Networks Ban "Unauthorized" Charging Adapters

In the coming years, charging is going to go through a transformation as the industry standardizes and switches to the NACS. During the transition, there’s going to be some fragmentation of the charging infrastructure in North America, especially for DC Charging. As we know, Tesla’s supercharger network is vast and far reaching; CCS networks have closed the gap, but now that the NACS will more than likely replace it, adapters are going to become integral to the availability of charging networks down the line. For some networks, safety concerns are now front and center, and they’re already taking action.

Electrify America and EVgo have already implemented bans on 3rd party adapters that weren't made by automakers. This mainly comes down to safety. DC Charging deals with high power and cheaply made adapters can pose a threat to the user, the vehicle, and the charging equipment. This is why these two networks have declared non OEM adapters are not allowed. EVgo responded to an inquiry by InsideEVs and returned this statement:

“The decision to call this out specifically and require “Authorized Adapters” is for safety reasons – we have seen unauthorized adapters for CCS to NACS not contain a locking mechanism for the latch, which would allow removal during a charge, which is a serious safety concern for arc flash. There is also concern of the quality of construction of these unofficial adapters, as neither the vehicle or the charger are aware of the presence of such an adapter and will not limit the current because of it (Tesla’s adapter is rated at the full current and charge curves of their vehicles). A poorly made adapter could be at risk of thermal overload (or worse) if it is subjected to high currents for extended periods.”

If you are looking for one, it would be best to go with your OEM solution, as the potential dangers of unauthorized adapters vastly outweigh the costs for one upfront.