Get Ready, EV Owners: Here Come the Dongles
If you drive an electric car, brace yourself for some extra gear. Get ready, EV owners: Here come the dongles—and they’re becoming a necessary part of charging life.
Nearly a year ago, GM released an adapter that allowed existing EVs to use Tesla Superchargers with the North American Charging Standard (NACS). It was a game-changer for EV owners who wanted more freedom on the road.
Image Credits:GM
Now, GM is back with three new adapters. While this move opens up even more charging options, it also creates a new challenge: complexity. For households with multiple EVs, keeping track of different dongles could become a headache.
Why So Many Dongles?
A few years ago, most EVs in the U.S. used the Combined Charging System (CCS), except Tesla. But in 2022, Tesla shook things up by opening its charging connector design, now branded as NACS. Automakers quickly jumped on board, and today nearly every brand is either offering adapters or building NACS ports directly into their cars.
This shift is great for long-term standardization, but the transition period is messy. Until all EVs fully support NACS, adapters are the bridge—meaning owners have to carry multiple dongles to cover all charging scenarios.
What GM Is Offering Now
GM’s first NACS-to-CCS adapter solved the fast-charging problem. But now, it’s expanding with:
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NACS-to-CCS for fast charging (already available)
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NACS-to-J1772 for Level 2 charging at home or public stations
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Other adapters designed for varying speeds and charging environments
That means better access to chargers of all kinds—but also more gear in your glove box.
The Bigger Picture: A Standard in Transition
GM has made it clear: the future of its EVs will revolve around NACS. “We believe that moving to that unified standard simplifies the experience for our customers,” said Tim Ash, director of hardware products for GM Energy.
But in the meantime, EV owners are living in a dongle-filled world. Until the industry fully standardizes, the charging experience may feel less streamlined than advertised.
What It Means for EV Drivers
For now, carrying multiple dongles will be part of owning an EV. The upside? You’ll have access to far more chargers than ever before, including Tesla’s vast Supercharger network. The downside? Your charging kit may look like a bag full of adapters.
Still, this period of overlap is temporary. Within a few years, as automakers fully transition to NACS, the dongle chaos should fade—leaving EV owners with a simpler, universal charging experience.
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