Today, the Biden administration announced new standards to expand its nationwide electric vehicle (EV) charging network in an effort to promote EV adoption by providing a “predictable” user experience. All charging stations will soon be required to adopt the same connector types, payment methods and data privacy guarantees. These new standards will allow Tesla, for the first time, to make parts of its own charging network compatible with non-Tesla EVs in the United States.
Joining other industry insiders in supporting Biden’s goal of building 500,000 EV chargers nationwide by 2030, Tesla said it would “provide at least 7,500 chargers for every EV by the end of 2024.” promised to do. This includes his 3,500 new and existing 250 kW “superchargers” along highway corridors and his 4,000 slow “destination charging” in urban and rural hotels and restaurants. includes “vessel”.
Any EV driver should be able to access these charging stations using Tesla’s app or website, but it remains to be seen how Tesla will adapt its charging network to comply with the new connector type standard. is unknown. The most widely used connector type is the combined charging system (CCS), and Reuters reports that Biden, a company seeking to secure a portion of his $7.5 billion in federal funding for his EV initiative. reported that the CCS standard should be adopted. White House officials said Tesla plans to adopt the CCS standard, already has “hardware and software solutions” for it, and is eligible for state funding to improve its charger network. said there was, Reuters reported. Earlier this year, InsideEVs reported that Tesla’s solution could be a mysterious “Magic Dock” that retrofits a Tesla charging station to charge non-Tesla EVs. I’m still not sure exactly how the Magic Dock works.
Opening up its charging network to all EVs could position Tesla as the clear industry leader across the United States, analysts told Reuters, but adopting the CCS standard could put some consumers at risk. It could also reduce the incentive to buy a Tesla. Tesla drivers have enjoyed exclusive access to the country’s largest and fastest ‘supercharger’ network, but soon EV owners will be able to enjoy the same perks without having to buy a Tesla. .
Tesla did not respond to Ars’ request for comment.
White House infrastructure coordinator Mitch Landrieu said at a press conference today that Tesla CEO Elon Musk is committed to helping Biden meet his ambitious EV charging goals. It appeared to be “very open.” If competitors had so much funding available, Tesla could risk rivals creating a larger charging network, and Tesla drivers may lose their exclusivity.
When Musk met with White House officials last month, he made no public promise to open up the charging network, the Washington Post reported. Today’s announcement should be good news, at least for some of Tesla’s investors. They were waiting for Tesla to confirm its commitment, as reported by Reuters.
Is Biden’s Made in America Plan Realistic?
Tesla isn’t the only company Biden is relying on to expand the country’s EV charging network through the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.
A dozen companies have pledged to add “more than 100,000 public chargers for all EVs.” These companies include automakers such as General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and Ford, as well as other EV industry interests such as Hertz, BP, Pilot Company, EVgo, TravelCenters of America, ChargePoint, Electrify America, and Starbucks. includes persons. General Motors and Francis Energy have made some of the biggest commitments. It pledged to expand to 40 states by 2020 and install “50,000 EV charging ports by 2030.” Other companies and networks have pledged to maintain new charging stations on a regular basis.
The NEVI program will help Biden achieve his mission to electrify the “great American road trip,” but Biden’s larger goal is to aggressively boost domestic manufacturing of EVs and EV chargers. is to To that end, Biden’s plan calls for all federally funded EV chargers to be manufactured in the United States. The company should ensure that by July 2024, his 55% of the cost of all components of his new EV chargers will be paid to domestic manufacturers. Equipment that does not meet that standard must be installed by October 2024. Biden expects the need for continued investment will boost the development of his chain of reliable domestic supplies.
“These standards direct federal funding to build a user-friendly, reliable, and accessible nationwide EV charging network that makes charging as easy as filling up at a gas station. ,” Biden’s announcement said.
That said, not everyone expects America to suddenly have a reliable supply chain with Biden’s plan. Reuters reports that the European Union and Mexico have expressed concern that the United States is discriminating against foreign EV makers, and the state told his DOT that global demand for EV chargers is already out of supply. He said it puts strain on the chain. Made in America standard. Tesla is concerned that the “pace and scale of deployment” of Biden’s plans may be too ambitious and result in “not enough compliant charging stations.”
