Tesla might finally open its charging infrastructure to other EV makers

Tesla has started selling a home charger with a J1772 connector instead of the standard proprietary Tesla plug.

Since this announcement follows news that Tesla will allow all electric vehicles (EVs) to use its chargers in the Netherlands, it looks like the automaker might be opening up its walled garden. While the new J1772 connector isn’t as prevalent in Canada as CCS charging ports, it’s exciting to see Tesla take other EVs seriously.

Of course, the home charger isn’t that significant of a deal since you can buy at-home J1772 connectors from various companies. Still, the fact that Tesla is now selling one could mean that the company might consider offering a second port on its cars like the Porsche Taycan, or that it could be just looking to make more revenue off of non-Tesla EV owners.

The more exciting Tesla charger news is that the company is pilot-testing allowing other EVs to use its fast chargers in the Netherlands. So far, this test only applies to 10 chargers, and it costs non-tesla cars more to use those locations. This has been a long time coming in Europe since Tesla vehicles sold there require a CCS charger and not the proprietary Tesla plug used in North America.

This means that for years EV drivers in Europe could physically plug their cars into Tesla stations, but the station would refuse to top them up. With this new pilot project, regular EV owners can download and initiate a charge at one of ten select stations across the Netherlands.

Overall, Tesla’s Supercharger network is likely the most compelling reason to buy a Tesla over any other EV. With that mind, as countries around the world transition to electric vehicles, I wouldn’t be surprised if more governments forced Tesla to allow all cars to use its charging stations.

source: Electreck, (1)