Tesla May Have Already Won the Charging Wars
But the decision to work with Tesla comes with big risks for the rest of the auto industry, which will be relying on Mr. Musk, a mercurial leader, for an essential technology. Tesla’s proprietary charging system, which it recently began calling the North American Charging Standard, is not overseen by an independent organization as other technical standards are. The company has said it intends to hand off control to such a body, though some competitors are skeptical of how much control Tesla will surrender.
The deal also comes with risks for Tesla. Exclusive access to the company’s charging stations, some of which already had long lines during busy travel times, has helped the company sell cars to customers who might chafe at having to wait behind Fords and Chevrolets.
Battles over technical standards are common with any new technology. The outcomes can be painful for companies or consumers who bet on the wrong horse. Just ask anyone who bought or invested in a video recorder, cellphone or digital music player that later became obsolete.
The stakes with automobiles are much higher: They cost tens of thousands of dollars, and replacing gasoline vehicles with electric models is key to addressing climate change.
Some industry officials fear that the messy corporate jockeying over charging technology could discourage people from buying electric cars.
Source: The New York Times
