Kentucky's New Law Mandates Tesla's Charging Technology To Secure Federal Funds

The only constant is change in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. This has been proven once again, with Kentucky becoming the first state to mandate Tesla Inc.'s charging technology. 

The state is requiring EV charging companies to include Tesla's plug if they want to partake in the state's program to electrify highways using federal dollars. 

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This is another example of how the EV industry is changing, often with Tesla leading the charge.

Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) has recently been gathering considerable momentum. Several auto manufacturers, including Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., Volvo Cars, Polestar Automotive and Rivian Automotive Inc., have announced their adoption of the NACS for their electric vehicles.

Prominent EV charging firms, such as ChargePoint Inc. and Electrify America, have joined this trend. They've announced plans to integrate NACS plugs into their charging stalls, further broadening the usage of this standard.

These developments highlight the increasing recognition and adoption of Tesla's NACS, promising to streamline the charging process for a broader range of electric vehicles across North America.

According to a Reuters report, Kentucky is poised to become the first state to mandate the use of Tesla's charging technology. This follows earlier indications from both Texas and Washington of similar intentions.

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Details are available in Kentucky's request for proposal (RFP) for the state's electric vehicle charging program. The RFP stipulates that charging stations should be equipped with both a combined charging system (CCS) and a NACS plug, further signifying the growing adoption of Tesla's charging standard.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation stipulated that to be eligible for federal funding, charging companies must provide CCS plugs. This funding aims to establish 500,000 EV charging points across the country by the decade's end.

Given the rising adoption of Tesla's North American Charging Standard, it's conceivable that future mandates may also include this standard in the United States EV charging infrastructure. 

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