The Nissan Ariya requires an additional plastic part to use Tesla compressors

• An additional part is included with the Nissan NACS to CCS charger adapter.
• Unlike all automakers with Tesla Supercharger access in the US, the Ariya EV requires an additional plastic part.
• It is easy to install and never needs to be removed.

Nissan Ariya electric vehicle owners in the US will have access to around 17,800 Tesla Supercharger DC fast chargers next Tuesday. This is a pretty big deal and is in addition to Electrify America, the Shell Recharge branded network, the ChargePoint and EVgo networks that Nissan Ariya owners in the US already had access to through the MyNISSAN smartphone app.

The Japanese electric crossover is just the latest addition to the growing list of electric vehicles that can use Tesla’s Supercharger network, which is widely considered one of the best in the industry – if not the best.

However, what sets Nissan apart from all the other automakers that have contracts with Tesla for Supercharger access is the design of the Ariya’s charging port. Due to the negative spacing between the two DC pins at the bottom of the connector, Ariya owners must install a black piece of plastic before using a NACS to CCS adapter.

The T-shaped plastic bit is included in the $235 adapter box sold by Nissan, as noted by The edgeand owners can install it by hand and forget it. Nissan hasn’t said why the extra piece is needed, but a quick analysis of the various CCS connector designs available leads me to believe it has something to do with the strength of the connector.

This is what the CCS connection on the Nissan Ariya looks like. Note the cavity between the two DC pins below. Next to it is the NACS to CCS adapter sold by Nissan.

On the US model Nissan Ariya, the charging port is located at the front right.

And this is what the CCS connectors on the Rivian R1T and the Ford F-150 Lightning look like. Note that the DC pins are separated by a solid piece of plastic.

Ford F-150 Lightning charging port

You can see how the whole thing works in Nissan’s explanatory video below.

The adapter sold by Nissan looks identical to those offered by Rivian, Ford and General Motors, but the additional plastic part is only included in the Nissan box. Interestingly, the Ariya sold in the UK and Australia has a different CCS connector design – it’s CCS2 instead of CCS1, but there’s no cavity between the DC pins at the bottom, just a solid piece of plastic. On these right-hand drive units the charging port is also located on the left side of the vehicle, while on US models the port is on the right side.

It’s fascinating, to say the least. Especially because the Ariya can be charged on any CCS-equipped fast charger without the need for an additional piece of plastic. What do you think of it?