An Official Tesla CCS Adapter Lands In South Korea This Month
One challenge with the electric vehicle charging infrastructure today is that there are multiple charging standards. With multiple charging standards, there are multiple charging connectors. That means that owners of electric vehicles, such as those from Tesla, need to use adapters to convert various charge plugs to work with their automobiles.
One common charging standard available in Europe and the US via third-party networks is called CCS. In the past, Tesla offered an adapter for Europe that converted CCS to Type 2, the standard charging connector in Europe. However, Tesla didn't release an adapter that connected to its proprietary charger to convert CCS charging stations to work with its vehicles.
Tesla's proprietary charging connector is used for vehicles sold in North America and some other markets. With a different standard plug and the lack of a CCS adapter, some owners in North America were unable to use third-party charging networks based on the CCS standard. CCS is what Electrify America uses, and it's one of the largest charging networks in the US.
Previously, Tesla told owners of its vehicles in Korea that it would launch an official CCS adapter in the first half of 2021. That launch date came and went without the adapter being available. However, Tesla has been sending an email to owners in South Korea promising the CCS adapter would launch this month.
According to the email sent out to owners in South Korea, the CCS Combo 1 adapter can be used with the Model 3 and Model Y. It won't be usable for owners of the Model S and Model X. The adapter will be made available to owners with preferential purchase tickets on October 19. It will be available via the Tesla Shop on October 26. Tesla did warn that the exact availability dates could change depending on customs. The price will be about $250.