Texas pulls reverse Tesla Magic Dock move as it mandates NACS connector on subsidized CCS charging stations

In a reverse federal nationwide EV charging network move, Texas will mandate that CCS charging station installers include Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector together with the CCS plug. Given that Tesla holds the largest EV market share in the US, the goal is to ensure ultimate compatibility for the state-subsidized chargers.

This requirement is the opposite of what the federal government demands from Tesla - to include a CCS connector on its subsidized Superchargers - and may lead to more Texas stations that are compatible with both standards. To fulfil the federal subsidy requirements. Tesla started deploying pilot stations equipped with the so-called Magic Dock that includes a Tesla plug with a CCS adapter.

They allow owners of other electric vehicles to charge on the largest network in the US. The other requirement for receiving government money from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program (NEVI), "a $5 billion initiative to create a coast-to-coast network of electric vehicle chargers focused on major highways that support the majority of long-distance trips," is that the charging stations are made in the US, which Tesla's Buffalo-assembled Superchargers fulfil as well.

When the NEVI infrastructure program was created, though, Tesla's direct competitors in the US still used the CCS plug. Given that Ford, GM, and even Rivian recently announced that they will adopt Tesla's NACS port and plug in future vehicles, while Hyundai is considering it, the move to demand Tesla connectors on new CCS charging stations built with state money only makes sense.

That's precisely the argument that the Texas Department of Transportation gives for the NACS mandate at CCS stations, since the "decision by Ford, GM, and now Rivian to adopt NACS changed requirements for Phase 1." "Each Direct Current Fast Charge port will be required to have 1 CCS connector and 1 NACS connector," added the state's transportation authority.

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