- Nissan announced Wednesday that its latest EV is about to gain access to over 17,000 Tesla Superchargers.
- Unfortunately, the older Leaf is left out, as it uses an effectively extinct CHAdeMO plug rather than the more common Combined Charging System connector.
- Ariya drivers will need a $235 adapter from Nissan, which is available for order now.
Nissan Ariya drivers will get access to over 17,000 Tesla Superchargers next week, the automaker announced Tuesday. Unfortunately, the Nissan Leaf and its outdated CHAdeMO plug will be left behind as the automaker transitions to supporting the North American Charging System (NACS) popularized by Tesla.
Ariya will need an adapter to charge at Tesla Superchargers, like all Combined Charging Standard (CCS) cars that can use the network. The adapter costs $235 and is available for order today via a Nissan dealer or Nissanusa.com (don’t ask about Nissan.com). The Supercharger network will open up to Ariyas next Tuesday, December 10. There are no plans to open it up to Nissan Leafs.
I recommend getting your order placed quickly, as adapter supply issues have stunted many automakers’ Supercharger access rollout. While Ford and Rivian owners have been able to plug into Superchargers since the spring, some are still waiting on adapters. Recalls haven’t helped. General Motors EVs got access to America’s largest and most reliable network back in September, and its rollout seems to have gone a bit smoother. I had no trouble getting an adapter for my own Blazer EV.
There’s reason to be optimistic that Nissan’s will go even better. The Ariya just isn’t that popular, which means owners will have less competition for supply-limited adapters. Unlike Ford and Rivian, Nissan, like GM, is also charging for its adapters. That’ll prevent people from snagging one on a whim, and so I wouldn’t expect many delays.
Yet the whole rollout itself was delayed. Tesla fired its Supercharger team back in the spring, and despite rehiring some the shakeup still slowed the rollout. The company produces most of the CCS to NACS adapters offered by other automakers, and GM had to get secondary suppliers to make sure they had enough. GM’s rollout was supposed to come in spring, too, but was delayed until full. So was Polestar and Volvo’s rollout. Nissan comes next, with Hyundai, Kia, VW, BMW, Mercedes and others still to come.
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Many of those owners still don’t know when they’ll be able to use Tesla Superchargers. But if you’re a Nissan Ariya driver, your time has come. Finding reliable charging will get a whole lot easier starting next Tuesday.
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