DEARBORN, MI – Seven automakers have agreed on a combined charging system as an international approach to charging electric vehicles in the U.S. and Europe. The automakers include Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche, and Volkswagen.

The system the automakers agreed on uses a combined charging approach that integrates all potential charging scenarios into a single charging connector. It uses identical ways for the vehicle to communicate with the charging station. This allows electric vehicles from all seven automakers to share the same fast charging stations.

The harmonized electric vehicle charging solution is backward compatible with the J1772 connector standard in the U.S. Backward compatibility also has been achieved in Europe where the system is based on the IEC 62196 Type 2.

According to the news release, endorsement of the combined charging system was based on reviews and analysis of existing charging strategies, connector ergonomics, and customer preferences in the U.S. and Europe.

The seven auto manufacturers also agreed to use HomePlug GreenPHY as the communication protocol. Automakers point to the success of Level 1 and Level 2 (for 220V charging in the U.S.) as an example of how standardization will increase the adoption of electric vehicles and increase customer satisfaction. The approval of the J1772 standard means electric vehicle owners can charge at all Level 2 charging stations.