Nissan requires an additional aspect to link the Ariya to Tesla Superchargers.
What am I putting this plastic tab into?
Nissan has released a tutorial video aimed at owners of the Ariya model, demonstrating the necessary steps to use a Tesla NACS adapter with their vehicle. Surprisingly, the video includes a peculiar instruction: to insert a small piece of plastic into the car's CCS port before connecting the adapter.
The Ariya is Nissan's first electric vehicle equipped with a CCS port, and the automaker recently activated the vehicle's ability to connect to the extensive Tesla Supercharger network in October. Other brands have also opted for Tesla’s NACS standard, with manufacturers like Ford and Rivian already offering adapters for electric vehicle owners. However, unlike these models, the Ariya requires an additional step that may confuse users.
According to the tutorial, the NACS adapter provided by Nissan includes a "plug adapter" that must be installed in a sandglass-shaped cavity located between the two DC pins at the bottom before charging at NACS-compatible fast charging stations. Nissan emphasizes that this process is "simple" and requires no tools. However, it is necessary to use the adapter offered by the company or purchase it from a U.S. dealership, which could limit compatibility with other third-party alternatives, such as the Lectron adapter, which has recently been pulled from the market.
An interesting aspect of the Ariya's charging port is that, despite being a standard used in many CCS fast charging stations, there is an empty space between the direct current pins at the bottom that is usually absent in other electric vehicles. The piece of plastic that Nissan suggests inserting into this opening serves to fill the gap, making it resemble other CCS ports more closely. So far, there has been no response from Nissan regarding the purpose of this opening and the necessity of the insert.
Nissan's other electric model is the Leaf, which uses the CHAdeMO standard, which is quite outdated today, and it is unlikely to obtain an adapter to connect to the Tesla Supercharger network, although there are some CHAdeMO to CCS adapters available.
Owning electric vehicles is already complex, filled with competing standards, problematic software, and significant confusion. In a way, Nissan has incorporated an additional step that leaves customers dealing with multiple pieces of plastic just to ensure that their $40,000 electric SUV operates correctly.
