- In a first outside of North America, Sony Honda Mobility will bring the North American Charging Standard (NACS) port to its upcoming AFEELA EV, even on models destined for the Japanese market.
- Japan already stands out, with Teslas and Tesla Superchargers in the country making use of NACS, instead of the charging standard widely used in the country, CHAdeMO.
- Sony Honda Mobility will therefore be the second EV brand in Japan to use NACS, after Tesla.
NACS: Not only for North America
The news comes from an agreement between Sony Honda Mobility and Tesla, which will result in its future AFEELA EV using the NACS port when it is brought to both the North American and Japanese markets. With Tesla offering CHAdeMO adaptors in Japan, so Teslas can make use of the other such charging stations in the country, it’s likely that Sony Honda Mobility will also offer this with the AFEELA.
Even though NACS was originally designed for North America, as its name suggests, it’ll be one to watch if other countries, particularly island nations, also adopt the standard, with the lack of cross-border travel making the solution more viable. In case you haven’t heard of the joint EV venture between Sony and Honda, it’ll work with Honda supplying the automotive knowhow, while Sony leverages its technological expertise. With the AFEELA set to be loaded with tech, and have software that runs on the same engine used by popular video games, think of it as a PlayStation on wheels. The first AFEELA EVs are set to be delivered to the North American market in the spring of 2026, with Japanese deliveries commencing soon after.
Yasuhide Mizuno, Representative Director, Chairman and CEO of Sony Honda Mobility, commented:
“Sony Honda Mobility is committed to pursuing value creation centered around people for driving pleasure and an entertaining in-car experience. We prioritize customer convenience even in charging and have decided to adopt NACS. We sincerely thank Tesla for providing us the opportunity to adopt NACS as well as their latest and advanced technology-equipped V3 and V4 Superchargers for AFEELA.”
Max de Zegher, Director of Charging at Tesla, added:
“Tesla Superchargers represent the largest global network, with 60,000 Superchargers and growing. In Japan, 90% of 150kW+ chargers are Superchargers. True to Tesla’s mission, we also want to be helpful to companies going electric, and improve charging experiences for all EV drivers. That’s why we’re excited to see the North American Charging Standard (NACS) gaining traction in Japan, and we welcome Sony Honda Mobility as the first automaker to join the movement.”
