Volkswagen Canada’s Tesla Charging Adapter Costs $300

Volkswagen has joined the ranks of automakers slowly transitioning its fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) onto the North American Charging Standard (NACS) port. Better known as the Tesla plug, drivers of the ID.4 and ID. Buzz will soon be able to charge at more locations.

As of November 18, Volkswagen Canada will start selling an adapter that allows vehicles it sold that use the Combined Charging Standard (CCS) port, to plug into certain charging stations that are part of the Tesla Supercharger network.

While the adapter will no doubt be a welcome arrival for Volkswagen owners, allowing them charge at more locations, it may not give them access to every Tesla Supercharger plug in the country, of which there are 25,000. Vehicles that use a NACS adapter from other automakers, such as Cadillac, have been limited to using newer charging stations. That’s because older locations use a different communication protocol that is incompatible with non-Tesla vehicles.

Volkswagen’s adapter will cost $304 for ID.4 owners, and can be purchased online, though VW’s virtual parts counter. That’s more or less in line with what other automakers are asking for the device — Cadillac charges customers $310, for example. Meanwhile, ID. Buzz owners can contact their selling dealers to receive an adapter for free.

To use Tesla Supercharger stations, drivers must have their vehicles connected to the cellular network, they must use Tesla’s mobile app, and they must have a payment method saved within the app. The adapter can only be used at DC fast charging stations and is not intended for use at Tesla Destination Chargers or Level 2 or Level 1 chargers.