In February, the White House announced a plan to spend $5 billion by 2030 on a nationwide charging network of 500,00 chargers. Yesterday, the administration announced the proposed rules that outline what new charging stations need to be like to qualify for part of the money set aside.
At the moment, many fear travelling long distances with electric cars due to incompatible charging stations along the way, broken plugs and sometimes slow chargers. The problems with the available charging networks don’t end there. Different companies have their own proprietary charging interfaces, mobile apps, pricing structures, and membership systems. While in gas vehicles, paying for and pumping gas will be an identical experience anywhere you go.
To solve these issues, the White House proposal aims to standardize the charging experience by making sure that federally funded stations offer similar payment systems, charging speeds, pricing information, and functionality.
The proposal further indicates that charging stations won’t require a membership for use. The government also gives standards for how charging stations should be maintained over time, potentially leading to fewer broken chargers.
Under these new rules, Tesla will not qualify for the federal funding since they use proprietary plugs that only charge their vehicles. Fortunately for them, the company already has one of the largest charging networks in the country.