USA (Washington Insider Magazine)—The White House supports an auto industry struggle to regularise Tesla’s electric vehicle charging plugs for all EVs across the United States. It is part of a comprehensive effort to boost their sales to help fight climate change.
In 2023 more than 1 million EVs will be sold in the United States. It is a record. However, that pace still lags behind sales in countries like China and Germany. One fundamental explanation is the narrow availability of charging infrastructure across the country. It has been a general concern for many would-be buyers of EVs and has held back their sales in the United States.
Tesla holds the largest network of fast chargers in the EV market. Several of its Supercharger stations are in prime locations. They are primarily located along highly travelled corridors, where other charging stations are scant.
Recently, SAE International approved Tesla’s North American Charging Standard connector as a new standard. SAE is the Society of Automotive Engineers. NACS connector links Tesla’s EVs to the company’s network. In June, the automotive community had said it would set standards for Tesla’s EV charging plug to try to authorise it to work with all EVs.
The new standard guarantees that any vehicle or charging equipment supplier or manufacturer can use it. Manufacturers can easily install the connector and develop charging access for current and future EV drivers nationwide. The new standard could help increase consumer trust in EVs.
The White House, the auto industry and other stakeholders desire to promote mass adoption. President Joe Biden has set transportation decarbonisation a top priority. Further, he has set the ambitious goal of having 50 % of all new vehicle sales in the United States be electric by 2030.
Tesla’s charging standard has long contradicted the Combined Charging Standard connector. However, other automakers have included these elements in their EVs. This year, Tesla approved extending parts of its network, with plans to deliver access to at least 7,500 chargers to non-Teslas by the end of 2024. All major global automakers have agreed to use NACS with their EVs and unite Tesla’s charging network in the future. Some holdouts, including Stellantis and Volkswagen, will not included.
“Now, nobody can say it’s just ‘the Tesla thing,’ ” said Loren McDonald, CEO of EVAdoption LLC, an independent industry analysis firm that tracks NACS. “There’s nothing now to hold them back.”
Ford and General Motors plan to deliver adapters to customers whose EVs are now provided with the CCS technology. They can plug into the Tesla network without requiring a NACS connector. These automakers will officially begin providing their EVs with NACS starting in 2025. Senior Biden administration officials briefed The Associated Press that they hope many vehicles will use both connectors on the road for some time.
Some automakers are still financing their charging endeavours without Tesla. For instance, Mercedes-Benz is building its network. Seven automakers also revealed plans to build out fast-charging together.
In November 2021, the US administration signed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure law. It also set aside $7.5 billion to construct a nationwide EV charging network. The Federal Highway Administration has established provisions for federally subsidised charging stations that need a CCS plug.
The Administration will now decide how the new standard for the Tesla plug meets those conditions. The authority and climate champions believe in widespread EV ownership. It is believed to be one way to help ease the transportation sector’s reliance on fossil fuels. It is a fundamental supporter of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
