"We're deeply honored that Ford, GM, Mercedes and many other [automakers] have signed up to use our connector and gain access to our charging network," Tesla CEO Elon Musk said during the company's
While it's not yet clear how the process will work for drivers of other EVs, it's expected to be similarly painless once the driver is signed up with Tesla. And ChargePoint, which installs and manages chargers for other businesses, said its clients can now order new chargers with NACS connectors and that it can retrofit its existing chargers with the Tesla-designed connectors as well.Tesla's decision to open its network to other automakers — and the companies' willingness to accept the invitation — will give drivers of non-Tesla EVs a lot more options for charging on the go.
The states in turn have been handing that funding out to companies that are building charging stations — with a few catches: Charging companies must provide customers with real-time updates as to whether the station is occupied or out of service.Charging operators can't require drivers to sign up for memberships to access chargers.