When the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, it did so with a provision for a national network of 500,000 EV chargers. The law set aside $7.5 billion for this network; however, tangible progress has yet to be made. That’s because the White House needed to hash out how exactly it would go about distributing funds and ensuring all EV drivers in the US would have access to the network.
After eight months of debate, the White House finally has some news to share. The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have officially cemented a set of standards under the new Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. As of Wednesday, all EV chargers produced with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law must be manufactured in the United States. By July next year, a minimum of 55% of EV charger component costs must involve domestic manufacturing.
(Image: J Dean/Unsplash)
The standards also emphasize universal compatibility. Until this week, no comprehensive rules existed to ensure that EV drivers could find chargers that were accessible, operational, and easy to use. The Biden administration’s new standards require that federally-funded chargers maintain a 97% uptime threshold and accept at least one universal form of identification rather than requiring users to download or pay through multiple private smartphone apps. EV charging companies must maintain up-to-date databases through which drivers can check charger locations, prices, and availability.
Perhaps most importantly, all EV chargers funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law must be compatible with any EV make or model. That’s a big deal for Tesla, which will be required to forgo charger exclusivity if it wants a cut of that $7.5 billion pool. According to the White House’s fact sheet, Tesla is already making 7,500 of its US Superchargers and Destination Chargers (including 3,500 new and existing 250 kW Superchargers along highway corridors) universally compatible by the end of 2024. This will be the first time non-Tesla EV drivers can use Tesla chargers.
Tesla isn’t thrilled that the government is effectively forcing its hand. A spokesperson called the plan “aggressive” and told the DOT it “could lead to a shortfall in the number of compliant charging stations available given the pace and scale of deployment,” according to records obtained by Reuters. (Tesla hasn’t been in the strongest financial position as of late, though, so it doesn’t have much room to argue.)
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