Lucid Group, an American electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer known for producing luxury vehicles, has announced its decision to adopt the Tesla-developed North American Charging Standard (NACS) for its eco-friendly battery-powered vehicles. Lucid’s planned transition from the existing CCS1 charging inlet to the NACS inlet in the North American region is set to commence in the year of 2025. During this transition, the company will integrate NACS into its upcoming EVs. To enable existing CCS1-compatible vehicles to utilize the NACS charging infrastructure, the company will provide an adaptor. This strategic move will grant all Lucid-branded EVs, both new and older models, access to Tesla's world-famous extensive Supercharging network. As per available information, the tesla Supercharger network is comprised of more than 15,000 charging stalls across North America.

The American automaker’s decision to adopt tesla’s NACS is not surprising at all as it aligns with the prevailing industry trend, which effectively signals the eventual outmodedness of CCS1 and the J1772 AC plug. The automaker was initially hesitant to make the switch from the CCS1 to the NACS due to concerns over supporting high-voltage battery systems (800-1,000 volts). It may be noted here that Tesla's Superchargers currently operate at voltages of around 500 volts, posing limitations for fast charging Lucid EVs and other high-voltage EVs.

However, those concerns appear to have been resolved, with various manufacturers, including those emphasizing high-voltage battery systems like Hyundai Motor Group, embracing NACS. The introduction of Tesla's 1,000 V configuration for the NACS connector in November last year further cemented this transition.

Peter Rawlinson, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lucid, emphasized the value of adopting NACS as a crucial step in providing customers with expanded access to reliable and convenient charging solutions. The top executive went on to state that he anticipated a nationwide deployment of higher-voltage NACS chargers as an incentive for consumers to embrace EVs.

Speaking on the topic, Rawlinson said, “Adopting NACS is an important next step to providing our customers with expanded access to reliable and convenient charging solutions for their Lucid vehicles. We believe that a unified charging standard, backed by the nationwide rollout of future-ready higher-voltage charging stations, will be a critical step in empowering American consumers to adopt electric vehicles.”

While a number of automakers have already adopted or have committed to adopt the NACS, a few prominent brands, including the Volkswagen Group and Stellantis, are yet to make an official announcement regarding this transition.