California Mandates DC Fast Charging Interoperability by 2027

The CHAdeMO inclusion is the politically interesting part. Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi owners are a small percentage of California EV drivers but the CPUC kept them in the standard over network operator objections. At $2,000–4,000 per station retrofit, the cost is manageable and the coverage argument is sound.

The Supercharger retrofit requirement is what will actually change the charging landscape. Tesla NACS-only stations opened after 2024 need CCS adapters or multi-standard cables by January 2027 to stay eligible for state funding. Tesla has been expanding aggressively in California with state money — this is the CPUC using that funding relationship as leverage for interoperability. Straightforward policy mechanism.

The utility cost-recovery mechanism for retrofit expenses is the detail that makes this workable. Utilities that manage charging infrastructure can include qualifying retrofit costs in their rate cases, which spreads the cost across ratepayers rather than requiring upfront capital from station operators. Without that provision, some operators would just let funding eligibility lapse rather than retrofit.