Texas initially disclosed plans to mandate electric vehicle charging infrastructures in the state to include Tesla-developed NACS (North American Charging Standard) connector alongside the CCS connector in late June.
Now, Reuters reports that the state finally decided to pursue the proposal on August 16. That said, charging solutions providers must integrate Tesla NACS into their network to secure access to federal funds under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula (NEVI) Program.
It must be noted that Texas secured the largest share of the $5 billion NEVI program. It will aid the US to electrify its public highways and expand the EV uptake.
Tesla NACS progress
Other US states are also exploring the potential to mandate NACS integration into their charging network.
This significant support from the state governments is crucial for Tesla to achieve its goal of standardizing the charging infrastructures in the region.
As per the report, Tesla’s NACS is already undergoing early testing. Moreover, the Musk-led company secured several projects in the initial funding round in Pennsylvania.
Notably, the White House only directs charging companies to retain the CCS to qualify for the NEVI funds. However, it allows the states to implement their own standards alongside the CCS before granting the funds.
As EV-a2z previously reported, American legacy automakers Ford and GM decided to support Tesla NACS. They seek to gain access to the Musk-led company’s immense and reliable Supercharging network across the region. Soon after, more automakers joined the growing NACS family, including Rivian, Volvo, Polestar, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Aptera, and Fisker.
That said, it is no wonder Texas aims to include Tesla NACS in its charging network. The state expects to get $407.8 million in funding in five years under the program.
On Wednesday, the commission unanimously agreed to adopt the proposal.
“The two-connector approach being proposed will help assure coverage of a minimum of 97% of the current, over 168,000 electric vehicles with fast charge ports in the state.”
Humberto Gonzalez, Texas’ DOT Director (via Reuters)
See Also:
- Texas requires state-backed charging stations to include Tesla NACS
- Rivian Chief talks about its NACS partnership with Tesla
- Nissan advances as the first Japanese automaker to adopt Tesla’s NACS by 2025
- Mercedes-Benz becomes the first German automaker to adopt Tesla’s NACS
- NACS vc CCS: Which EV charging plug is better?
Tesla’s efforts in facilitating the shift towards a standardized charging network in North America can potentially address the current issues that impede the wide EV uptake. It can push charging stations to be more accessible, reliable, and sufficient to cater to the growing number of EVs o the roads.
