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Tesla's Charging Dominance Grows: Porsche & Audi Lead the Great NACS Migration!

Published 1 day ago3 minute read
Tesla's Charging Dominance Grows: Porsche & Audi Lead the Great NACS Migration!

The automotive industry is currently experiencing a profound transformation driven by the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. With major automakers committing to electrifying significant portions of their lineups by 2030 and some regions legislating against new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales by 2035, the need for robust charging infrastructure has become paramount. Many manufacturers are now turning to Tesla's Supercharger network, widely regarded as the industry's most extensive and reliable, to help overcome these infrastructure challenges.

Tesla's Supercharger network boasts approximately 23,500 stations, making it the largest by far. This extensive coverage significantly mitigates range anxiety for EV owners, and its DC fast chargers are generally more dependable than those offered by competing networks. Crucially, Tesla chargers utilize the North American Charging Standard (NACS) port, which has rapidly emerged as the de facto industry standard. As a result, numerous automakers are either switching their vehicle ports to NACS or providing adapters to enable access to Tesla’s NACS-based chargers. Porsche and Audi are the latest luxury brands to adopt this strategy, granting their EV owners access to the Tesla Supercharger network via newly supplied factory adapters.

For Audi, most E-tron owners will soon gain access to the Supercharger network. Specifically, new 2025 model year E-trons, including the Q6 E-tron, A6 Sportback E-tron, and E-Tron GT, which are currently arriving at dealerships, will receive an Audi factory NACS to J1772-CCS adapter as an included accessory. It is important to note that this adapter is exclusively for DC fast charging and is not intended for use with Level 2 home or destination AC chargers that feature NACS plugs, as these operate on different systems. Audi has indicated that it will notify existing E-Tron owners about obtaining these adapters in the near future, though Q4 E-tron owners appear to be excluded for the time being. To facilitate charging, Tesla stations will be integrated as Points of Interest (POI) within the MyAudi app and Audi MMI navigation system. Additionally, owners will need to use the Tesla App to initiate and pay for charging sessions at Supercharger stations, an app which also helps locate available chargers.

Porsche’s approach to Tesla Supercharger access for its EVs mirrors Audi's in many respects. Porsche EV owners will also require a Porsche factory-supplied NACS to J1772-CCS adapter to connect to the Tesla Supercharger network. Similar to Audi, this adapter is designed solely for use with DC fast charging networks. Initially, Porsche owners will also need to utilize the Tesla App for starting and paying for charging, but Porsche has stated its intention to transition this functionality to the My Porsche app in the coming months. The complimentary adapter will be provided to buyers of 2026 model year Taycan and Macan EVs. Owners of prior model year Taycan and all Macan vehicles will also be eligible for a complimentary adapter but will need to await notification via their My Porsche app. However, owners of 2024 and older Taycan models have the option to acquire an adapter immediately by purchasing it from the Porsche online shop or a local dealer, at a cost of $185 plus applicable sales taxes and shipping charges.

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