
Asian brands, EVs dominate 2025 Best Buy Awards
The 2025 Best By Awards, announced by Kelley Blue Book, reflect the rapidly shifting landscape of the automotive market not only in the USA, but also elsewhere.
- Industry News
- 17 April 2025
Verge Motorcycles, the Finnish company that will begin selling its electric superbikes in the US market at the end of this year, joins the ranks of well-known car giants, General Motors and Ford, in announcing its intention to utilise Tesla’s NACS charging network.
Electric superbike pioneer, Verge Motorcycles, has taken a stand on the recently much talked about electric plug-in war and announced at the end of June that it would be the first in the industry to adopt Tesla’s NACS charging connector.
“We have been following the discussion with interest about the future of the charging infrastructure and Tesla’s decision to open up its NACS charging standard. Providing our customers with a comprehensive and easy, fast charging system is vital in terms of Verge’s growth. We are currently preparing to enter the US market, and as the Tesla of motorcycles, this decision seemed like a natural solution for us,” says Marko Lehtimäki, Chief Technology Officer at Verge.
“Total customer service is everything for Verge. We want Verge owners to have access to the most extensive fast charging system in North America, which is why we plan to utilise Tesla’s network of 17 000 charging stations,” says Pekka Parnanen, Chief Operating Officer of Verge’s US operations.
Tesla’s decision to remove all the patents for its NACS charging standard has received a lot of international attention recently, after several major players in the industry, including General Motors, Ford and most recently electric car manufacturer, Rivian, announced that they would adopt the charging system developed by Tesla.
Following the move to open up the NACS charging standard, competing operators can also add charging devices equipped with NACS connectors to their networks. Until now, the patent-protected system could only be used to charge Tesla’s own vehicles.
As the global automotive industry shifts into a greener, electrified future, South African fitment centres stand at a critical crossroad: adapt or risk falling behind.
Another plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is on its way to South Africa; this time in the form of JAC Motors’ T9 2.0L TGDI PHEV double-cab bakkie.
Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa has begun full-scale production of the first-ever Ford Ranger Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) at its Silverton Manufacturing Plant.