Texas Mandates Inclusion of Tesla Plugs in State-Funded EV Chargers
Texas Implements Requirement for Tesla Plugs in State-Funded EV Chargers
chandni
According to a report by Reuters, the state of Texas has introduced a new regulation mandating that electric vehicle (EV) charging companies include Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) and the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard in their chargers. This requirement is necessary for these companies to qualify for a state program aimed at electrifying highways using federal funds.
The Texas Department of Transportation stated in an email to Reuters that the decision by major automakers, including Ford, GM, and Rivian, to adopt NACS has changed the requirements for Phase 1 of the program. Each Direct Current Fast Charge port will now be required to have one CCS connector and one NACS connector.
Ford initiated an EV charging standards battle when it recently announced its intention to incorporate Tesla's NACS technology and charge ports in its future EVs. General Motors quickly followed suit, and Rivian made a similar announcement on Tuesday. Talks of Hyundai joining this trend are also underway.
Various charging companies such as FreeWire Technologies, Flo, and EVgo have committed to including NACS connectors in their public charging stations. Tesla's charging standard is known for providing a superior user experience, with smaller, lighter, and easier-to-use cables. Additionally, Tesla's technology enables contactless payments, offering significant convenience to users.
Tesla's Supercharging network in the United States is extensive, with 22,128 Tesla Superchargers compared to 22,262 CCS connectors, as reported by recent PlugShare data. While CCS connectors are available through various charging companies, Supercharging stations were previously exclusive to Tesla vehicles. As a result, the Biden administration's federal subsidies initially focused on CCS connectors.
Recently, the White House announced that EV charging stations equipped with NACS plugs would be eligible for billions of dollars in federal subsidies, on the condition that they also include the CCS charging connector.
It comes as no surprise that Texas is the first state to introduce a requirement for NACS and CCS chargers to obtain funding. Tesla relocated its headquarters to Austin in 2021 and has since brought around 12,777 jobs to the region as of the end of 2022. The company, led by Elon Musk, has made substantial investments in a Texas gigafactory for EV and battery production, as well as a new lithium refinery plant.
It is likely that other states will follow suit. California, the birthplace of Tesla and a leader in both Tesla and EV sales, could be the next state to watch. However, the California Department of Transportation did not provide a comment in time for the report.
