The BMW Group announced today that it has joined the growing ranks of automakers that will adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug style championed by Tesla in the electric and electrified vehicles it sells in North America.
That means that starting in early 2025, vehicles sold by BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce will come from the factory with the ability to use the same charging stations as Tesla vehicles. In addition, they will be able to find Supercharger locations through their vehicle display, and owners will be able to make associated payments through their brand’s app.
“With six fully electric BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce models now available in the U.S. market, and more to come, it is our top priority to ensure that our drivers have easy access to reliable, fast charging,” said Sebastian Mackensen, President & CEO, BMW of North America. “This agreement is the latest in our longstanding and continued effort to expand charging options for our customers as we continue on the road to electrification.”
Read: Hyundai, Genesis, Kia Hop On Tesla’s Charging Bandwagon Starting In 2024
The decision only affects vehicles sold in the United States and Canada. In Europe, the Combined Charging System (CCS) style plug will continue to be used by the automaker, as its use is mandated for customer convenience.
The BMW Group joins several of its competitors, and a slowly growing majority of automakers, who plan to adopt the NACS plug for their EVs in the near future. Ford was the first automaker to announce that it would adopt the charging standard, before being joined by GM, Rivian, Volvo, Mercedes, Nissan, Jaguar, the Hyundai Group, and more.
The NACS plug got a head start in the U.S. and Canada thanks to Tesla’s early lead in the EV space. Its simple charge ports have also proven to be highly reliable, something that other charging providers have struggled with.
BMW says that its decision to adopt the NACS plug is independent of its decision to join a team of six automakers who are launching a joint venture charging network in North America. It hopes to have 30,000 new chargers in the near future, and to use both the NACS and CCS plugs.