The Biden administration announced new standards for expanding the national electric vehicle (EV) charging network today, to encourage widespread EV adoption by providing a “predictable” user experience. All charging stations will be required to use the same connector types, payment methods, and data privacy assurances in the near future. These new standards have compelled Tesla to make a portion of its proprietary charging network compatible with non-Tesla EVs in the United States for the first time.
Tesla has pledged to make “at least 7,500 chargers available for all EVs by the end of 2024,” joining other industry stakeholders in supporting Biden’s goal of building 500,000 EV chargers nationwide by 2030, according to Biden’s announcement. There will be 3,500 new and existing 250 kW “superchargers” along highway corridors, as well as 4,000 slower “destination chargers” at hotels and restaurants in both urban and rural areas.
Any EV driver should be able to access these charging stations via the Tesla app or website, but it’s unclear how Tesla will adapt its charging network to comply with new connector-type standards. The most common connector type is the Combined Charging System (CCS), and according to Reuters, any company hoping to secure a portion of the $7.5 billion in federal funding for Biden’s EV initiative must use the CCS standard.