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The state of Texas has once again postponed a pivotal vote on the allocation of federal funds for the construction of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The decision, now pushed back to August 16, has drawn criticism from various EV charging companies opposing the state’s plan to incorporate Tesla’s technology into the charging infrastructure.
Three industry insiders confirmed that the Texas Department of Transportation removed the topic from its July agenda, reports Reuters. According to the department’s spokesperson, the move was “at the discretion of the commissioners,” but details for the August meeting have yet to be confirmed.
The outcome of the Texas vote is being keenly observed by industry stakeholders as it could influence similar decisions in other states. Last month, it was reported that Texas intended to require EV charging companies to adopt Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) to be eligible for a highway electrification program funded by federal money.
Shortly after the announcement, a coalition of EV charger manufacturers and operators expressed their concerns, stating that they needed time to assess the compatibility of Tesla’s connectors with the U.S. standard Combined Charging System (CCS).
The vote was initially scheduled for June 29 but was delayed to July 11 as three members of Texas’ transport commission, including the chairman, sought to fully understand NACS and its implications before voting.
An executive from an EV charging company, who wished to remain anonymous due to the private nature of the policy discussions, told Reuters, “We do think the reason why this decision is being punted is there is reaction within the industry that this is a big announcement and let’s just do this responsibly.”
“Texas is a bit of a bulwark. What they do sets a precedent for other state transport departments. The clout that they can throw around is pretty powerful,” the executive added.
Other states have considered similar plans. Washington has discussed similar initiatives, and Kentucky has mandated that EV charging companies incorporate Tesla’s plug into their systems.
The federal funding rollout stipulates that charging companies must offer CCS. But plans by Ford Motor and General Motors to adopt Tesla’s NACS have sparked a wave of automakers and charging companies to embrace the technology, adding another layer of complexity to the issue.
