Access to Tesla's Supercharger network makes Nissan Ariya's ho-hum range more useable

Globe and Mail

4 hours ago

Nissan pioneered the modern electric vehicle when it launched the Leaf in 2011, yet it took more than a decade to add a second all-electric model to its portfolio. Originally expected in 2021, the Ariya was delayed by the pandemic until late 2022, when it launched in Canada as a 2023 model.
Ordinarily, we wouldn't revisit a vehicle less than three years into its lifecycle but, in the Ariya's case, my curiosity was piqued by a new feature for 2025 – access to Tesla's Supercharger network. Other automakers are also adding Supercharger compatibility to their EVs, but this was my first opportunity to experience plugging a non-Tesla vehicle into a Tesla charger.
The enabler on the Ariya is an adapter that mates Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug to the CCS1 port used on Ariya and most other non-Tesla EVs. Starting later this year, Nissan says a NACS port will become standard on future Nissan EVs, including the next-generation Leaf.
Nissan charges $309.99 for the adapter and, if you're tempted by a cheaper aftermarket alternative, note the Nissan small print: 'The NACS Adapter Kit provided by Nissan or purchased from a U.S. or Canadian Nissan Dealership is deemed by Nissan as the only compatible adapter for Nissan EVs … Use of an adapter that is not a Nissan-compliant NACS Adapter is strictly prohibited.'
The adapter is a black plastic device, roughly the size of a 500-gram baking soda carton, which you carry in the vehicle and plug in as needed. Additionally, a much smaller plastic piece is supplied that gets permanently pushed into the hourglass-shaped opening in the lower part of the CCS1 port.
As for the network, the NACS capability adds about 17,800 chargers in Canada and the U.S. to the existing Nissan Energy Charge Network (NECN).
In Canada, this network includes ChargeHub, Shell Recharge, Flo, Chargepoint, Circuit Electrique, BC Hydro and IVY. That brings the NECN charger count to more than 25,000 in Canada alone.
As with those networks, Supercharging is controlled and billed through the MyNissan smartphone app. Pricing is set by Tesla and varies according to location, time-of-use and possibly other factors not revealed on the Tesla app. The new 32-charger Tesla station I used in south Mississauga billed $35.82 (including taxes and fees) to add 50 kilowatt-hours and 250 kilometres of range on a Sunday evening and $11.69 to add 30 kilowatt-hours and 136 kilometres on a Tuesday morning.
The first thing I learned at that Supercharger station is that the cables are short. I had to angle the Ariya close so the cable could reach the car's charge port. The adjoining bays were empty on that occasion, but it could get tight if they were occupied.
My first 'hook-up' was just for photography, a decision that went pear-shaped when I wanted to disconnect and couldn't. Normally, tapping 'end charge' on the app unlocks the connector but because I hadn't started a charge, I had to Google another way to unlock a DC fast charger from an Ariya. (The solution: exit vehicle, close all doors, hit 'lock' on key fob, then 'unlock' twice).
While Tesla chargers promise up to 250 kilowatts, the Ariya's maximum DC charging rate is 130. In practice, when I started a charge at 32-per-cent state of charge, the Ariya took 79 kilowatts and predicted 20 minutes to 80 per cent and 70 minutes to 100 per cent.
The NACS-ready 2025 Ariya is available in single-motor/front-wheel-drive or dual-motor/all-wheel drive (e-4ORCE) versions, each with a choice of 63- or 87-kilowatt-hour (useable) battery packs. Starting prices range from $49,998 to $61,998, while the big-battery e-4ORCE can be optioned with Platinum+ or Premiere packages that add $3,000 or $4,200 respectively.
Official range numbers span from 330 kilometres for the small-battery AWD to 465 for the big-battery FWD model. Over a week of mostly-highway driving in mid-April with the heating off most of the time, the projected range for the big-battery AWD test sample varied between about 380 and 420 kilometres. (Official range is 414 kilometres with the optional 20-inch wheels).
You can get an Ariya with more range, though at a price: the front-wheel-drive model with the bigger battery (465 kilometres of range) includes more bells and whistles than the base model (348 kilometres) and costs $10,000 more. However much – or little – range you can afford, access to Tesla Superchargers makes longer trips that much more do-able.
2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve+ e-4ORCE
Curiously, the Ariya is officially classified as a station wagon but its dimensions match a typical compact SUV – albeit one with a coupe-esque silhouette. The 0.3 drag coefficient is commendable, though optional 20-inch wheels (19s are standard) trim the official range to 414 kilometres from 430.
The minimalistic elements of the cockpit are well assembled, with interesting combinations of materials. Comfortable seats with an extensive range of adjustment allow a tall-in-saddle posture for those who need or want it and good sightlines in all directions except through the shallow rear screen. Twin freestanding 12.3-inch displays are integrated in what Nissan calls a 'wave-like shape,' while separate haptic icons are used for climate control. The floor is flat, with no centre tunnel, the drive-selector toggle switch sitting on a floating, power-sliding centre console/armrest. Rear-seat space is somewhat below par for Ariya's size class and the high floor forces adults into a knees-up or knees-splayed posture.
Typical of most newer-model EVs, the Ariya's initial launch feels artificially moderated, presumably to avoid the potentially neck-wrenching lunge of a powertrain that develops its maximum torque at zero rpm. Even so, the 290-kilowatt e-4ORCE is good for a feisty zero-to-100-kilometre-an-hour sprint in the low-five-second range. When the road takes a turn, the Ariya corners well, but lifeless steering makes it a less-than-engaging experience and on the (optional) 20-inch wheels, I found the ride rather stiff. Conversely, a rather soft brake pedal is a subjective demerit, while the Ariya offers only one fairly mild – albeit easy to adapt to – level of additional regenerative braking.
All Ariya's include a suite of hands-on-wheel assisted driving features that include lane following, adaptive cruise control with stop and hold, plus automatic speed adjustment for curves, off-ramps or changing speed limits. The Platinum package adds a camera-based video rear-view mirror and automated parking. Connectivity assets include Amazon's Alexa, USB-A and USB-C ports plus wireless phone charging. CarPlay is wireless but not Android Auto.
Cargo volumes of 645 litres with seats-up and 1,690 with seats-down are competitive with rival BEV compact crossovers but well below most gas-powered alternatives. The 60/40-split rear seatbacks fold flat and there's some additional under-floor space, but no frunk.
The 2025 Ariya is a nice BEV, not a great one, but access to Tesla Superchargers makes its ho-hum electric range more useable in the long run.
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