While the market for electric cars has moved along slowly over the last few years, manufacturers have struggled with ways to help moves sales into the fast lane.
They have apparently decided one way to put a "charge" into the category may lie within collaborating on new charging technology.
That's the path Tesla Motors is taking as it is reaching out to two of its biggest rivals, Nissan and BMW, in an effort to examine what has been one of the category's major stumbling blocks for buyers: funding an easier, more efficient way to charge vehicles.
Talks between Tesla and BMW had already opened up last week as Elon Musk, Tesla's chief executive, proclaimed that he would allow Tesla's rivals to use any of the company's patents for free. Musk had met with BMW executives essentially to discuss the future of the electric car market.
Now the discussion appears to be zeroing in on some specifics, as the three automakers may be ready to cooperate on initiatives. Charging is a hot topic in the space as consumers have expressed some concerns over the recharging of electric vehicles. Currently there are various different chargers, plug types and power standards in place across locations and from brand to brand -- a problem that is very familiar to those in the consumer tech space.
Tesla's Musk explained (registration required) he hopes the discussions would help jump-start, "a common, rapidly evolving technology platform."
Executives at Nissan were also quick to respond, claiming the coming together of rival companies is a positive step toward growing the category.
"Nissan welcomes any initiative to expand the volumes of electric vehicles," the Japanese manufacturer said in a statement. "Nissan is the market leader in EVs and has worked with other manufacturers to help proliferate the technology."
Sales in the 100 percent electric car market are on the rise, according to industry trackers. EVObession reports the category saw a sales increase of almost 229 percent in 2013 from 2012 numbers. The growth rate for hybrids was up roughly 27 percent over the same period. The EVObession report added that annual sales of 100 percent electric cars (46,148) had nearly reached the annual sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (48,951).
