Stellantis to Join Electric Vehicle Charging Port Transition, Disregards Partnership with Tesla

In a surprising move in the electric vehicle (EV) market, Stellantis, the Transnational Autogroup, has adopted its competitors’ moves to ensure compatibility with Tesla’s charging stations. However, Stellantis’ approach to this widely recognized transition has been noted for its uniqueness.

Firstly, according to Electrek, Stellantis is not referring to the charging port universalization reference in the Tesla recognized NACS code, but by its standardized SAE J3400 code. This move seemingly distances Stellantis from Tesla, which has developed the charging port standard and made it accessible for intellectual property use since 2022. Stellantis will start equipping its new North American market EV models with this type of connector from 2025 and model year 2026. Car brands popular in North America, such as Jeep, Chrysler, RAM, and Dodge, are under the Stellantis umbrella.

The underlying reasons for Stellantis’s independence from Tesla become apparent upon reviewing the company’s accompanying statements. Stellantis disclosed plans for an IONNA charging station network across North America, in participation with BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai/KIA, and Mercedes-Benz. All these companies are set to ensure compatibility of their new EVs with Tesla’s North American charging stations starting from 2025, although some may expedite this transition by using adapters. Nevertheless, Stellantis does not claim compatibility with Tesla’s charging network, choosing instead to focus on the IONNA charging station network development in collaboration with its partners. These stations will house cables with both CCS and NACS connectors.