Subaru reported Wednesday that it has reached a deal to adopt the Tesla-based charge port, called the North American Charging Standard (NACS), for its future battery electric models due to arrive in the U.S. starting in 2025.
According to Subaru, it will adopt NACS ports on “certain Subaru BEVs launched in North America” beginning that year, while it will keep advancing NACS adoption in subsequent models.
In 2025, it will also start making available an adapter allowing NACS charging for vehicles equipped with the current CCS charge port—permitting access to more than 15,000 Tesla Superchargers in North America, Subaru says, along with other chargers offering the connector by then.
In the shift to NACS, Subaru was one of the last brands standing with CCS. While Ford was first among major automakers shifting to the Tesla charge port back in May, BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia all announced in October. Holdouts include Stellantis and the VW Group.
2023 Subaru Solterra
Subaru’s only electric vehicle is the Solterra, a model closely related to the Toyota bZ4X, and it by no means pushes the capabilities of Tesla Supercharger hardware. With a 150-kw CCS connector, it takes “approximately an hour” to reach 80%, according to Subaru. In a first drive of the Subaru Solterra, Green Car Reports found this model to be remarkably quiet, comfortable, and well-insulated from road noise, although far from sporty.
Subaru Sport Mobility concept
Subaru in August revealed plans to offer up to eight EV models by 2030, with 50% of its sales by then fully electric, including U.S. EV production. That was an abrupt turnaround versus late last year, when the company’s CEO said that U.S. assembly for Subaru EVs was unlikely due to soaring labor costs. At this past week’s Tokyo auto show it hinted at one potential EV—an electric sports car—in its Sport Mobility Concept.
