WHICH ELECTRIC VEHICLES CAN CHARGE AT A TESLA SUPERCHARGER?

Many of Tesla's Superchargers are now open to EVs from other automakers, but NACS adapters are slow to arrive

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the first non-Tesla vehicle with a built-in NACS charging port.

By Keith Barry

By the end of 2025, nearly all EVs will have access to some of Tesla’s Supercharger fast EV charging stations. Already, some Ford Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1S and R1T owners have received adapters that allow them to plug into Tesla Superchargers. GM, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar EV, and Volvo owners can now access Superchargers as well, as long as they purchase an adapter.

Connecting a non-Tesla vehicle to a Tesla Supercharger requires new hardware and software, both of which are still being developed by many manufacturers. Initially, automakers are offering adapters that let owners use Tesla’s unique North American Charging Standard (NACS) plugs. Future models will come standard with built-in NACS outlets.

If you own an EV or are considering buying one and you’re wondering how increased access to Tesla’s Superchargers could change the charging landscape, Consumer Reports has answers for you.

“Access to public chargers is one of the biggest hurdles for EV owners and those considering purchasing one,” says Alex Knizek, associate director of auto test development at Consumer Reports. “Gaining access to Tesla’s Superchargers could be a huge convenience for some EV drivers right now.”

In CR’s experience, we’ve found that Tesla’s Superchargers tend to be easier to use, are more likely to be found in more convenient locations, and are more likely to be in working order than public DC fast chargers from EVgo, Electrify America, ChargePoint, and other brands.

The rollout hasn’t gone entirely smoothly: Some manufacturers have already missed their initial target dates for releasing their NACS adapters, and some Rivian and Ford owners are still waiting for the adapters they ordered months ago. We contacted automakers to find out what’s holding things up, and how much longer buyers and owners of non-Tesla EVs should prepare to wait. We also tried out adapters on our Ford and Rivian vehicles.

Why Is Tesla Opening Up Its Superchargers to Other Brands?

There are at least a few reasons: To qualify for a slice of the $7.5 billion earmarked for EV charging network expansion in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was designed to address climate change, healthcare, and taxes, Tesla promised to open up chargers from its Supercharger and Destination Charger network to non-Tesla vehicles by the end of 2024.

Tesla also benefits when other vehicles pay to use its Superchargers, and experts say charging could become an important source of income for the automaker. On its website, Tesla says that it has “always been our ambition to open the Supercharger network to non-Tesla EVs, and by doing so, encourage more drivers to go electric,” and that the company aims to eventually open all Superchargers to all EVs.

Other automakers are also getting into the charging business. Seven major car manufacturers plan to open 30,000 charging stations across the U.S. in the near future as a joint venture under the Ionna brand name. Some of these stations are already open.

EV charge connectors come in various shapes. The DC fast charging Tesla connector is now known as North American Charge Standard (NACS).

Illustration: Chris Philpot

Which Non-Tesla EVs Can Charge at Tesla Superchargers?

It depends on the type of Supercharger and whether your car has an NACS charger or adapter.

Any non-Tesla EV except for the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (which use an incompatible plug standard called CHAdeMO) can currently charge at one of the limited number of Tesla Superchargers that offer a Magic Dock adapter. The Magic Dock enables EVs with a Combined Charging Standard (CCS) plug (on most non-Tesla vehicles) to use Tesla’s chargers, which are designed for its NACS plugs. Currently, only a fraction of Superchargers have Magic Docks, and the majority are in the Northeast. Tesla has said that it plans to install more in the future. Additionally, Magic Dock users must use the Tesla app instead of enjoying the seamless experience of simply plugging in for payment. On Tesla’s map of chargers, Magic Dock Superchargers are listed as “Superchargers Open to Other EVs.”

In 2024, most automakers made announcements that owners of their EVs would have access to more than 15,000 of Tesla’s NACS-equipped Superchargers. For non-Tesla vehicles, these V3 Superchargers will work only with a NACS adapter or on cars with built-in NACS charging ports. You can find these chargers on Tesla’s map listed as “Superchargers Open to NACS.” We tried out NACS adapters on our Ford and Rivian vehicles and found that they’re easy to use and allow for a relatively seamless connection, although the location of the charging port on a car means some vehicles may have to take up multiple spots to charge.

The following automakers have announced that they will adopt Tesla’s NACS charging standard on their upcoming models. This allows owners to plug in at many newer Superchargers even without the Magic Dock, giving them more options when they’re far from home.

• BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce will adopt NACS on their EVs in 2025. Vehicles from those brands will gain access to Tesla Superchargers that same year.

• Ford says that the current F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E are already able to plug into Tesla Superchargers using an adapter and that new EVs will come with NACS charging ports in 2025. Although adapters were initially free for existing owners, they now cost $230. In 2024, Ford warned some customers to stop using the adapters they’d received, as early-build ones could cause damage to a vehicle’s charging port. The automaker says it is sending replacements to those affected by the issue.

Ford’s fast charging adapter.

Photo: Ford

• General Motors (parent company of Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC) said that owners of GM EVs could access Superchargers using an adapter as of Sept. 18, 2024. New vehicles will get built-in NACS charging ports starting in 2025. Owners of existing GM EVs, including the Chevrolet Bolt, Bolt EUV, and Blazer EV; the GMC Hummer EV; and the Cadillac Lyriq can purchase an approved adapter for $225 through their vehicle’s phone app. The automaker says that it is using multiple suppliers to manufacture the adapters, and that they will be available in the U.S. before they go on sale in Canada.

• Honda says it is planning to launch a new EV model in North America in 2025 that will be equipped with the NACS port, and that all future Honda EVs will adopt the NACS standard. EV models launched in North America before 2025 will be equipped with a CCS port and an NACS adapter.

• Hyundai says that owners of existing EVs can now get a free authorized adapter through the MyHyundai vehicle owner website. All new or refreshed Hyundai and Genesis EVs will come exclusively with an NACS port beginning in the last months of 2024 in the U.S., and in early 2025 in Canada. When it goes on sale this fall, the refreshed 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is expected to be the first non-Tesla vehicle equipped with an NACS outlet.

• Jaguar says that it will fit all new EVs with NACS connectors starting in 2025, and will make adapters available for existing I-Pace vehicles.

• Kia says that upcoming new Kia EVs will get a standard NACS connector and that owners of EV6 and EV9 vehicles will get free CCS-to-NACS adapters. Kia EV owners will be able to access and pay at Tesla’s Supercharger network via the Kia Connect app after a software upgrade.

• Mazda says it will adopt the NACS charging ports on electric vehicles launched from 2025 onward.

• Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the U.S. can plug and charge at Supercharger using an adapter as of February 2025. The authorized adapter costs $185 and is sold through Mercedes-Benz dealerships. The automaker says it is still on track to install NACS ports on new cars this year as well. In addition, the automaker is building its own charging stations that will feature NACS and CCS plugs and be open to all types of EVs.

A Mercedes-Benz NACS adapter is available at dealerships for $185.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

• Nissan says that it will adopt NACS for the Ariya and future EV models starting in 2025. Owners of 2024 Ariya vehicles will get an NACS adapter. Unlike the Leaf, the current Ariya already has a CCS charging port.

• Polestar (which, along with Volvo, is owned by Geely) says upcoming Polestar vehicles will have NACS ports installed by default and will get a CCS adapter to use the existing CCS charging infrastructure. Current owners of CCS-equipped Polestars can order an adapter from the automaker.

• Rivian says a free adapter allows the current R1T and R1S to plug in at Superchargers as of March 18, 2024, while 2025 and newer vehicles will get NACS charging ports built in. Owners can order an adapter through an in-car notification.

• Stellantis (parent company of Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Maserati, and Ram) will adopt the NACS connector starting with select models in 2025. During the transition, the automaker will make adapters available for vehicles fitted with the Combined Charging System (CCS) port.

• Toyota says that Toyota and Lexus EVs will have access to Tesla Superchargers and that new Toyota and Lexus vehicles will adopt NACS starting in 2025. Owners of existing Toyota and Lexus EVs will get NACS adapters at that time as well.

• Volkswagen Group of America brands—Audi, Porsche, Scout Motors, and Volkswagen—will implement the NACS standard on vehicles starting in the 2025 model year. The automaker tells CR it is planning to release an adapter to be sold as an accessory at dealerships.

• Volvo says that adapters are now available for existing EVs, and cost $230 ($310 CAD). 2025 model year Volvo EVs will come with a free NACS adapter, and will not have a built-in NACS port.

Due to Supercharger cord length, parking an F-150 Lightning at a Supercharger requires taking up an extra parking space and potentially getting very close to a bollard.

Photo: Keith Barry/Consumer Reports

Can Non-Tesla Cars Charge at Any Supercharger?

No. For automakers that are partnering with Tesla, only about 15,000 of Tesla’s more than 17,000 Supercharger ports will be available to vehicles that have NACS ports or adapters. These include V3 Superchargers, which were installed in 2019 or later, or upcoming V4 Superchargers. Older Superchargers will not work with non-Tesla vehicles.

A Ford Mustang Mach-E and Ford F-150 Lightning charging at a Tesla Supercharger.

Photo: Ford

What About Third-Party NACS-to-CCS Adapters?

Although it’s possible to purchase an NACS-to-CCS adapter made by a third party, we don’t recommend it. Several automakers have told CR that a vehicle’s factory warranty might not cover issues or damage related to using a third-party adapter.

In addition, third-party or aftermarket adapters don’t always have the ability to connect with Tesla’s software. When we tried a third-party adapter on our Ford F-150 Lightning, we had to juggle between the car’s app and the Tesla app to initiate and pay for a charge. On some vehicles, you may not be able to initiate a charge at all. Instead, we recommend waiting for your vehicle’s official adapter to become available.

When Will the Partner Companies Have Access to the Superchargers?

After Ford and Rivian, we expect more automakers to have available NACS adapters through mid-2025. Ford has said that Tesla is the one responsible for developing the necessary NACS-to-CCS adapters. Tesla doesn’t respond to questions from the media, but the company has often missed expected release dates for new products, including the new Tesla Roadster and Cybertruck.

In addition to needing the adapter, automakers are writing new software that allows non-Tesla vehicles to work with the Supercharger software. “You’re going to have a software update in most of these vehicles in order to have the vehicle communicate with the Superchargers,” says Sam Abuelsamid, principal research analyst at consulting firm Guidehouse Insights.

What Will It Be Like to Charge a Non-Tesla at a Supercharger?

In addition to their placement in high-traffic areas, Tesla chargers are extremely easy to use. “When you plug into a Supercharger you don’t have to swipe a card, there’s no screen—you just plug it in and it starts charging, and it charges your account,” Abuelsamid says.

Although there’s no guarantee that non-Tesla owners will have such a seamless experience, our experience so far shows that it’s relatively plug-and-play. But we also found a major physical issue: All Teslas have their charging ports in the same place—on the driver-side rear corner. But in vehicles that have ports in different spots, the cord might not reach unless the driver parks awkwardly. On its website, Tesla acknowledges this issue and says that owners of non-Tesla EVs “might have to park over the line in order to charge comfortably” and asks them to try to obstruct as few charge posts as possible. Newer V4 Superchargers are being designed to reach more EVs from more brands.

Vehicles from GM's Cadillac brand will come with built-in NACS ports starting in 2025.

Photo: Cadillac

How Much Will It Cost to Charge a Non-Tesla at a Supercharger?

There are two potential costs here: the price of an adapter and the cost of charging. Currently, most adapters cost around $200. As far as charging is concerned, Tesla says that Tesla owners will get the lowest rate at a Supercharger, while non-Tesla owners will pay Tesla rates if they pay $13 per month for a Supercharging Membership.

In practice, rates differ depending on the station. As of September 2024, charging a non-Tesla at a Supercharger without a membership isn’t cheap: Locations with Magic Docks near CR’s Auto Test Center in Connecticut tend to cost around 55 cents per kWh. That’s similar to Electrify America, which charges 56 cents per kWh without a monthly subscription.

How Fast Will Cars With CCS Plugs Charge at Superchargers?

It depends on the car. When we tested a Ford and a Rivian, we saw charging speeds comparable to how quickly those same vehicles would charge at public DC fast chargers from other networks.

In our tests of non-Tesla vehicles at a few of the small number of Magic Dock-equipped Superchargers already out there, we found that non-Tesla EVs charged at a slower rate at Superchargers than they are claimed to be capable of charging at other DC fast chargers. For example, the Mercedes-Benz EQE we charged never went above 76 kilowatts, even though it is rated for 170 kW. That means it would take more than twice as long—over 45 minutes—to charge from 20 percent to 80 percent at a Supercharger as it would with another DC fast charger.

In addition, owners will be limited to charging at the speeds their vehicles can handle, even if those speeds are slower than what the Supercharger offers. That means some non-Tesla vehicles will charge more slowly than others. For example, the Chevrolet Bolt has a maximum charge rate of 55 kW, even though some Superchargers can charge up to 250 kW.

Because Tesla chargers are rated at 480 volts, vehicles with 800-volt charging infrastructure won’t be able to charge as fast as they could at chargers designed for them. These vehicles include the Audi E-Tron GT; Genesis GV60, Electrified GV70, and Electrified G80; Hyundai Ioniq 5; Kia EV6; Kia EV9; Lucid Air; and Porsche Taycan. The Lucid Air we tested was limited to a 49-kW rate, which meant it would take well over an hour to add 200 miles of range, instead of the 12 minutes Lucid claims under ideal conditions at a different charger.

However, there aren’t as many 800-volt fast chargers out there as there are Superchargers, so owners of 800-volt-equipped vehicles will still benefit from the increased charger availability.

The NACS charging port on a 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Photo: Hyundai

What Does Opening Up the Supercharger Network Mean for Tesla Owners?

As hundreds of thousands of EVs gain access to Superchargers, Tesla owners may find themselves waiting in longer lines, or waiting for a vehicle to stop blocking multiple spaces. “It does limit the competitive advantage on charging for Tesla owners,” says Chris Harto, a senior policy analyst for transportation and energy at CR.

There has been little friction in countries where Tesla Superchargers already offer CCS access, says Shelley Francis, DrPH, co-founder and managing partner of EVNoire, an organization that advises businesses and governments on EV adoption, and co-founder of EVHybridNoire, which represents diverse EV drivers and enthusiasts.

“In speaking to our members in the U.S. who are Tesla drivers, it’s definitely a concern,” she says. “However, in speaking to members and Tesla drivers in Europe where CCS ports are open to other brands, it didn’t seem to present the disruption that many thought would come.”

Both ChargePoint and Electrify America have announced plans to expand NACS availability at their stations in the future, as well, so current Tesla owners will have more stations to choose from. That will be a benefit to them only if those charging companies get their acts together and improve reliability, Abuelsamid says. “Hopefully the competition from Tesla will incentivize those other companies to do a better job,” he says.

Do Other Automakers Have Their Own Chargers?

BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis (parent company of Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, and Ram) announced that they plan to open 30,000 DC fast chargers across the U.S. and Canada by 2030 as part of a joint venture under the Ionna brand name. These chargers will be open to all EVs with NACS or CCS ports, regardless of manufacturer.

A handful of “Chargeries" are already open. The automakers involved with the project say that future chargers will be located in high-traffic areas, feature multiple chargers per station, and have both NACS and CCS chargers available. Like Tesla’s Superchargers, they will be designed to work reliably and without apps or payment cards.

What About Buying a Car That Uses CCS?

Although buying a car with a built-in NACS port will get you access to some Tesla chargers without an adapter, CCS isn’t going away anytime soon. “It seems like CCS will still be supported for a good while on most charging networks that already supported it,” Harto says. “Most new, non-Tesla charging infrastructure seems like it will now have both ports.”

Regardless of manufacturer, Tesla’s brand recognition could definitely rub off on vehicles with Supercharger access, Francis says. “The perceived simplicity of the Tesla charging network could be a great selling point for all brands utilizing the NACS,” she says.

Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2025, Consumer Reports, Inc.

2023-07-12T20:30:49Z