File:Ford and Tesla make EV charging deal.jpg

Two Charging Companies Respond To Ford’s Adoption Of The Tesla/NACS Plug

Via CleanTechnica

May 27, 2023

• https://cleantechnica.com/2023/05/27/two-charging-companies-respond-to-fords-adoption-of-the-tesla-nacs-plug/

Yesterday’s announcement that Ford’s future vehicles would be equipped with Tesla’s NACS charging connector (Supercharging port) signaled a big shift in the industry. Before the announcement, Tesla was using its plug and everyone else was using the CCS1 plug in the United States. It seemed like this would continue indefinitely, as manufacturers of both vehicles and charging equipment have been using CCS for years. So, the Ford announcement wasn’t just one company’s decision, but possibly a break in the dam holding Tesla’s plug back from further adoption in the industry.

Two Charging Players Have Responded

First, here’s a statement from Electrify America: “Electrify America, the nation’s largest open ultra-fast charging network, is built on the widely adopted SAE Combo Charging System (CCS-1) standard. Over 26 automotive brands utilize the CCS-1 standard today. Since our founding, we have focused on building an inclusive and open Ultra-Fast charging network to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles (EV). Since 2020, we have experienced a 20-fold increase in charging sessions. In 2022, we delivered over 5.2 million successful charging sessions and 173 gigawatts-hours of electricity, while continuing to open new stations and replace early technology chargers with our latest generation. Electrify America was also the first to introduce the standards-based Plug & Charge in North America, allowing for a seamless charging experience across multiple vehicles.

“As the EV charging infrastructure landscape continues to evolve, we continue to monitor market demand and government policies. Electrify America is committed to being a part of the broader charging solution for EV drivers today and in the future.” ...

FreeWire Energy, the maker of EV charging stations with integrated battery storage (also responded). “FreeWire commends the recent announcement by Tesla and Ford to make NACS charging accessible to more vehicles. For a sustainable transition to electric transportation, it is crucial to quickly increase investments and make reliable, publicly accessible fast-charging infrastructure widely available. It will require all charging providers to work together to meet public charging demand, and we support Tesla in making steps towards opening their technology and network. FreeWire has long been a proponent of standardization across the industry as it will make charging more convenient for drivers and allow infrastructure to keep pace with EV adoption nationwide. FreeWire plans to make NACS connectors available on Boost Chargers by mid 2024.” ...

(I)f the Tesla/NACS plug does overtake the industry, FreeWire and Electrify America appear willing to follow the industry down that path as needed to keep their companies going.

(The) take away from these first responses is that the industry is trying to be flexible, and that should be good news for everybody. Not only does it mean there’s room for better solutions to be implemented, but it also means innovation and competition won’t get driven out of the industry.

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