General Motors said it has updated the software of its electric vehicles so that its customers can finally use Tesla’s Supercharger network.
To gain immediate access, owners of Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC electric vehicles will need to purchase a “GM-approved” Tesla adapter for $225 through each brand’s smartphone app. Future GM vehicles will be equipped with Tesla charging ports.
The announcement comes more than 15 months after General Motors first announced it would use Tesla’s electric vehicle charging plugs in its vehicles. The automaker initially said it expected to complete software coordination with Tesla by “early spring” 2024, but production bottlenecks and layoffs at Tesla delayed that process.
General Motors celebrated the news, noting that its customers will now have access to 17,800 Tesla Superchargers for the first time. In customer surveys, a lack of convenient and reliable charging is often cited as a major barrier to purchasing an electric vehicle. Tesla’s Superchargers are widely regarded as one of the best electric vehicle charging networks in the world.
Starting with Ford last year, nearly every major automaker has publicly committed to the SAE J3400 fast-charging plug, also known as the North American Charging Standard (NACS). The process will begin with a software update so that non-Tesla vehicles can “talk” to Tesla’s Superchargers and use adapters.
GM said it plans to purchase NACS-approved adapters from multiple suppliers. That leaves it relying solely on Tesla, which makes its own adapters at its Gigafactory in Buffalo, N.Y., but production there has been slow. Several other companies also produce NACS adapters, including Lectron and Qmerit.
The automaker says that within the next few years, they will begin producing electric vehicles with NACS ports built directly into the vehicle, allowing them to charge at Tesla charging stations without the need for an adapter.
GM says it plans to purchase NACS-approved adapters from multiple suppliers
GM’s decision to sell the adapter instead of giving it away for free like some other companies may ruffle some feathers. Both Ford and Rivian are offering the adapters for free for a limited time before letting customers purchase them. But GM said it would not offer customers any free period.
GM also updated its branded app to allow customers to search for available Superchargers, check station status, initiate a charge and pay for a charge. Tesla said non-Tesla owners will need to pay a little more for charging than Tesla owners.
Tesla is leading the way in building its own electric vehicle charging network, but other automakers are trying to catch up. GM is also involved in several projects to build new fast electric vehicle chargers, including through the Ionna joint venture with EVgo and a consortium of other automakers.
Following General Motors, Tesla said it would next partner with Volvo, Polestar, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz to provide Supercharging stations to customers.
