What’s the Latest on the BMW NACS Adapter?

When BMW announced last year that its electric vehicles would soon have access to Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network, fans and future owners of BMW’s electric vehicles were thrilled. Opening up this popular charging network, accessible by over 2,700 Supercharger stations across the U.S., represented a big step toward a better charging experience. However, recent developments have revealed a slight delay in the timeline for BMW’s network access plans.

Originally slated for early 2025, BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce EVs will now take a bit longer to integrate with Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS). The decision came down to ensuring a smooth transition without compromising user experience. BMW wants to avoid the frustrations that come with incomplete software or hardware, choosing instead to hold back until everything is up to standard.

A Certified Adapter to Bridge the Gap

An essential part of this integration is the certified adapter that will enable BMW EVs currently equipped with the Combined Charging System (CCS) to use NACS. According to a BMW of North America spokesperson, this BMW-certified adapter is set for release later in 2025, with plans for new EVs to include the adapter directly once it’s available.

“The adapter will become available when we gain access to the network,” the BMW spokesperson told BMWBLOG. “At that point the BMW certified adapter will be made available to BMW BEV drivers and new vehicles will be delivered with the adapter.”

In the meantime, BMW has advised its EV customers to use CCS1 and J1772-equipped charging stations. These stations remain widely accessible and compatible with BMW’s EVs, ensuring that drivers still have solid charging options as they await Supercharger compatibility.

Neue Klasse EVs and Future Compatibility

Looking to the future, BMW’s Neue Klasse (NK) platform could mean the end of adapters altogether. Models based on this dedicated EV architecture will likely support NACS natively, eliminating the need for a CCS-to-NACS adapter. The first NCAR-based electric vehicle will arrive next year – the NA5 iX3 – followed shortly after by the NA0 i3.

BMW’s next-generation Neue Klasse models are just the beginning of an expansive electric lineup, with at least six models expected by 2028. Meanwhile, other electric SUVs like the iX5, iX6, and iX7 are also in the works, though they’ll run on the CLAR platform.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Source: BMW BLOG