
At least one automaker has confirmed that access to the Tesla Supercharger network has been delayed, but others are on track.
Automakers have recently jumped on board with using Tesla’s EV connector, also called the North American Charging Standard (NACS) or SAE J3400. The port offers advantages including smaller cables and a simpler connection for EV charging. It also has the advantage of being used on the extensive Tesla Supercharger network, which currently has more than 26,000 stalls in the US.
The standard has been replacing the J-1772 plug and CCS connector used for fast charging. While automakers are still in the middle of the switch to the NACS port built into the vehicle (Hyundai just added this to the 2025 Ioniq 5), compatibility is possible thanks to an adapter. Or at least it should be – Tesla has barely made any Superchargers compatible with other EVs.
