Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi Working Together to Standardize EV Charging

In brief: Japanese carmakers Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi have come together to standardize electric car recharging specifications under the direction of Tokyo Electric Power, Japan's largest utility.

The word

The group includes Tokyo Electric POwer, Toyota Motor, Nissan Motor, Mitsubishi Motors, Fuji Heavy Industries, and may include 20 more non-Japanese automakers and firms as well.

The goal is to standardize charging specifications for power usage on plug-in electric cars. Starting with fast-charging specs.

The idea is to create one, standardized way for vehicles to implement fast-charging and standard charging as well as a common "language" for them to interact with the utility providing the charge. This would save money for the automakers as well as simplify infrastructure implementation of charging.

The group's name, "CHAdeMO" with the smiley electric plug is short for "CHArge de MOve" (French, charge for moving) and is also a pun for a Japanese saying which means "Let's have a tea while charging."

And so ...

Given the new-establishing standards for electrics and charging, it seems that EVs of all stripes will be moving forward quickly.

Photo credits: CHAdeMO / Reuters

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