Texas Mandates Tesla Connector on Some Charging Stations

The automotive industry is rushing to significantly change a seemingly minor detail, which could change the future of driving.

The latest step came yesterday as Texas mandated that electric car charging stations built with government funding use the Tesla charging plug and the Combined Charging System (CCS) plug used by other automakers.

Different electric vehicles (EVs) use different charging ports. Two systems dominate in the United States, much like Apple Phones, using Apple’s proprietary Lightning connectors, while other phones charge with USB-C plugs.

Tesla has its own plug, the North American Charging Standard (NACS). Most rivals use CCS. The two systems aren’t interoperable without a bulky adapter.

A handful of older EVs, including many Nissan Leaf hatchbacks, use a third system called CHAdeMO. But even Nissan has moved away from it in recent designs, setting it up to fade from the U.S. market.

Last year, Tesla made its plug available for other automakers and charging network operators. At the time, no one took the Texas-based company up on its offer.

But that has changed rapidly in recent weeks because of another development.

Tesla doesn’t just build its own plug. It also operates a separate (until recently) nationwide network of charging stations that serve only Tesla cars.

Other automakers build the CCS plug and rely on a patchwork system of charging networks operated by several different companies, none as extensive as Tesla’s.

None of the networks are as reliable, either. One recent study found that most Tesla owners are happy with their charging experience, while EV drivers overall report more than one-fifth of all charging attempts fail due to broken chargers and faulty payment apps.

Last month, Ford changed its EV strategy. It negotiated for Tesla to open its walled garden of chargers to Ford EV drivers. The two companies haven’t disclosed terms of the deal.

Ford will begin issuing buyers adapters that let them use Tesla chargers in 2024 and will build the Tesla NACS plug into its cars in 2025.

Soon after, GM followed suit. Then Rivian. Stellantis – parent company of Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, said it is studying the move. Recent reports say Mercedes-Benz may sign on as well.

These adoptions don’t yet create a single nationwide charging standard, but the actions come close and may be an irreversible wave.

Yesterday’s move could be the start of a wave as well.

The federal government has made millions of dollars available to help expand the nation’s EV charging network. But states are responsible for distributing the money.

The federal government requires all chargers built with taxpayer money to offer the CCS system. When the law was written, it was the sole system used by most non-Tesla automakers.

The Texas Department of Transportation announced yesterday that it would require the Tesla NACS charger as well.

“The decision by Ford, GM, and now Rivian to adopt NACS changed requirements” for charging stations in the state, the Department announced. Now, chargers built with federal funding in Texas must have both the CCS plug and the NACS plug.

The federal government may follow suit. A Federal Highway Administration spokesperson told Reuters, “Our technical experts are having active conversations with automakers, charger manufacturers, and standards-setting bodies to ensure federal investment continues to support a reliable, convenient, and user-friendly charging experience for all drivers.”

Charging an EV isn’t like gassing up a car because most EV drivers do most of their charging at home. But drivers must still use public chargers if they lack a home charger or on longer trips that exceed the range of their car’s battery.

Before Tesla opened its network to other companies, most drivers couldn’t use every charger they saw. They had to find a charger matching their car.

Now, owners of Tesla EVs can use every Tesla charger and, with an adapter, every CCS charger. Owners of future Ford, GM, and Rivian products can say the same. If the federal government or other states follow the Texas decision, they can dispense with the adapter.

Going electric could become more practical for many people.

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