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Real-world experience with Lucid NACS Home Charging Station and non-Lucid EVs?

Murcie

Murcie

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I’m planning a major electric panel upgrade and EV charger installation, and I’d like to hear from anyone who has experience with Lucid’s Connected Home Charging Station (NACS)—especially regarding its compatibility with non-Lucid EVs.

I currently drive a Lucid Air (J1772) and a Tesla Model Y (NACS). The Air is a lease, so it'll probably go back -unless you can cut me a deal I can't refuse-, and hoping to upgrade to a Gravity (NACS) by then. Because I haven't purchased the home charging station yet, I have the flexibility to choose either the J1772 or NACS version. I’m strongly leaning toward the NACS version with 100A breaker to future-proof the setup, but I'd love to get some perspective from anyone who has been in a similar position. I can also do two chargers (NACS and J1772) with 50A breaker for each if there are logical reasons to do so, like simultaneously charging both EVs at the same time for example.

For those who have the new NACS version of the Lucid Home Charging Station:
  1. Have you used it to charge a Tesla? How has that experience been? Does it charge at full 80A speed or there's a limit from the Tesla side?
  2. Have you used it to charge a Lucid Air using Lucid’s NACS-to-J1772 adapter?
  3. Do you notice any differences or limitations in smart/connected features when charging a non-Lucid EV versus a Lucid?

Thanks in advance!
 
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I had an electrician put in the LCHS and it works fine to charge my GGT or my wife's Taycan by using the NACS->J1772 adapter
We only have a 125A service and our swim spa is using 50A so we set the dip switches on the home charger down to 58A which easily charges either of our vehicles during the midnight to 6am time window.

With a dedicated 100A breaker you should be able to run the full 80A on the charger

Most EV's are going to NACS; I don't think I'd even consider a charger with the older style plug as it'll be a dinosaur soon
 
hwy17er said:
Most EV's are going to NACS; I don't think I'd even consider a charger with the older style plug as it'll be a dinosaur soon
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But only in the US.
Europe stays with CCS and MSC for trucks over 3.5 megawatt.

I guess in the US it is because the tesla suc are so massively around so they it is the standard forced onto ev makers by tesla
 
Lycra said:
But only in the US.
Europe stays with CCS and MSC for trucks over 3.5 megawatt.

I guess in the US it is because the tesla suc are so massively around so they it is the standard forced onto ev makers by tesla
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NACS uses the CCS protocol but the form factor is significantly smaller. It’s too bad Europe has CCS as the standard with the bulky connector and the two extra pins.
 
I do not know much about the history and why this is the case (why there is a difference).
Does the US have megawatt chargers for the trucks? Which standard is used there? also MCS?


It boils down to two main things: how the electric grids are built on each continent, and how early local governments stepped in to set the rules.
While it can be annoying that your phone and your laptop might use the same USB-C cable but cars across the Atlantic don't, there are solid technical reasons why Europe stuck with CCS (specifically CCS2) and the US crowned Tesla’s NACS (now standardized as SAE J3400) as its winner.

1. The Core Reason: Different Power Grids​

The single biggest reason for the split isn't actually the cars—it is the underlying electrical grid.
  • Europe’s 3-Phase Power: European homes and commercial buildings commonly have access to three-phase AC electricity. This allows European EV drivers to charge their cars incredibly fast at home or at public street chargers using standard AC power (typically 11 kW to 22 kW). The European CCS2 connector is built directly on top of the "Type 2" (Mennekes) plug, which has enough physical pins to handle all three phases of electricity.
  • North America’s Single-Phase Power: The US grid relies heavily on single-phase AC electricity for homes (the typical 120V/240V split-phase system). Because North American homes can't easily draw three-phase power, the older US standard (CCS1) only needed to support single-phase AC.

2. Enter Tesla and the Design War​

Because the US standard (CCS1) was bulky, hard to handle, and capped by single-phase limitations, Tesla built its own elegant, compact connector for its North American vehicles and Supercharger network.
Tesla combined the AC and DC pins into one tiny handle. In late 2022, Tesla opened this design to the public, rebranding it as NACS (North American Charging Standard). Because Tesla’s charging network in the US was vastly more reliable and widespread than the fragmenting CCS1 network, virtually every major automaker selling in the US (Ford, GM, Rivian, etc.) abandoned CCS1 and adopted NACS.

3. Why NACS Won't Happen in Europe​

You might wonder why Europe doesn't just switch to the nicer, smaller NACS plug. They can't, largely because of regulation and physics:
  • The EU Forced a Standard Early: The European Union did not want a "Wild West" of competing plugs. Years ago, the European Commission legally mandated that all public DC fast chargers must feature the CCS2 plug.
  • Even Tesla Uses CCS2 in Europe: Because of this EU mandate, Tesla had to adapt. Every Tesla Supercharger built in Europe features a CCS2 cable, and every Tesla vehicle sold in Europe since 2019 comes standard with a native CCS2 port.
  • NACS physically lacks the pins required to support Europe's 3-phase AC home charging infrastructure.

Quick Comparison​

FeatureNACS (North America)CCS2 (Europe)
Size & HandlingUltra-compact, lightweightBulkier, separate bottom pins for DC
AC Power CapacitySingle-Phase only (ideal for US)Three-Phase capable (ideal for EU)
Market StatusDe facto standard for North AmericaLegally mandated standard for Europe
Tesla StatusNative plugTesla uses CCS2 here
Ultimately, the world has split into regional charging blocks. North America has settled on NACS, Europe is entirely unified under CCS2, and China uses its own national standard (GB/T). While a single global plug would be convenient, the unique realities of local power grids mean coexistence is here to stay.
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Lycra said:
I do not know much about the history and why this is the case (why there is a difference).
Does the US have megawatt chargers for the trucks? Which standard is used there? also MCS?
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There are four different DCFC standards across the globe. EU forced its standard much earlier than US, so they may have simply chosen the best available at the time, because at the time, I don't think that NACS had been given as an open standard. No clue why China and Japan chose their respective standards. (The other EU funky thing they mandated Level 3 3-phase AC charging compatibility, which is why CCS2 is different and has more conductors.)
  • United States: NACS (and I think that Canada and Mexico may also be standardizing on this, but not sure)
  • EU & Oceana: CCS2
  • China: GB/T
  • Japan: CHAdeMO
 
Yes, I saw that via gemeni and put that in Quote ;)

NACS was closed back then. And in Europe due to 3-phase grids it is not compatible to NACS 1 phase chargers.
 
Lycra said:
Yes, I saw that via gemeni and put that in Quote ;)

NACS was closed back then. And in Europe due to 3-phase grids it is not compatible to NACS 1 phase chargers.
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In the US, 3-phase is primarily for commercial and industrial properties. Homes are powered by single-phase 240 V AC split in the middle by a neutral conductor.
NACS really is a better fit for the USA, with its single smaller lighter connector that works for both AC and DC. It's much easier to handle and plug in.

MCS is being installed in the USA in a very limited manner for trucks.
 
yeah and see that is the difference ;) In europe the 3phase is better
 
Lycra said:
yeah and see that is the difference ;) In europe the 3phase is better
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Define "better". I'm sure you could read up on why the USA setup their power the way they did vs. the way the EU setup their power (and the multiple different plugs across the continent). Frequently there is 3 phase power into neighborhoods in the USA but this i stepped down to single phase before it gets to any house.
 
ke2 said:
Define "better". I'm sure you could read up on why the USA setup their power the way they did vs. the way the EU setup their power (and the multiple different plugs across the continent). Frequently there is 3 phase power into neighborhoods in the USA but this i stepped down to single phase before it gets to any house.
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3-phase: more power delivered with less total weight of copper, but also more conections.
My only regret with electrical mains in the USA is that the success of the electric light at the Chicago World's fair led to the adoption of 120V residential power instead of 240V.
 
Lycra said:
yeah and see that is the difference ;) In europe the 3phase is better
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It is not so much a "better," but just different priorities...

For low-voltage AC charging, 3-phase is nice because it can deliver more power (22 kW) with less current. So installations are easier, but only if your home happens to have 3-phase power. On the other hand, the CCS2 connector is more expensive, higher likelihood to break (moving parts in the connector), current-constrained to lower power delivery, and more difficult to handle (heavy, large, and thick & rigid cables).
 
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Plus the CCS and cable seems heavier and way more bulky. I'm glad Gravity has NACS and soon Porsche will too here; my wife can barely wrestle the CCS plug into her Taycan at DCFC stalls.
At home we have NACS with an J1772 adapter and it's much easier for her.
 
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