In late June of 2023, Volvo made an announcement with big implications for EV charging infrastructure in the U.S. and beyond. The nature of that announcement? The automaker was linking up with Tesla’s network of Superchargers. “One major inhibitor to more people making the shift to electric driving — a key step in making transportation more sustainable — is access to easy and convenient charging infrastructure,” Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan said at the time.
When Volvo made that announcement, it stated that Volvo drivers would be able to use Tesla’s network “from the first half of 2024.” Turns out the year was correct but the specific timing was not; instead, as Engadget’s Kris Holt reports, Volvos will instead be able to plug in at a Supercharger beginning on November 18.
There are a few other caveats instead — including the fact that Volvos require an NACS adapter in order to work at a Supercharger location. Customers can order them through Volvo at a cost of $230.00; Holt also reports that adapters will be included with several Volvo electric vehicles beginning with the 2025 model year. According to Engadget, drivers will be able to use the Volvo Cars app to find and pay for charging sessions while on the go.
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Not all of the automaker’s adapters are affectedOverall, this sounds like a positive step for EV adoption. Rowan’s earlier comments were spot-on: if charging infrastructure isn’t there, drivers aren’t going to consider electric vehicles. And while some automakers have had metaphorical bumps in the road when it comes to adapters, one hopes Volvo’s rollout of this technology goes smoothly.
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