Toyota to Adopt Tesla's Charging Network, Full Integration Expected by 2025

Toyota Motor revealed it will join the electric charging network of Tesla by adopting the EV maker’s charging connector. The Japanese automaker said it expects the full adoption to start in 2025.

Toyota Motor said on Thursday, Oct. 19, it will take on Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug connector in over a year. The company said that existing Toyota electric cars with the Combined Charging System (CCS) plug can use an adapter to recharge at any Tesla EV charging station.

Toyota and Tesla’s EV Agreement

According to Associated Press News, Toyota Motor’s new deal with Tesla Inc. will give owners of electric vehicles access to the latter’s more than 12,000 plugs around North America. The companies’ agreement comes not long after South Korean carmakers Hyundai and Kia and Germany’s BMW declared their respective plans to adopt Elon Musk’s EV brand’s chargers.

The addition of Toyota Motor to the growing list of vehicle manufacturers joining Tesla’s Supercharger network shows that other car brands covet the system. This is probably because Musk’s company has more direct fast-charging plugs across the United States than any other network.

Benefits of Access to Tesla’s Superchargers in the US

Joining the network allows drivers of EVs to have access to many charging stations along their routes, so there is less worry about running out of batteries. This means they can travel with ease, even for a long-distance trip.

Starting in 2025, all Toyota and Lexus EVs can now charge their vehicles on Tesla Superchargers in North America. The brands will install NACS ports in their units to make the charging possible.

“Toyota will incorporate the NACS ports into certain Toyota and Lexus BEVs starting in 2025, including the all-new, three-row, battery-electric Toyota SUV that will be assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK),” Toyota Motor said in a press release. “Additionally, customers owning or leasing applicable Toyota and Lexus vehicles equipped with the Combined Charging System (CCS) will be offered access to an adapter to enable NACS charging starting in 2025.”

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