SAE International, the standards organization, has announced its support for Tesla’s EV “North American Charging Standard” (NACS) port. This adoption by SAE will facilitate the implementation of the port by electric vehicle charging station manufacturers and operators, making charging for EV owners more consistent and reliable. Tesla’s formerly proprietary charging port was opened up last year with the aim of becoming the de facto EV standard in the US.
The US Joint Office of Energy and Transportation has collaborated with Tesla and SAE to expedite the adoption of the Tesla plug as a standard to enhance the country’s charging infrastructure. This collaboration is aimed at improving the compatibility of charging technology across vehicles and chargers and implementing universal error codes. SAE is contributing its Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology to enhance the security of charging against cyber attacks.
ChargePoint, one of the leading electric vehicle charging station companies, has also announced its support for Tesla’s charging port. The company has made it possible for customers setting up charging stations with its equipment to add Tesla’s port standard to new orders of commercial AC stations, DC fast chargers, and home AC charging systems later this year. This move reflects the growing momentum behind the adoption of Tesla’s charging standard, as major automakers like Ford, GM, and Rivian have also committed to adding Tesla’s plug to their future vehicles.
ChargePoint is not the only company rallying behind Tesla’s charging port. Several other electric vehicle charging station manufacturers and operators, including EVgo, Tritium, Blink, and ABB, have also added Tesla’s plug as an option to their units. ChargePoint, in particular, has a significant presence in North America with over 2,184 DC fast charging stations and more than 743,000 active and roaming ports available for both AC and DC charging.
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Most non-Tesla-owned DC fast charging stations, such as those found in mall parking lots, use the Combined Charging System (CCS) as the main connector. Some may still have CHAdeMO plugs for charging Nissan Leaf vehicles, but the use of CHAdeMO plugs is gradually diminishing. In the past, companies like EVgo had added Tesla’s connector to their stations by hacking existing CHAdeMO connectors with Tesla’s official adapter. ChargePoint had also tested stations with Tesla ports, but these solutions were not as effective as Tesla’s Supercharging network, which provides faster charging rates.
With SAE supporting the NACS standard, larger EV charging company holdouts like Electrify America, which is owned by Volkswagen, may find it easier to make the transition to the Tesla plug. This support from SAE signals the increasing acceptance and adoption of the Tesla charging standard, which aims to create a more unified and efficient charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in North America.
