The state of Washington will now require electric vehicle charging companies to use Tesla connectors in order to be eligible for a federally-funded state program to electrify highways, Reuters reports.
This comes after the recent decision by the state of Texas to require Tesla connectors–also called the North American Charging Standard (NACS)–on state-funded EV chargers.
With General Motors, Ford, and Rivian also making commitments to NACS connectors on their future EVs, efforts by the federal government to make the Combined Charging System (CCS) the national standard have not been reciprocated by the industry.
Though federally-funded charging sites in Washington will require at least four CCS chargers, Tonia Buell, alternative fuels program manager at Washington state's Department of Transportation, said that the state may require anywhere from two to all four of them to also be compatible with NACS connectors.
“I’m actually really happy about NACS and how finally automakers are gearing towards one standard. We want to provide access to as many makes and models as possible,” Buell stated.
