In Pursuit of EV Supremacy, Hyundai Faces Hiccups with Tesla’s North American Charging Standard

It appeared to be the perfect fit. Hyundai’s newest edition, the 2025 Ioniq 5, was taking a significant stride towards the future of electric vehicles (EVs) by integrating Tesla’s North American Charging Standard port. But as the vehicle eased into a coveted spot at a Tesla Supercharging station in Palm Springs, it soon became evident that the real-world application wasn’t quite as seamless.

There was a literal gap. The charging cord, nestled kindly in the cabinet on the driver’s side, didn’t reach the charge port on the passenger-rear quarter panel of the compact all-electric SUV. This posed a perplexing predicament. The driver could either wait for a neighboring Tesla to vacate its spot to use the available charging cable - in effect, occupying two spots - or, opt to seek out a CCS-equipped station using the car’s in-built navigation system and utilise the adapter that comes with the vehicle.

This would initially be executed with a Tesla adapter. However, automakers like Hyundai and Kia also agreed to incorporate NACS charging tech in their future EVs. The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 represented one such ambitious undertaking. But the tangible results suggest the unforeseen challenges of aligning diverse tech and highlight the potential perils of assuming interoperability of charging standards across EV models.