Tesla deals could ease road-trip headaches for EV drivers

A set of business moves will soon make life easier for EV drivers road-tripping anywhere near a Hilton hotel.

First off, Tesla and Hilton announced plans to install up to 20,000 of the carmaker’s Universal Wall Connectors across 2,000 of the hotel chain’s properties in the US, Mexico, and Canada. Meanwhile, Honda said it would become the latest automaker to switch over to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug with its new EV models beginning in 2025, giving customers access to Tesla’s expansive charger network.

The news adds up to more convenience for anyone making the switch to electric cars, who currently face warring charging standards and too few refueling options for cross-country road trips in the US.

Another domino toward dominance: Honda has been one of the few stragglers in adopting the Tesla standard: Major car companies including Ford, GM, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Rivian have all hopped onboard. Honda said in a press release that models before 2025 will also be designed to be compatible with NACS ports through an adapter.

Deals like these are quickly making Tesla’s plug the leading charging standard in North America as carmakers move away from the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard.

Juiced-up amenities: Tesla isn’t just using its sway on its carmaker rivals—the installation of the Tesla chargers will give Hilton what it claims will be the biggest EV charging network of any hospitality brand.

The expansion will more than double the number of Hilton hotels to offer electric charging; the company currently offers stations at 1,850 of its more than 7,000 locations globally.

Hilton said in a press release that the announcement coincides with a growing demand for chargers among Hilton hotel guests, adding that EV charging capability has been the fastest-growing search attribute among visitors to the company’s website in 2023.