The state of Texas will mandate electric vehicle charging solutions providers to incorporate Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) in their stations alongside the CCS plug.
Phase 1 changes
The Texas Department of Transportation told Reuters that the growing number of automakers that support Tesla’s charging standard has “changed requirements for Phase 1” of its program to electrify state highways using federal funds.
That said, EV charging companies must include one CSS and one Tesla NACS plug to their direct current fast chargers to qualify for federal funding under the NEVI Program.
Notably, Ford was the first automaker to announce plans to adopt Tesla NACS, followed by GM and Rivian. These significant backings ultimately disregarded the government’s efforts in making the CCS standard in the US.
“It’ll effectively make an NACS the new charging standard.”
MD7 Director of Business Development Lew Cox
What is the NEVI Program?
The US Departments of Transportation and Energy (Joint Office) launched the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula (NEVI) Program to aid the states and territories in establishing a nationwide charging network.
In essence, the NEVI Program is the one that determines how the White House’s up to $5 billion fund for charging infrastructures will be allocated and used.
Apart from the NEVI program, the government also launched the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program, which provides $2.5 billion for charging infrastructure-related projects.
“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.”
FHWA spokesperson
See Also:
- Is there an infrastructure to support EV charging?
- Explaining EV transition and charging infrastructure
- The IRA bill is expected to boost the US EV market by 20%
- White House offers Tesla Superchargers subsidies but on one condition
- Ford EVs to have access to Tesla Superchargers in 2024
Initially, Tesla faced impediments in benefiting from the federal fund of up to 7.5 billion because its Supercharger Network was incompatible with non-Tesla EVs and lacked CCS connectors. However, the EV charging industry is rapidly evolving, favoring Tesla’s NACS. Moreover, Tesla has recently opened its Supercharger Network to non-Tesla electric vehicles.
