Like basically everyone else at this point, Mercedes-Benz is also embracing Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), allowing its line of electric vehicles (EVs) to be compatible with the Supercharger network of public fast chargers.
Mercedes just announced when its EVs will actually be compatible. It’s the traditional method of operating, similar to what others have been doing: owners will be granted an adapter to convert their existing Combined Charging System (CCS) port to the more efficient NACS protocol. Mercedes will also update the Mercedes me mobile app, which syncs with the car, allowing owners to find Superchargers on the go. Here’s the full rundown on how and when this is all going to happen.
It All Starts Next Month, But Only For American Mercedes Owners
Starting in February 2025 (no exact date has been confirmed), all existing Mercedes EVs, essentially all models wearing the EQ nomenclature, will be able to connect to a Tesla Supercharger under the condition that the cars are equipped with a CCS to NACS adapter.
If you own a Mercedes electric vehicle, the carmaker says that you can head directly to your dealer where you can purchase one for $185. Mercedes stresses the fact that only this adapter is tested and certified for safe compatibility. In other words, beware of cheap, shady copies you can find online. From Mercedes-Benz USA CEO, Dimitris Psillakis:
As our technologically advanced and highly compelling all-electric vehicle portfolio continues to grow, we recognize that a critical component for a seamless ownership experience for our customers is to ensure convenient access to a broad charging network. Adopting the NACS standard in our electric vehicles and opening the Tesla Supercharger network to our battery electric vehicle customers represents an important step forward as we continue to build a strong foundation to bring additional, game-changing all-electric vehicles to the market. Together with our fantastic dealer partners, we remain committed to reimagining the future of mobility and setting the benchmark in the luxury segment.
Mercedes says that all of its EVs will be compatible with more than 20,000 Tesla Superchargers in the U.S. and Canada, but only for American Mercedes owners. At least, for now. Canadian EV owners will be disappointed to find out that they’ll need to wait until the end of the year to connect their car to a Supercharger. At the moment of writing this article, Mercedes-Benz Canada had no further details to provide related to this decision. There’s also still no fixed price for the adapter in Canada.
When Can We Expect Mercedes To Integrate An NACS Charge Port At The Factory?
Ever since the South Korean carmakers – Hyundai, Kia and Genesis – showed up at the LA Auto show with new or updated models equipped with NACS charge ports at the factory, the race is on for other carmakers to catch up on this technology as well. General Motors announced late last year that the first of its EVs to come off the assembly line with an integrated NACS port will arrive in early 2026. But what about Mercedes-Benz?
The German carmaker says that as soon as this year, it will begin integrating NACS into its electric vehicles. However, Mercedes gave no timeline as to when that will happen, nor which model will have it first. That said, everything points to the upcoming, all-electric CLA, which should be reveiled soon.
The benefits of converting an EV to the NACS protocol go well beyond the vast availability of Tesla Superchargers. It’s also a way to standardize all EVs under one roof. See it as the equivalent of what USB did in the electronics sector.
NACS also offers the benefit of instantly detecting your car once you approach it, meaning you don’t need to worry about memberships, apps, credit cards or other pain points EV owners have had to deal with while charging. Once everything is set up and paid for in your Supercharger account, the charger takes care of the rest. Finally, the NACS connector itself is smaller, lighter, with a more flexible cable, especially in cold weather, further easing operation.
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