Kia EV9 at a Tesla Supercharger: NACS Adoption Got More Kinks Than a Garden Hose!

TL;DR: Charging the new NACS-equipped Kia EV9 at a Tesla Supercharger? More complicated than my family reunion guest list! A reporter faced app glitches, error messages, and multiple stall changes, showing that while the NACS port is there, the 'plug and charge' dream still has some serious kinks to work out. It ain't just about the hardware, baby!

Meta: Charging a 2026 Kia EV9 at a Tesla Supercharger with the new NACS port turned into a frustrating ordeal, revealing glitches in the Tesla app and an AWS outage.

Alright, folks, listen up! We've all been hearing the hype about NACS, right? Tesla's North American Charging Standard, promising to make charging other EVs at Superchargers as easy as, well, ordering pizza. But a recent test with a 2026 Kia EV9 at a Tesla Supercharger proved that the reality is a little more... complicated. It was less 'plug and play' and more 'plug and pray,' if you catch my drift! The poor reporter, Suvrat Kothari, had a charging experience that sounded like a comedy of errors, with the Tesla app acting more temperamental than a diva on opening night.

Now, the EV9 is a beast, a three-row SUV with impressive range and fast charging on paper thanks to Hyundai Motor Group's 800-volt E-GMP platform. And for 2026, it's got that factory-fitted NACS port, so in theory, it should be smooth sailing. But theory, my friends, is often where the trouble starts. Kothari pulled up to a V4 Supercharger, tried to initiate charging through the app, and was hit with error messages, forced to switch stalls, and even had to reboot the car! "Initializing charging" repeated twice, with nothing happening. Turns out, an AWS outage might have been playing a part, messing with Tesla's cloud infrastructure. So, it wasn't just the car; it was the whole digital ecosystem having a bad hair day.

The Promise vs. The Reality

Once the electrons finally started flowing, the EV9 charged up nicely, hitting good speeds and taking about 36 minutes for a 10-80% top-up. That's solid performance. But the initiation of the charge? That's where the dream hit a wall. For Tesla owners, it's usually seamless, but non-Tesla EVs still rely on the app, and if that app's having a moment, you're out of luck. This highlights a crucial point: NACS adoption isn't just about sticking a new port on the car. It's about software integration, network reliability, and user experience. It's like having a backstage pass, but the bouncer can't find your name on the list!

This messy experience, while possibly an outlier (other sessions were flawless), serves as a stark reminder. The EV industry is moving fast, but every new integration comes with its own set of challenges. Automakers and charging networks need to ensure that the user experience is rock-solid, because if charging is a headache, it's gonna slow down EV adoption faster than a bad review. We need consistency, reliability, and ease of use, not a tech scavenger hunt every time you need juice.

What’s Next

Hyundai and Kia EVs are supposed to get plug-and-charge capability at Superchargers by the end of this year, which would bypass the app entirely. This is a critical next step to truly make NACS a seamless experience for all compatible EVs. Tesla also needs to ensure its network infrastructure is robust enough to handle increasing demand and third-party vehicles without glitching. The future of EV adoption heavily relies on frictionless charging, and all players need to step up their game to iron out these wrinkles. We're all on this electric journey together, so let's make it a smooth ride, not a bumpy one!

So, next time you're pullin' up to a Supercharger in your non-Tesla EV, maybe say a little prayer to the tech gods. Or just make sure you got a full battery, 'cause you never know when the app's gonna decide to throw a tantrum. Good luck, and keep those cables charged! Peace!