With congressional support, automakers and charging companies plan to install tens of thousands of fast chargers on American highways capable of refueling electric cars in half an hour or less.
This is good news for anyone who owns an electric vehicle or is considering purchasing one. But it’s also baffled by the debate over what kind of plugs new car and chargers will use now and in the future.
Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, and other automakers plan to ditch the plugs their electric cars use today for those designed by Tesla. But they won’t start selling Tesla plug-in cars until 2025.
Until then, cars like the Ford Mustang Mach-E or the Chevrolet Bolt will come with technology that may eventually become obsolete, the equivalent of Betamax VCRs.
What sockets do electric cars use today?
There are two main types of plugs. The most widely used is the one developed by Tesla, which dominates the electric car business and, so far, only works with the company’s cars. It is known as the North American Shipping Standard.
Cars made by most other manufacturers use a plug known as a common charging system. Any electric vehicle charger funded in part by the federal government under the bipartisan Infrastructure Act must be able to charge cars that use a CCS plug.
Several well-established automakers are switching from CCS to the North American plug, which would allow owners to use the 12,000 Tesla fast charger and feel more confident about finding a place to refuel. Tesla has nearly 20,000 fast chargers in the United States, or about two-thirds of those chargers.
Existing manufacturers will offer adapters that allow Tesla chargers to power cars with CCS plugs in early 2024. Then, in 2025, new cars sold by automakers will use Tesla plugs without adapters.
With many major automakers moving to the Tesla standard, the days of CCS may be numbered in the United States. Of course, cars designed with CCS plugs will be on the road for years, which means charging stations will need adapters or provide both types of plugs for the foreseeable future.
Why are automakers switching to the Tesla plug?
Established automakers are turning to Tesla’s system mainly because it’s more widespread than what they’re using today and it seems to work better.
The Tesla charging network is often found in locations without CCS chargers. Many car and driver experts also say that Tesla chargers are more reliable and that the company’s plug is smaller, lighter, and easier to handle than a CCS plug.
Additionally, Tesla designed its system so that drivers could plug in one of its chargers and walk away. The chargers recognize each Tesla car and automatically bill owners’ credit cards.
Freight networks operated by other companies are known to perform inconsistently. Shipping procedures vary. Some chargers require drivers to plug them in and then open an app on their phone. Others want customers to open the app first. Some chargers accept credit cards, but others do not.
Drivers of non-Tesla electric cars often complain of broken or chipped chargers, complaints that have been validated by independent studies.
How important is the location of the shipper?
It matters a lot.
Perhaps the biggest advantage Tesla has is that it has been this way for a long time. We have secured choice locations in famous shopping malls and along busy highways.
As a result, newer shippers are often at a disadvantage. Many of them have had to put some chargers in areas that lack toilets or restaurants. Stopping at some chargers, in empty parking lots, can make you feel insecure.
In July, BMW, GM, Honda and four other automakers announced that they would jointly install 30,000 chargers in the United States and Canada. These chargers will have both plugs.
Does the CCS plug have any advantages?
Yes, these plugs can charge any electric car, including Teslas if drivers carry adapters, which often come with their cars.
But the reverse is not true, the vast majority of Tesla chargers can only charge Tesla cars. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, said in February that he intends to open up his company’s charging network to cars made by other automakers. As of late August, only about a dozen of the company’s charging stations in the US, all in California, New York or Texas, were available for other vehicles.
CCS technology is not dominated by one company. While Tesla has promised to hand oversight of its plug to an independent body, the company and Mr. Musk have often been confrontational when dealing with other companies and government agencies. Which is why some auto experts think established automakers may regret relying on Tesla.
While shipping companies that offer CCS plugs struggle to provide services that are reliable and easy to use, there are plenty out there. Many of them, including EVgo or Electrify America, operate nationwide and compete with each other on price and service. Tesla is becoming more isolated from the competition, though that will change as more companies provide chargers with the plugs their cars use.