Taking a road trip in a General Motors-built electric car just got a lot more convenient. EVs made by Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac are now compatible with Tesla’s Supercharger charging stations, though drivers will need to purchase an adapter before they can start plugging in.
Opening the Supercharger network to General Motors-built EVs adds over 17,800 charging stations to the list of places where drivers can stop and charge. This should take some of the stress out of taking an EV on a long trip, as Tesla’s Supercharger stations are scattered across the nation and built in strategic locations. Tesla notes that a Supercharger is capable of adding up to 200 miles of range in about 15 minutes.
However, you can’t simply park, say, a Chevrolet Bolt in front of a Supercharger and plug in. The charging cable isn’t compatible with the charging port that General Motors puts in its cars, so owners will need to purchase an adapter priced at $225. The part will be distributed via a mobile app that will also let EV owners locate available Tesla Supercharger stations, check the station’s status, and pay for electricity.
It sounds like the adapter will be compatible with every EV that General Motors-owned brands have built to date. This includes vehicles like the GMC Hummer EV, the Cadillac Lyriq, and the Chevrolet Blazer EV. General Motors plans to make the adapter obsolete by fitting its cars with a Supercharger-compatible charging port directly on the assembly line, though production isn’t scheduled to start until 2025.
General Motors isn’t the only brand that has recently adopted Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS); Carmakers are setting aside their rivalries in the name of customer service. Long reserved for Tesla drivers, the Supercharger network can now be used to charge cars from Ford, Rivian, Honda, and Volvo. Charging network operator Electrify America plans to integrate Tesla’s NACS plug as well.
