The ChargePoint company introduced the Omni Port universal charger, which is able to offer both CCS and NACS connectors. The appropriate connector type is automatically selected according to the car model specified in the developer application.
As reported by CarscoopsChargePoint engineers want to make the charging process easier for beginners and new EV owners by combining two of the most common types of charging connectors in the US.
America's auto industry has adopted the North American Charging Standard (NACS), which means automakers will slowly move away from the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard. Because of this, the developers decided to combine both types.
The Omni Port station will automatically release the correct connector for the electric vehicle after receiving information about the make and model of the car. ChragePoint engineers are sure that in this way they will eliminate silly attempts to connect the wrong type of connector, which are often allowed by beginners and the need to use adapters.
In order for the station to unlock the desired connector, owners will reportedly need to enter their car's make and model into the ChargePoint app on a smartphone or the station's touchscreen, then tap the charging icon.
The developers showed a detailed example of the system's operation in a demo video. ChargePoint officials noted that most of the 5.5 million electric vehicles in North America have CCS1 charging ports, while the NACS port is just beginning to be widely adopted, so EV owners will need both types in the next few years.