© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Car chargers at a Tesla Super Charging station are on display in Carlsbad, California, US on September 14, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
By Abhirup Roy
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A group of electric vehicle charger makers and operators is resisting a Texas plan to include Tesla (NASDAQ:) technology in charging stations, saying it is “premature,” according to a document seen by Reuters. A knowledgeable source.
Reuters reported last week that the state of Texas would require chargers to include Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) in addition to its nationally recognized competing Common Charging Standard (CCS) technology to be eligible for the state’s highway electrification program using federal dollars.
Washington followed suit, and standards organization SAE International said it aims to create an industry standard configuration for a Tesla charging connector in six months or less, adding momentum to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s hope to make NACS the national charging technology.
But five electric vehicle charging companies, including operator ChargePoint Holdings and manufacturer ABB, and a clean energy association, have written to the Texas Transportation Commission, calling for more time to re-engineer and test Tesla’s connectors.
They said in a letter sent to the commission president on Thursday, seen by Reuters, that the Texas plan “threatens the successful deployment” of the first phase of federal funding.
“Time is needed to standardize, test and certify the safety and interoperability of Tesla connectors across the industry,” they said.
The source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters that some of these organizations plan to approach the federal government about the issue soon.
The Texas Department of Transportation, ChargePoint, ABB and the other signatories FreeWire, EVBox and FLO did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Another site, Americans for Affordable Clean Energy, an association of truck stops and convenience stores, could not immediately be reached.
Tesla, the dominant electric car maker in the US, has racked up a string of wins for its charging technology in recent weeks, starting with Ford Motor (NYSE:) saying it will embrace NACS. General Motors (NYSE: ), Rivian Automotive, and a host of auto and shipping companies have done the same, over fears of losing customers if they only offer CCS.
Tesla superchargers account for about 60% of the total number of fast chargers in the US, according to the US Department of Energy, and the deals will allow non-Tesla users to use the company’s large charging network.
But concerns remain about how seamlessly the two shipping standards will talk to each other and whether having both standards on the market will increase costs for sellers and customers.
In the letter, the companies said that shippers must rework many aspects of NACS connectors, including extending cable length and ensuring proper temperature ranges, as well as obtaining certifications for certain parts.
The companies also highlighted the need for a robust supply chain of NACS cables and connectors that match the requirements.