Two more EV charging networks will add support for Tesla-style NACS plugs

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The EV charging plug deathwatch might need to be kicked into a higher gear. This week two charging networks have announced that they're going to add support for the Tesla-style North American Charging Standard connectors. On Wednesday, Blink revealed that it integrated NACS into its level 2 and DC fast chargers. Today, it was Electrify America, the country's largest non-Tesla charging network, which will also add NACS plugs to its charging stations.

Tesla opened up the latest version of its charging protocols to the wider auto industry in November 2022, renaming it the North American Charging Standard as it did so. For a few months, nothing much happened, but in late May, Ford signed a deal to adopt NACS and obtain access to Tesla's Supercharger network. Two weeks later, General Motors followed, then Rivian, and most recently, Volvo joined the club.

At first, the move raised eyebrows from some industry watchers. It appeared that Ford, GM, and others were putting a hugely important aspect of their customers' EV experience into the hands of a rival—one run by a CEO known for impulsive, often rash decisions like suggesting making Tesla private again or deciding to close all its retail stores, both whims that were later backtracked.