US automaker Tesla will open some of its electric vehicle chargers to other vehicles, as the US rolls out a $5bn federal program meant to speed the construction of a coast-to-coast charging network.
Tesla by the end of next year will open to the public at least 7,500 chargers in its private network, of which at least 3,500 will be new and existing high-speed "Superchargers," the White House said. Tesla owns the most high-speed chargers in the US, accounting for 60pc of the fast-charging market.
President Joe Biden's administration today finalized standards for vehicle chargers stations seeking federal funding, requiring consistent plug types and payment systems that are meant to make charging more predictable. US rental car company Hertz, BP, convenience store Pilot are among the companies announcing plans to collectively add more than 100,000 public chargers to the US, the White House said.
"This is a major step toward a world where every [electric vehicle] user will be able to find safe, reliable charging stations anywhere in the country," US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg said.
The 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law offers $5bn in formula-based funding to states to build electric vehicle chargers along major highways, along with $2.5bn in competitive grants to build chargers in communities and underserved areas. That funding will support Biden's goal to build a US network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers, up from about 130,000 chargers today.
Automakers have started to embrace the switch toward electric vehicles, driven by shifting consumer preferences and an expanded federal tax credit of up to $7,500 per vehicle in last year's Inflation Reduction Act. US automaker Ford this week said it would build a $3.5bn factory in Michigan to manufacture electric vehicle batteries.
The automakers Volvo, Honda, BMW, Ford and Volkswagen earlier this week were part of a legal defense of California's Advanced Clean Cars program, which requires a shift to zero-emission vehicles. Ohio and other states are suing the Biden administration for reinstating a 2013 waiver supporting the program, which automakers say has supported billions of dollars in investments.
"If anything, California's program mitigates competitive disadvantage risks by helping ensure a level playing field for manufacturers aiming to make long-term electric vehicle investments during periods of regulatory uncertainty," the automakers said in a legal brief on 13 February.
