SK Signet, a worldwide leader in electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, made a significant announcement today that it would incorporate Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) connection capabilities into its ultra-fast charger designs.
The company has initiated the development of NACS standard-compliant chargers, with the expectation of launching the first product within 2023.
The introduction of NACS connections on SK Signet’s chargers aims to broaden their reach to more EV owners. The new offering was showcased to attendees at the grand opening of an SK Signet manufacturing facility in Plano, Texas, earlier in June. The state-of-the-art facility boasts the capacity to produce over 10,000 ultra-fast EV chargers annually at full production.
As a global forerunner in the manufacturing of EV chargers, SK Signet is renowned for its fast and ultra-fast charging solutions. The company prides itself on the first UL-certified ultra-fast charger (350 kW) in the U.S.
To ensure continued flexibility for their customers, SK Signet will continue to support other popular standards for EV charger connections, including the Combined Charging System (CCS), CHAdeMO, and Megawatt Charging System (MCS). This commitment underpins SK Signet’s mission to cater to over 40 EV models available in North America.
“SK Signet is resolute in providing flexible charging solutions that simplify and speed up the recharging process for EV owners, irrespective of their vehicle model,” said SK Signet CEO Jung Ho Shin. This comes as a response to the rising demand for EVs in the U.S.
Currently, Tesla owners can use SK Signet chargers with adapters for existing connectors. The introduction of NACS connectors will streamline the charging process for these Tesla owners.
SK Signet serves a wide array of clients, from charge point operators to businesses with expansive EV fleets, and conventional gas stations and convenience stores incorporating EV charging in their services.
Seung-June Oh, President of SK Signet America, commented on the company’s focus on customer-centric innovation, “SK Signet is closely collaborating with our customers and business partners to develop novel solutions that cater to the diverse needs of U.S. EV owners.”
Future models of the company’s chargers will also offer NACS couplers upon customer request, alongside existing CCS and CHAdeMO connectors. This will allow a single charger to charge EVs using both NACS and CCS standards simultaneously, leading to more efficient operation of charging stations.
SK Signet, headquartered in South Korea with U.S. offices in McLean, Virginia, joined the SK Group through an acquisition by SK Inc., the strategic investment arm of the group, in April 2021.
