The task of using public charging has become a lot more convenient for owners of electric vehicles from Honda and its more premium Acura brand. A new Honda-approved adapter is now available from dealerships for both brands, as well as through Honda’s DreamShop online store for genuine parts. The automaker warns that any damage caused by using an unapproved adapter may not be covered under the vehicle’s warranty.
The adapter enables Tesla’s proprietary charging connector, known as NACS (North American Charging Standard), to connect with the CCS charging ports of the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX EVs. It costs $225, which is similar to what some other brands’ adapters cost, and serves as a stopgap measure until Honda and Acura begin introducing NACS as the native charging port on their EVs. The changeover is expected to start later this year for EVs delivered to the US and Canada, though Honda and Acura haven’t provided specifics.
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Acura
- Founded
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March 27, 1986
- Founder
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Soichiro Honda
- Headquarters
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Torrance, CA, USA
- Owned By
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American Honda Motor Company
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Honda
- Founded
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24 September 1948
- Founder
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Soichiro Honda
- Headquarters
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Hamamatsu, Japan
- Owned By
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Publicly Traded
Access To More Than 23,500 Tesla Superchargers
Honda first announced plans to support the NACS charging connector in 2023. The move makes access to Tesla’s vast charging network seamless and convenient for Honda and Acura EV owners. Virtually all major brands selling EVs in North America have announced plans to adopt the standard. Some have already started launching vehicles with NACS ports, like Hyundai with the latest Ioniq 5 (the first non-Tesla EV with the port) and Lucid with the Gravity.
Tesla Superchargers represent a little more than half of all DC fast chargers in the US, and Honda says there are currently more than 23,500 available to Honda and Acura EV owners. Tesla agreed to provide access to rival brands in a deal made with the White House in 2023.
Locations can be found via the built-in Google Maps, and initially, the Tesla app will be required to use the chargers. Honda is currently working on integrating Tesla’s charging system with its HondaLink and Acura EV apps as well as with plug-and-charge in its EVs.
Honda is also rolling out its own DC fast chargers in a partnership with BMW, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis. The partnership, known as Ionna, opened its first locations earlier this year. Ionna’s network is open to EVs with both CCS and NACS connectors and is expected to grow to 30,000 fast chargers across the country by 2030.
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Next-Generation Honda And Acura EVs In The Pipeline
Both Honda and Acura are readying their next-generation EVs, based on a dedicated EV platform developed in-house (the Prologue and ZDX use a platform borrowed from GM). Acura has already teased the first of its new EVs – a coupe-like crossover that will revive the RSX nameplate. It’s due later this year.
Honda has much more ambitious plans, as it will introduce a whole new family of EVs known as the 0 Series, the first member of which will be a midsize SUV. A sedan with a radical shape is also planned. The SUV is due first, and while it was originally meant to launch in 2026, there are rumblings it may be pushed back by a year as Honda focuses on meeting rising demand for hybrids. A large SUV being developed with the U.S. market in mind may have also been axed.
While no performance details have been confirmed, an early 0 Series test vehicle unveiled last year packed a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain rated at approximately 480 hp, along with air suspension, and a new stability system incorporating 3D gyro sensors derived from the company’s ASIMO robot family. The ASIMO name will also be used for an in-house operating system that will feature across the 0 Series lineup.
Sources: Honda
