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NACS to CCS DC Adapter - Lucid vs Aftermarket

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coupedncal

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2026 Lucid Air Pure
 
coupedncal said:
Has anyone tried the aftermarket adapters?

(1) How do those compare with Lucid's?
(2) Do the aftermarket units also have the 50kW limitation?

I see two adapters on Amazon. There are likely more out there.

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1) Lucid's have been evaluated for safety and functionality by Lucid and is rated for 500A and 1000V. Some of the no-name adapters have undersized conductors and poor quality materials at connection points. Many will let you unplug without stopping the charge first - a huge safety issue. Some do not have their thermal sensors well-coupled to the conductors.

2) The 50kW limitation on 450V Tesla superchargers (V3 and V3.5) is a characteristic of the Air, not of the adapter.

Personally, this is the last place I would try to save $100. Tom Moloughney, a well-respected youtube reviewer of EV charging equipment, examined a number of third party NACS to CCS adapters with frightening findings. There currently is only one third-party adapter that carries a safety agency's mark:

 
Agreed. I sucked it up and went Lucid brand although i haven’t had to use it yet.
 
I was not willing to take any chances so I ordered mine from Lucid-- haven't tried/used it yet though.
 
I just went through this decision making process and opted for teh Lectron Vortex Plus (same one reviewed in the video above). My use case is a bit different as I have two EV's with one being an Air GT. I wanted an adapter that would work with both vehicles and my other EV (Jaguar I-Pace) does not have an "approved" adapter at this point. I assume that the Lucid adapter would work fine with either vehicle. I anticipate using it more with the Jaguar given it's range limitations.

The reason that Lucid and other manufacturers do not recommend 3rd party adapters is because up until recently there have been no safety standards. We now have UL standard 2252 which does certify adapters. The Lectron Vortex Plus is the only adapter that currently meets this standard. The A2Z Typhoon Plus is currently being tested for compliance and I expect that it too will meet the standard shortly. You'll pay more for the Vortex Plus given it's UL status. My cost after discounts was $190 which is slightly less than what Lucid charges. I have no hesitancy in using it with my Air or Jaguar. I would not consider any other 3rd party adapter with the possible exception of the A2Z. Many of the other adapters lack the thermal management and secure interlocking that's essential for safe charging.
 
In terms of usage, the Lectron unit and the Lucid units operate the same where they both only run on Tesla v3 + and they are capped at 50kW on our Air?
 
coupedncal said:
In terms of usage, the Lectron unit and the Lucid units operate the same where they both only run on Tesla v3 + and they are capped at 50kW on our Air?
Click to expand...
The adapters are not capped. The Air's hardware can only support 50kW on a 450V charging stall. It doesn't matter whose stall, or whose adapter.
They will work with any NACS port that allows charging non-Tesla vehicles. Tesla's, or any other charging provider.
NACS charging stations not made by Tesla support 920V+ charging, and the Air will charge at full speed on them.
 
I got the A2Z Typhoon Pro for my previous ev and have had no issues.
 
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