Is The Polestar 2 Compatible With Tesla Charging Stations?
Polestar cars are gaining access to one of the biggest EV charger networks in the U.S., though drivers of the current Polestar 2 should hold off before they set a Supercharger as their next destination. While the fastback EV currently offers a CCS charging port, that's all set to change in one of the biggest electric segment shakeups we've seen since the days of CHAdeMO.
While it's best known as being the charging port used on Tesla vehicles, the North American Charging Standard — or NACS — is now an open standard. Back in November 2022, Tesla opted to open up the tech it had developed for the connector to any other company that wanted to use it. Standards body SAE International then opted to fast-track the formulation of a definitive standard based on NACS to ensure proper cross-compatibility.
Since then, we've seen automakers, big and small, announce they'll be switching to NACS on their electric vehicles in North America. Polestar joined that club in late June of this year, but the lure for potential EV buyers isn't just the plug they'll be connecting but the chargers they'll be compatible with. As well as NACS, Polestar also confirmed that drivers of its cars would be getting Supercharger access, too.
Get ready for the age of adapters
From 2025, new Polestar EVs sold in North America will have the NACS port rather than the current CCS port. So that drivers of those vehicles won't be locked out of other charging networks, Polestar will include a CCS adapter, allowing them to be still plugged in. Tesla already offers such an adapter to drivers of its EVs.
Confusing matters slightly is the fact that Polestar EVs won't require the NACS connector in order to use a Supercharger. Polestar will also offer a NACS to CCS adapter, allowing its existing EVs to work with Tesla's charging stations. Indeed, the Supercharger agreement applies to both current Polestar drivers and those buying an EV from the company in the future.
That doesn't mean, though, that a Polestar 2 driver can pull up at a Tesla Supercharger today and expect to start fast charging. The adapter won't be made available until mid-2024, Polestar has said, and without that, the physical connection isn't possible. Even if a third-party adapter was available, actually initiating charging will require software, presumably meaning registering with the Tesla app once the full enabling update is rolled out.