Tesla to Open Charging Network to All EVs Following New Federal Regs

Aside from higher average costs, inadequate public-charging infrastructure has been shown to be one of the top hesitations for electric vehicle adoption. In an effort to make public charging more accessible and reliable across the U.S., the Biden administration has finalized a set of guidelines for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that include a $7.5 billion investment in EV charging. The new rules are meant to support the administration’s goal to increase the number of public chargers from 130,000 to 500,000 and have EVs make up 50% of new-car sales by 2030. It also aims to ensure that all new chargers are American-made, standardized and open to all EV owners.

While the new regulations will ultimately impact owners of all EVs, the most notable change will likely come for Tesla owners, who will soon be forced to share the company’s exclusive Supercharger network.

Related: Which New Electric Vehicles Come With Free Charging?

Liberty and Chargers for All

According to a White House statement, a “made in America” stipulation is a key component for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Effective immediately, all EV chargers that use federal funding must be built in the U.S., while final assembly and manufacturing for any iron or steel charger components must also be U.S.-based. By July 2024, at least 55% of the cost of all EV charging equipment components will need to be manufactured domestically.

The administration says the new rules will expand the nationwide network of EV chargers to reduce range anxiety when traveling in a battery-powered car. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program allocates $5 billion to create a coast-to-coast network of chargers along major highways to support long-distance trips. It also aims to fill the gaps in public-charger accessibility, especially in rural communities.

According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, rural areas have a significantly lower rate of EV adoption partly due to a lack of charging infrastructure. The nonprofit agency estimates the adoption rate of EVs in nonmetro areas is less than five registered EVs per 10,000 people; meanwhile, metro areas have 10 to 100-plus registered EVs per 10,000 people. The number of charging stations in a given area correlates to the rate of adoption: Major metro areas have 500 to 1,000 or more public outlets per 25 square miles; most suburban areas have one to 25 outlets; and the majority of rural areas and small towns have none.

A More Predictable Charging Experience

In addition to expanding the availability of chargers across the country, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aims to standardize the charging process to create consistency across plug types, charging speeds, pricing information and payment methods. The standards outlined by the Federal Highway Administration include a 97% uptime reliability requirement, publicly accessible data on locations, pricing and availability through mapping applications, and a single method of identification and payment in place of multiple apps.

“The national standards we are announcing today will give EV users confidence that they will be able to find available, safe and reliable EV charging stations across the country,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt in a statement. “This is a critical step in building a seamless national network with common requirements for EV charging that will support the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, help build a clean-energy future, and ensure those technologies and products are made here in America.”

Tesla to Open Its Charging Networks

Companies can only get a piece of the $7.5 billion federal funding pie if they adopt the U.S. Combined Charging System standard for DC fast-charging connectors. For Tesla, this means opening up its network of destination chargers and Superchargers; the latter totals 17,711 chargers and accounts for 60% of all fast chargers nationwide, per Automotive News.

That network exclusively uses Tesla’s charging device and takes payment through the Tesla app. The White House says Tesla has agreed to open a portion of its Supercharger and Level 2 destination charger networks, totaling 7,500 chargers, to all EVs by the end of 2024. The Superchargers will be located along major highways, while destination charging will be found at public locations like hotels and restaurants in both urban and rural communities. All EV owners will have access to pay through Tesla’s app or website.

The change may come as welcome news for EV owners who struggle to find reliable public-charging stations, but the impact it will have on Tesla’s network availability and reliability remains to be seen. According to a recent J.D. Power study, overall satisfaction with EV chargers fell in 2022 compared to the previous year — mainly due to out-of-service chargers. Tesla bucked the trend, leading in satisfaction scores for both its destination chargers and Superchargers; it was also the only fast-charger company that ranked above the industry average. The new rules mean Tesla will need to standardize its charger compatibility and payment method to accommodate all EV owners. Tesla owners will also face more competition for available charging stations.

However, Tesla isn’t the only company pledging to expand its public-charger network. The White House says companies including ChargePoint, Electrify America, EVgo, GM, Hertz and Mercedes-Benz have committed to adding thousands of chargers at retail locations, dealerships and along major highways.

More From Cars.com:

• Electric Cars With the Longest Range
• What It Cost to Outfit 6 Homes With EV Chargers
• How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
• What Does the EV Tax Credit Overhaul Mean for Car Shoppers?
• Here Are the 11 Cheapest Electric Vehicles You Can Buy

Related Video:

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.