Repost from BMW i3 thread:
TomMoloughney said:
As George said, I spoke to a few BMW product and program managers about the REx. I also spoke to a charging and infrastructure engineer about the choice to go with CCS. I just wish I got his card because he was a walking encyclopedia on DC quick charge. He rattled off half a dozen reasons why CCS is technically superior to ChAdeMO,(Tony alert!) mostly related to future applications though.
Sony had a lot of reasons why Betamax was better, too. And, it no doubt was. We know how that ended (and it wasn't because they were late to market). Yes, the German automakers are being taken care of quite nicely by their government for the German version of the Frankenplug. I doubt they will be as keen to spend the same kind of money elsewhere in Europe with already 900 CHAdeMO stations (or even if there wasn't any other chargers!). Which also means the majority of Europe will remain "open range" for CHAdeMO, Tesla/Mennekes and Chameleon to expand.
It's just another example of the same thing GM is doing here, except GM doesn't (yet) have the government support or money. Hence, Frankenplug USA, D.O.A. in my book.
He did recognize the dearth of CCS stations in the US will definitely be an issue for a while but said that won't be the case in Europe as there are concrete plans to roll out the infrastructure there.
Recognizes the issue, great. What are they going to do about it here? I personally have little concern for what German car makers are going to do in Germany.
BMW expects the range extender option to be chosen by the vast majority of buyers(up to 80% or so) so the DC quick charge option will probably not.
Exactly what I thought that they thought! Awesome news for CHAdeMO in the USA, because if there are few BMW's with Frankenplug, and not very many Spark EV's at all, and the assorted other compliance VW and Daimler products with teeny tiny production,
I AM PUMPED !!! The DC infrastructure can continue here without being a Betamax/VHS issue.