Category: General

• Tesla’s opened its Supercharger network to non-Teslas
• Ford and Rivian were the first non-Teslas to plug in
• Access takes an automaker-provided adapter or Tesla Magic Dock
• In most cases there are software components and it’s more than just an adapter

By the end of 2024, nearly ever major EV brand selling cars in the U.S. had signed on to offer Tesla Supercharger access, and eventually adopt the automaker’s NACS port for future EVs. But the rollout has proceeded at different speeds for each brand.

Owners of EVs from most non-Tesla brands must use an adapter to connect with Supercharger stations until the widespread rollout of new cars with NACS ports, a process that recently started with the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and is aided by the formalization of NACS as a true standard by the SAE in late 2023.

Ford EVs at Tesla Supercharger

Most automakers are also pushing software updates that allow their EVs to properly interface with Supercharger stations for plug-and-charge operation, as well as updates that allow Supercharger stations to appear on in-vehicle route planning and payment apps. With these updates in place, Tesla’s Magic Dock adapter at many Supercharger stations may work in lieu of a separate automaker-provided adapter.

As with the original announcements of the switch to the Tesla charge port, Ford led the way in providing adapters to let customers fast-charge at Supercharger stations. That started in February 2024, with other automakers following later in the year and a few now confirmed for the first half of 2025. Here’s where things stand now.

Automakers that have Supercharger access:
Ford
Rivian
General Motors
Volvo
Polestar
Nissan

Automakers said to be getting Supercharger access “soon” according to Tesla:
BMW
Genesis
Hyundai
JLR
Kia
Lucid
Mercedes-Benz

As Green Car Reports has pointed out before, Tesla’s V4 hardware will likely be able to handle electric vehicles that charge at 800 volts at the full rate. But Tesla’s V3 hardware—the majority of North American hardware available on the Supercharger network at this time—the limit is 400 volts, or maybe a little bit higher.

That creates a dilemma for automakers already selling vehicles with 800-volt charging, as those cars will charge slower at Tesla V3 Supercharger stations than they would at the most powerful CCS stations. But the more widespread deployment of V4 Superchargers will help solve that, along with the buildout of the Ionna fast-charging network backed by eight automakers that’s expected to include both CCS and NACS connectors.

Stellantis has halted development of what was to be the first electric vehicle for its Chrysler brand, shifting focus to other electric models.

The Chrysler Airflow concept unveiled in 2022 was to serve as the basis for a production electric SUV, but Mopar Insiders reported earlier this week that development work on this model had been suspended. That report cited an email to suppliers saying the program was “on hold until further notice” and that “any spending associated with this program should be suspended immediately.”

Chrysler Airflow concept

A Stellantis spokesperson confirmed to Green Car Reports that the electric SUV “is paused for now as we assess the market and our customers’ needs and wants.” This means the Chrysler brand will continue with just a single minivan—sold as both the Voyager and Pacifica, the latter available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain—in 2025, its 100th anniversary year.

A refreshed Pacifica is coming in 2026, the spokesperson confirmed, followed by a new crossover SUV and a third model based on the Halcyon concept, Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell confirmed in an interview earlier this month. Unveiled in 2024, the Halcyon is an electric four-door coupe that likely appeals to a smaller market than an SUV.

Chrysler Airflow concept

Chrysler initially said that it would launch an electric SUV based on the Airflow concept in 2025, but enthusiasm for the project seemed to wane quickly after that. In 2023, Feuell reportedly ordered a rethink that would have dropped the concept’s styling and the Airflow name, which references a pioneering Chrysler model line from the 1930s that helped introduce aerodynamic design to the automotive industry.

Feuell told Green Car Reports in 2022 that Chrysler was also developing an electric minivan, and in an interview at the 2024 LA Auto Show last November, the CEO confirmed that this new model will bear the Pacifica name. It’s slated to be introduced at some point after the refreshed version of the current Pacifica debuts in 2026.

Kia on Tuesday modified its rollout plan for Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapters and access to the Tesla Supercharger network.

Customers who take delivery of a 2024 or 2025 Kia EV9 or a 2024 Kia EV6 from Sept. 4, 2024, will receive a free NACS adapter. All other Kia EV owners—including EV6 and EV9 owners who took delivery of their vehicles before the cutoff date, as well as all Kia Niro EV owners—will have to pay an undisclosed price for their adapters.

2024 Kia EV6 GT

Most major car brands have announced plans to adopt the NACS charge port, but only a handful have followed through with plans to offer adapters and Supercharger access. Of those, only General Motors is making all customers pay for adapters. But Kia is being stingier than Ford, which offered one free adapter per vehicle to all existing EV customers initially.

Kia plans to begin shipping adapters in early 2025, and plans to open up Supercharger access by the end of the first quarter. Originally Kia EV owners were to get access to the Supercharger network on January 15, but on the 15th the automaker modified that timeline. Kia’s didn’t specifically mention Tesla or Superchargers, only saying that customers will be able to charge at “more than 16,500 NACS DC fast chargers in the U.S.” That number is based on the count of total NACS connectors by the Energy Department’s Alternative Fuel Data Center (AFDC) as of September 2024.

2023 Kia Niro EV

Most other automakers—Stellantis being the only exception—were quick to mention Tesla in their announcements. Kia is one of the automaker partners in the Ionna North American fast-charging network, which has voiced its commitment to both the NACS and CCS standards. So perhaps Kia is looking to emphasize the idea of NACS connectors that aren’t part of the Supercharger network in anticipated of Ionna’s buildout.

Kia, along with sibling brands Hyundai and Genesis, announced NACS support. Hyundai has started building Ioniq 5 EVs with Tesla NACS charge ports, but Kia did not discuss a timeline for adding NACS ports to its vehicles.

This story was updated to reflect a new timeline for Kia EV access to Tesla’s Supercharger network as of January 15.

General Motors on Wednesday signed a multi-year agreement with Norway’s Vianode for supply of synthetic graphite anode material for electric vehicle batteries.

The deal runs from 2027, when Vianode expects to begin producing synthetic graphite at a new North American plant, to 2033, according the companies. The material will be used in battery cells manufactured by the Ultium Cells LLC joint venture between GM and battery supplier LG Energy Solution.

2026 Cadillac Vistiq

China controls 95% of the global graphite supply, which has left Western automakers and governments looking to cultivate looking sources of the material, which has become more important for EV battery production, Reuters noted. China has also been designated by the federal government as a Foreign Entity of Concern, meaning vehicles with battery materials sourced from there don’t qualify for a tax credit.

Vianode claims its new plant will be “IRA compliant,” meaning battery materials produced there shouldn’t interfere with qualification for the federal EV tax credit under current rules, defined by the Inflation Reduction Act, that specify North American sourcing of critical minerals. That’s assuming the tax credit isn’t killed off by the incoming Trump administration.

2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali

The plant will be located in either the U.S. or Canada, but a specific site has not been finalized, Vianode CEO Burkhard Straube said in an interview with Reuters. In its first planned phase, the plant is expected to produce 80,000 tons of synthetic graphite by 2030, enough to supply 1.5 million EVs. Vianode claims its manufacturing process comes with a 90% smaller carbon footprint than conventional methods.

GM made two other noteworthy changes to its battery plans last month. The automaker said it would sell its stake in the Ultium Cells LLC Michigan plant—one of three currently in operation—to LG, while simultaneously announcing plans to extend a technical partnership with that company to include prismatic cells. GM has for the moment standardized its EV hardware around pouch cells, but CEO Mary Barra said in 2023 that the automaker was flexible on battery-cell format.

• Acura’s second EV will be the RSX
• The RSX will be a fastback crossover SUV built in Ohio
• The RSX will feature Honda and Acura’s next-gen operating system called Asimo

Acura will add a second electric SUV to its lineup this year, this time designed in-house, and once again recycling a name from the brand’s past.

The automaker announced Wednesday that its next electric vehicle will be called the RSX, a name previously attached to a sporty coupe sold in the U.S. from model years 2002 to 2006. The original RSX was actually the fourth-generation Acura Integra, and was sold under that name in other markets. Acura has since brought back the Integra name in the U.S. for a gasoline compact hatchback, freeing up the RSX name for other uses.

Acura explained the use of the RSX name as being appropriate thanks to the coupe-like styling of the new electric SUV—inspired by the Acura Performance EV concept first shown during 2024 Monterey Car Week. A teaser image of a camouflaged prototype, released ahead of the start of public-road testing, does indeed show sleeker-than-average styling.

The new RSX joins the Acura ZDX, a larger electric SUV that recycles the name of a short-lived gasoline model that was one of the first “SUV coupes.” But where the ZDX is based on a General Motors architecture, the RSX is slated to be the first production model based on a dedicated EV platform that will also underpin the Honda 0 Series EVs from Acura’s parent brand.

In addition to the EV architecture—which is designed for slimmed-down packaging—the RSX will also mark the production launch of a new operating system called Asimo for future Acura and Honda EVs. Named after the humanoid robot that provided trade-show entertainment starting in the early 2000s, it’s intended to enable more sophisticated infotainment and driver-assist features.

The electric Acura RSX is scheduled to enter production in Ohio later this year. Honda has long had a presence in the Buckeye State, but it’s retooling and reconfiguring facilities there to build large numbers of EVs. That includes not only the RSX and future Honda 0 Series models (the first of which is scheduled to arrive in 2026) but also the Afeela 1 from the Sony Honda Mobility joint venture.

• The tiny Telo MT1 electric truck will be available with solar panels
• The solar panels will add 1-2 kwh of energy to the battery per day
• Aptera, which hasn’t yet delivered its electric three-wheeler, will supply the solar panels

The tiny Telo MT1 electric pickup truck will be able to recoup some range from the sun thanks to solar panels supplied by another electric-vehicle hopeful: Aptera.

Telo on Wednesday announced plans to offer Aptera-supplied solar panels in three kits. These include a rooftop option that integrates panels with the cab, a solar tonneau cover, and a solar camper shell. The panels can generate up to 200 watts at peak sunlight, adding 1-2 kwh of battery charge per day, according to Telo.

This should help improve the efficiency of what California-based Telo already claims is the world’s most efficient electric truck.

Unveiled in 2023, the MT1 also contrasts current electric pickups with compact proportions. At just 152 inches long, it’s about the same length as the outgoing Mini Cooper SE two-door hatchback.

Telo electric truck with solar panels from Aptera

Telo asserts that the MT1 is not toy truck, though. It promises seating for five adults and a 60-inch bed with a mid-gate for accommodating longer items—including a 4×8 sheet of plywood or 9-foot surfboard. Telo is also targeting up to 350 miles of range with an optional Long Range pack and 6,600-pound towing capacity with an optional 500-hp dual-motor powertrain. The Standard pack and base single-motor rear-wheel-drive powertrain deliver 260 miles and 300 hp, respectively.

Solar panels will be available for pre-order later this year, but Telo is now accepting pre-orders for the truck itself for $152. Pricing is set at $41,250 for the single-motor version and $46,019 for the dual-motor version, plus $3,980 for the bigger battery pack. Telo said a prototype truck is currently being built, but hasn’t said when it expects to start customer deliveries.

Aptera has said that integrated solar panels will minimize the need for charging of its high-efficiency three-wheel EV, but has struggled to get that vehicle into production. After announcing a 400-mile Launch Edition version in 2023, Aptera confirmed in October 2024 that it had only just completed the first production-intent vehicle, taking it a step closer to an actual salable vehicle but still not quite there.

A brace of luxury brands are slated to get Tesla Supercharger access soon.

Tesla recently updated the NACS page on its website to show BMW, Genesis, Lucid, and JLR (incorporating Jaguar and Land Rover) on the “coming soon” list of automakers supporting the Tesla’s Superchargers. Specific timing isn’t listed, however.

After Ford kicked things off in 2023, most major EV brands announced plans to adopt the NACS standard. The SAE also finalized NACS as a true standard later in the year, an effort that was backed by the Biden administration, ensuring that more NACS connectors will be installed outside the Supercharger network, putting American on the path to a single fast-charging standard for electric vehicles.

2025 BMW i4

Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Polestar, Rivian, and Volvo have already rolled out Supercharger access and made arrangements for adapters that allow existing EVs with CCS ports to connect to Supercharger stations.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been confirmed as the first EV from a major non-Tesla brand to be built with a NACS port, and Hyundai, which is the parent brand of Genesis, has said it will ship free adapters for its existing EVs later this quarter. Hyundai’s other brand, Kia, said late last year that it would open up Supercharger access Jan. 15, but would only provide free adapters to customers who purchased certain models toward the end of 2024.

2025 Lucid Air Pure

Mercedes-Benz also confirmed earlier this month that it would launch Supercharger access in February. Unlike most other brands, this will require a dealership visit to install updated software (as opposed to an over-the-air update), in addition to an adapter.

While not shown on Tesla’s website yet, Volkswagen is reportedly planning to rollout Supercharger access to its EV customers in June or July, with the later date due to a wait for adapters.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV sees a small price increase for the new model year, but few other changes.

After remaining unchanged for the 2024 model year, pricing for the entry-level rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ rises $850 to $106,400. All prices include a mandatory $1,150 destination charge that’s unchanged for 2025.

This single-motor version generates 355 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque. An all-wheel-drive EQS 450 4Matic version is also available, adding a front motor and an extra 161 lb-ft of torque (horsepower is the same) for $3,000 more. A dual-motor EQS 580 4Matic model also remains available, boosting output to 536 hp and 633 lb-ft of torque for a starting price of $129,350.

2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV

The Maybach EQS 680 tops the lineup at $181,050, boasting 649 hp and 700 lb-ft of torque, and more opulent accoutrements inside and out. Those include available reclining rear seats with a center-armrest champagne cooler, two-tone paint, and a more traditional grille similar to what’s been applied to the EQS sedan for 2025.

All EQS SUV models continue to use a 108.4-kwh battery pack. The rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ leads in EPA range, at 323 miles. That declines to 317 miles for the EQS 450 4Matic, 312 miles for the EQS 580 4Matic, and 302 miles for the Maybach version.

2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV

Mercedes made some equipment changes. Four-zone climate control, soft-close doors, front headrest cushions, and a center airbag between the front seats are now standard, while automatic-closing doors and an air-control package with HEPA filtration are optional, along with a new Moonlight White Metallic paint color. New 22-inch wheel designs are also available for both the standard EQS SUV and the Maybach EQS SUV.

The Alabama-built EQS SUV arrived for the 2023 model year, and was good enough out of the box to make the Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy finalist list. It’s one of four related models, along with the EQS sedan and the smaller EQE SUV and sedan, that formed Mercedes’ first wave of dedicated EVs. They’re set to be joined by a new generation of smaller models—starting with the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA.

Ford is looking at ways to make electric vehicle battery packs easier to repair—especially as their cooling systems become more advanced—a patent filing indicates.

The document, which was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Dec. 12, 2024, after being submitted by Ford Jun. 12, 2023, details how battery modules could be replaced without removing the entire pack from the vehicle. This could reduce repair costs and could be greener, potentially allowing some packs to be rehabbed with new modules rather than replaced.

Patent image of Ford battery pack designed for easier module replacement

Ford discusses retaining the common layout of a battery pack mounted under the floor, with multiple modules that in turn contain multiple battery cells. Electrical terminals with removable caps and spring-loaded connectors would allow modules to be removed as needed.

The patent filing also mentions immersion cooling, in which battery components are directly cooled by a non-conductive fluid that won’t cause electrical shorts. Immersion cooling is a relatively new idea in EV development, as most modern EVs even with liquid cooling use the coolant outside modules and/or with a cooling plate. But this necessitates additional hardware that makes accessing battery modules more complicated.

Patent image of Ford battery pack designed for easier module replacement

Other automakers, such as Mercedes-Benz, have considered going the other way completely, toward air-cooling. The physical configuration of cells and modules is also being considered, with General Motors looking at different cell arrangements to maximize cooling and Canoo designing a structural battery pack with modules interconnected with the vehicle frame and cooling system.

It’s new territory. Rimac is one of the only companies that has detailed a true immersion cooling system that thermally conditions each cell at multiple points (the Cybertruck might qualify for this description too, but Tesla has not yet detailed the system). Bringing such tech to the mass market may help Ford get a jump on others—even Tesla. 

JLR is looking to use recycled content in seat foam to further lower the environmental impact of its future electric cars.

The automaker announced in November that it’s working with chemical company Dow and seat specialist Adient to recycle polyurethane seat foam, a difficult task that means most of the material usually ends up in landfills, according to JLR. The automaker aims to start testing recycled seat foam in pre-production vehicles later this year.

Recycled foam will be one element of a “circular seat” made from material that can be easily recycled, which is estimated to halve the carbon dioxide emissions associated with production of current seats, according to JLR.

JLR tests recycled seat foam

Increased emphasis on reusing materials rather than discarding them, the foundation of what’s called the “circular economy,” is the focus of a dedicated JLR research lab. Researchers at this lab have found that a major obstacle to reuse is the difficulty of separating individual materials when a car is disassembled, either because of how their attached to each or because of mixed-material use in certain components.

Besides seats, other areas where Jaguar is looking to improve are front-bumper foam, where JLR is testing a new formulation with a reduced number of polymers for easier recycling, and aluminum body panels. In the latter case, JLR worked with suppliers to reuse scraps from the stamping process in new panels.

JLR tests recycled seat foam

JLR isn’t the only automaker thinking along these lines. Over a decade ago, Ford began incorporating renewable materials—including recycled jeans—into sound insulation for its vehicles. In 2021, BMW showed a concept car based on the idea of a circular economy, which the automaker claimed was made from 100% recycled materials and was itself 100% recyclable.

Such efforts are especially important for electric vehicles, as their lack of “tailpipe” emissions makes emissions from production a more significant part of their overall carbon footprint. JLR aims to make its Jaguar brand all-electric within the next few years, starting with a six-figure GT car inspired by the Type 00 concept shown at the end of 2024, with electric Land Rover models planned as well.