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Tesla’s Genius New Home Charger Works With Any EV
The Tesla Universal Wall Connector can be used to charge electric cars with the J1772 port or the NACS connector for maximum EV compatibility.
The Tesla Universal Wall Connector can be used to charge electric cars with the J1772 port or the NACS connector.
Tesla's bid to replace SAE J1772 and CCS connectors with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) that it designed and championed has the potential to make charging easier for all EV owners in the long run. But before things get better, they're almost certainly going to get more confusing. In the next few years, EV drivers will have to navigate an increasingly fragmented charging landscape as automakers such as Ford, General Motors, Nissan, and Rivian make the switch to NACS and holdout companies try to keep the SAE standards from becoming obsolete
Here's the hedge against the coming chaos: Tesla's new Universal Wall Connector is the first and (for now) only home charging station that can plug directly into NACS and J1772 vehicles. That means that no matter what EV or plug-in hybrid you drive today and no matter what you buy in the foreseeable future in the U.S., you'll be able to plug it in at home with the Universal Wall Connector. The charging station is priced at $595 and can be preordered now with deliveries starting in October 2023.
The Universal Wall Connector combines a NACS cable with a J1772 adapter integrated into the wall-mounted box and can plug in to everything from a Tesla Model Y to a GMC Hummer EV to a Nissan Leaf. To charge a Tesla or another vehicle with a NACS port, you simply lift the handle off the charging station. Pressing a button on the top of the handle before removing it from the dock pairs the adapter to the cable for charging J1772 vehicles.
The idea is conceptually similar to the Magic Dock that Tesla installed at roughly a dozen Supercharger locations earlier this year. At those fast-charging stations, Tesla drivers only need to grab the cord and plug in. Anyone driving a CCS-equipped vehicle, such as a Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, or Chevrolet Bolt EV, uses the Tesla app to arrange payment and release the adapter from the charging station. The home Wall Connector simplifies the process by eliminating the need to pull out your phone and open the app.
While the Universal Wall Connector is unique among home chargers, it isn't exactly revolutionary. Several companies already sell adapters to connect a NACS cable to a J1772 vehicle or vice versa. The advantage of the Universal Wall Connector is the simplicity and elegance of the design. The body of the UWC features the same sleek look and cable-wrangling shape as Tesla's NACS Wall Connector and J1772 Wall Connector.
Other than the integrated adapter, the UWC is functionally identical to those other Wall Connectors. It requires hardwired installation and can deliver up to 11.5 kilowatts by charging at 48 amps on a 60-amp circuit. Tesla claims full power is good for up to 44 miles of driving range per hour of charging for its most efficient cars. A 24-foot cable gives the Wall Connector a long reach and the four-year warranty outlasts most of the competition.
The Universal Wall Connector will launch with new connectivity features that allow owners to schedule charging times, remotely start or stop charging, and track energy consumption through the Tesla app. These features are common in Wi-Fi-enabled home charging stations, but Tesla has, up until now, instead relied on providing the same tools and information through its vehicles. That doesn't work, however, when you use a Tesla home charger with a non-Tesla EV. These software updates should give the Wall Connecter similar capabilities as popular alternatives like the ChargePoint Home Flex, the Wallbox Pulsar Plus, and the Autel Maxi Charger AC Elite Home.
Tesla says these features will also roll out to existing NACS and J1772 Wall Connectors as an over-the-air software update in late August or early September 2023. At that time, users will be able to add Wall Connectors as standalone products in the Tesla app.
With the introduction of the Universal Wall Connector, Tesla will phase out the J1772 Wall Connector that was one of the top picks in the MotorTrend guide to the Best Home EV Chargers. The NACS Wall Connector will continue to be offered as a lower-price alternative for anyone committed to Tesla's NACS ecosystem. It currently sells for $475, a $120 discount compared to the Universal charger.
But with the great charging-standard shakeup of 2023 still rippling through the industry, the Universal Wall Connector looks to be the right charger at the right time. It's a great option for households with a Tesla and non-Tesla EV currently in the garage, or anyone who wants to make sure the home charger they install today will still be the right one for years to come.
