NACS (North American Charging Standard)

NACS (North American Charging Standard), originally known as the Tesla connector, is a charging plug designed by Tesla that has been adopted as an industry standard across North America. It supports both AC and DC charging through a single compact connector.

How It Works

The NACS connector is smaller and lighter than CCS1 while supporting comparable charging speeds — up to 250 kW on current Tesla Superchargers, with the specification supporting higher power levels. Unlike CCS, which uses separate pins for AC and DC, NACS uses the same pins for both modes, resulting in a more compact design.

Tesla opened the NACS specification in November 2022, and virtually every major automaker has since announced adoption for their North American vehicles.

Why It Matters

NACS gives EV drivers in North America access to Tesla's Supercharger network — the largest and most reliable fast-charging network on the continent. With all major manufacturers adopting NACS, it is becoming the unified charging standard for North America, simplifying the charging experience.

For European buyers, NACS is not relevant — CCS2 remains the standard in Europe. But for North American buyers, NACS compatibility is increasingly important.

Common Values

• Max power: 250 kW+ (current Superchargers), specification supports higher
• Connector weight: approximately 50% lighter than CCS1
• Adoption: Tesla, Ford, GM, BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Kia, Volvo, and most other brands in North America