'It's just a plug': A rival EV CEO isn't sold on Tesla's charging tech
'It's just a plug': A rival EV CEO isn't sold on Tesla's charging tech
"What we're really comparing is, is it a screw cap or is it a cork on the bottle, not the quality of the wine," Lucid's CEO, who previously worked at Tesla, said.
Numerous automakers are integrating Tesla's well-respected charging technology, however, Lucid CEO, Peter Rawlinson, remains unconvinced. Rawlinson has likened Tesla's charger to either a screw cap or a cork on a bottle, suggesting that the focus should be on the quality of the "wine" (electric vehicle technology) rather than the charger. While companies like Ford, GM, Volvo, and Rivian plan to offer compatibility with Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS), Lucid will continue using the Combined Charging System (CCS). Even though Rawlinson acknowledges Tesla's Supercharger network's reliability, he is cautious about adopting the Tesla plug before it becomes standardized. His reluctance is also based on concerns about a single company owning extensive charging data. Despite having been involved in the creation of the NACS connector while he was the chief engineer of the Model S at Tesla, Rawlinson prefers to uphold his company's tech advancement and avoid unnecessary risks.
Lol they could have picked a better metaphor. A screw cap is much easier to open than a cork.
This response shows exactly where his focus is: himself.
Mass adoption of EVs won’t occur unless we standardize on a charger. And the NACS is not only the most widely used, it’s also the best by a long shot.
Familiarize yourself with Chapter 11 paperwork, Mr Rawlinson.
Hasn’t SAE announced a fast track to adopt NACS as a standard?
🤣
Probably more about them trying to position themselves as a competitor to Tesla but without the sales.
Even using his strange wine analogy Tesla’s wine (charging network) is unmatched.