Tesla Supercharger network gains another partner as Rivian signs on

Another domino has fallen in the EV charging wars, with Tesla (TSLA) again getting closer to its ultimate goal — becoming the default charging standard in the US.

On Tuesday, Rivian (RIVN) was the latest automaker to announce a deal to access Tesla’s Supercharger network in the US and Canada, starting in the spring of 2024. An adapter will be available for Rivian vehicles, which come equipped with the CCS charge port, to use Tesla’s network that utilizes the company’s NACS (North American Charging Standard) plug. In 2025, Rivian says future R1 vehicles and its upcoming R2 platform will incorporate the NACS as standard, meaning native support for Tesla’s Supercharger network.

“We’re excited to work with Tesla and to see collaborations like this help advance the world toward carbon neutrality,” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in a statement. “The adoption of the North American Charging Standard will enable our existing and future customers to leverage Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network.”

Scaringe noted that the Rivian Adventure Network, the company’s own charging network that will eventually have over 3,500 fast chargers at more than 600 sites, is still slated to happen. Whether the network will use CCS plugs or NACS plugs is something worth watching.

“It’s great to see the industry coming together to adopt the North American Charging Standard. By doing so, we’re collectively ensuring all EV drivers have access to easy to use, reliable charging hardware,” said Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s Senior Director of Charging Infrastructure, in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming Rivian owners to thousands of our Superchargers across North America.” Tesla currently has more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the United States and Canada.

Tesla’s deal with Rivian follows two prior agreements that Tesla signed with GM and Ford in the past few weeks. Similar to the Rivian deal, GM and Ford will gain access to the Supercharger Network starting next year with the use of an adapter, and by 2025, both Ford and GM cars will have Tesla’s NACS connector built-in.

A third partner now joining Tesla potentially makes its NACS connector on the path to becoming the default standard in the US, which Tesla has advocated for since opening up its technical specs for others to use late last year. And there potentially may be others on the way.

Earlier on Tuesday, Hyundai President Jaehoon Chang said during the company’s investor day in Seoul that it too would consider joining the NACS coalition and have its EVs capable of using the Tesla Supercharger network.

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Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on Twitter and on Instagram.

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