a group of EV Charger makers and operators oppose Texas plan to mandate inclusion Tesla The technology in charging stations is being called “premature,” according to a document seen by Reuters and a source familiar with the matter.
Reuters reported last week that Texas would require charging companies to include both Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) as well as nationally recognized rival Combined Charging Standard (CCS) technology to be eligible for a state program to electrify highways using federal dollars.
Washington followed suit, and standards organization SAE International has said it aims to create an industry standard configuration of Tesla’s charging connector in six months or less, prompting the Tesla CEO. Elon MuskHope to make NACS the national charging technology.
But five electric vehicle charging companies, including operator ChargePoint Holdings and manufacturer ABB and a clean energy consortium, have written to the Texas Transportation Commission asking for more time to re-engineer and test Tesla’s connectors.
Texas’ plan “puts at risk the successful deployment” of the first phase of federal funds, he said in a letter sent to the commission’s chair on Thursday, which was seen by Reuters.
“The need of the hour is to properly standardize, test and certify the safety and interoperability of Tesla connectors across the industry,” he added.
A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters that some of these organizations plan to reach out to the federal government soon over the issue.
The Texas Department of Transportation, ChargePoint, ABB and other signatories FreeWire, EVBox and FLO did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Another signatory, Americans for Affordable Clean Energy, a consortium of truck stops and convenience stores, could not immediately be reached.
Tesla, the leading EV maker in the United States, has scored several wins for its charging technology in recent weeks. ford motor Stating that it would adopt NACS. General MotorsRivian Automotive and a slew of auto and charging companies did the same, worried about losing customers if they only offered CCS.
Tesla’s Superchargers account for about 60 percent of the total number of fast chargers in the United States, according to the US Department of Energy, and the deals will allow non-Tesla users to access the company’s large charging network.
But concerns remain about how easily the two charging standards will talk to each other and whether having both standards on the market will increase costs for vendors and customers.
The companies said in the letter that charging companies would have to rework several aspects of the NACS connector, including increasing cable length and ensuring sufficient temperature range, as well as obtaining certification for specific parts.
The companies also highlighted the need for a robust supply chain of NACS cables and connectors that comply with the requirements.
© Thomson Reuters 2023