One of the leading manufacturers of EV charging parts is stepping up to prepare for the NACS transition. Phoenix Contact, one of the pioneers of electrification, which supplies EV charging parts like plugs, cables, and inlets, announced, “NACS is coming – and we’re prepared“.

The German manufacturer intends to launch its first North American Charging Standard (NACS) products this year, as the EV industry in North America prepares to change from the CCS Type 1 charging connector to the Tesla-developed NACS (soon standardized as the SAE J3400).

The most interesting thing is that initially, Phoenix Contact will start with an AC charging cable version (up to 50 A or 12 kW, and up to 80 A or 19.2 kW) and a basic DC charging cable version (up to 200 A or up to 100 kW at up 500 V). Both types are to be available by the end of 2024. Similarly, the Huber+Suhner Radox HPC NACS plug is to be available this year.

DC charger manufacturers will have to wait a little bit longer for cables that are ready for higher currents and power levels, including liquid-cooled versions. They will be available in 2025. Assuming a higher current level and higher voltage (up to 1,000 V), the new generation of ultra-fast chargers should be able to achieve a charging power output of hundreds of kilowatts.

A close-up of the Phoenix Contact NACS plug. Phoenix Contact will launch NACS plugs in 2024.

In parallel, Phoenix Contact will develop customer-specific vehicle charging inlets for automobile manufacturers. Universal vehicle charging inlets for utility vehicles, mobile machinery, and the transport sector will be available in various performance classes from 2026, the company explains.

The EV part suppliers will likely use the 2024-2025 period to develop their main NACS product lineup, and we should see the acceleration of deployment of NACS charging equipment no earlier than after 2025. DC charger manufacturers will simply have to wait until the new components are fully tested and available in volume.

Phoenix Contact’s current CHARX connect solutions include plugs for the outgoing CCS1, the CCS2 used in Europe and in many other countries around the world, as well as the Chinese GB/T:

A side-by-side view of the Phoenix Contact CCS1, CCS2, and Chinese GB/T DC plugs.

source: Phoenix Contact