- A new extension cable that also doubles as a charging adapter is now available to pre-order.
- The second-generation Hansshow NACS to CCS1 extension cable seems to fix all of its predecessor’s problems.
- There’s an 8-foot version, making it easy for Rivian, Ford and GM EV owners to use Tesla Superchargers without taking up two bays.
There’s no denying that having access to over 25,000 Tesla Superchargers is great for non-Tesla EV owners. Gaining access to what is widely considered the largest and most reliable DC fast charging operator in North America can be a lifesaver, but it’s not exactly the revolution some were expecting.
Superchargers are pretty much everywhere, but they were primarily designed for Tesla EVs, all of which have the charging port on the rear left of the car. That’s a problem for owners of other EVs, including those made by Ford, Rivian and General Motors. Most Supercharger stalls have pretty short cables that are the perfect length for Teslas, but they force some non-Tesla EV owners to take up two bays. That’s not ideal.
There’s also the issue of charging adapters, which are now part of an EV owner’s life, whether they want them or not. But there’s a company out there that promises to fix both these issues with one product.
Hanssshow’s NACS to CCS1 extension cable is exactly what it says on the box. It can extend the Supercharger’s cable while also providing a CCS1 connector that plugs into the vehicle.
The company has now come out with the second generation of this product, and InsideEVs contributor and State of Charge host Tom Moloughney is the first person to get his hands on a pre-production version of the second-generation extension cable.
The first generation was the first product of its kind to reach the market, but it had a dangerous design flaw that prompted Tom to advise against purchasing it. The NACS to CCS1 extension cable had a safety switch on the CCS1 side, which immediately stopped the charging session when pressed. On the NACS side, though, there was a simple physical switch that needed to be pressed to detach the extension from the Supercharger cable, but it would not stop the flow of electricity. This could lead to a massive electric ark, which can be extremely dangerous.
Now, though, Hansshow fixed that issue and even went further by implementing more improvements. The second-generation extension cable is now available in 5- and 8-foot lengths (the first one was 5-foot only), and the cable itself is now rated for 1,000 volts and 350 amps continuous, while the initial product could handle 1,000V and 250A. What’s more, the company said it did extensive testing at 500A, and the extension cable didn’t overheat.
There’s also an important mention about the safety certification. Hansshow said that all the components used in its new extension cable are UL-certified, but the product as a whole is not yet UL-certified.
But how does this new two-in-one EV accessory work in the real world? As Tom Moloughney found out, very good indeed. With the first generation, he couldn’t recharge his Rivian R1S, and using it with a Ford F-150 Lightning resulted in a slightly longer session.
Now, though, the second version showed no noticeable difference from using a simple NACS to CCS1 adapter, which is good news. In Tom’s opinion, it’s much better than the first-generation device. It has proper active release switches on both sides, it’s longer, and it’s rated for a higher amperage. This particular unit is a pre-production version, but the company said it is now taking pre-orders for it, with the first customer deliveries scheduled for mid-January. The 5-foot version is $629, while the 8-foot version is $729.
It can be useful when your EV needs to take up two Supercharger spots, but that’s a pretty steep price to consider, and the fact that the product Tom tested is not the final version, so keep that in mind if you’re considering this extension cable.
What’s more, Tesla and other automakers recommend against using charging adapters that have not been approved by them. So if anything were to go wrong during a charging session, the car’s warranty would be voided by using such an extension cable.
