- Nissan's NACS to CCS charging adapter includes an extra piece in the box.
- Unlike any automaker with Tesla Supercharger access in the U.S., the Ariya EV needs an extra plastic piece.
- It's easy to install and never has to be extracted.
Updated with statements from Nissan.
Nissan Ariya EV owners in the United States will get access to roughly 17,800 Tesla Supercharger DC fast chargers next Tuesday. That’s a pretty big deal, and it comes as an addition to the Electrify America, the Shell Recharge branded network, ChargePoint and EVgo networks that Nissan Ariya owners in the U.S. already had access to via MyNISSAN smartphone app.
The Japanese electric crossover is just the latest to join the growing list of EVs that can use Tesla’s Supercharger network, which is widely considered one of the best in the business–if not the best.
However, what sets Nissan apart from all the other automakers that have inked deals with Tesla for Supercharger access is the design of the Ariya’s charge port. Because of the negative space between the two DC pins at the bottom of the port, Ariya owners will need to install a black piece of plastic before using an NACS to CCS adapter.
The T-shaped plastic bit is included in the $235 adapter box sold by Nissan, as noticed by The Verge, and owners can install it by hand and forget about it. In a statement sent to InsideEVs, Nissan said the "adapter kit enables activation of the locking mechanism on a Tesla Supercharger to CCS port during a charging session. The plug adapter does not affect the overall functionality of the port, nor does it interfere with charging at a CCS station."
Here’s what the Nissan Ariya’s CCS port looks like. Notice the hollow space between the two DC pins at the bottom. Next to it is the NACS to CCS adapter sold by Nissan.
And here’s what the CCS ports of the Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning look like. Notice how the DC pins are separated by a solid piece of plastic.
You can see how the whole thing works in Nissan’s explainer video below.
The adapter sold by Nissan looks identical to the one offered by Rivian, Ford and General Motors, but the extra plastic piece is only included in the Nissan box. Interestingly, the Ariya sold in the United Kingdom and Australia has a different design of the CCS port–it’s CCS2 instead of CCS1, but the DC pins at the bottom don’t have a hollow space between them, just a solid piece of plastic. On these right-hand drive units, the charge port is also on the left side of the vehicle, whereas U.S.-spec models have the port on the right.
The Japanese automaker added that the Ariya's CCS1 port "was designed with a void in this area due to a different manufacturing process. However, Nissan took the additional step to modify the charge port to ensure that current Ariya customers have access to the Tesla Supercharger network."
It’s intriguing, to say the least. What’s your take on this?
