One of the environmental regulations we benefit from here in the us, is eu common charger rules! Basically all computer like devices now use usb-c. Thanks.
But it would be even better to be common to essentially every portable device. I’ve seen flashlights that charge over usb-c.
While I was travelling this past weekend, my toothbrush battery died and I didn’t have the proprietary charging base. I sure wish that took usb-c also. Looking online I see a couple but most electronic toothbrushes still use proper chargers
Which brings up: what are you guys seeing, where common charger rules are actually required? Looking across non-computer devices that are not required to be usb-c, are they?
Logical things I think it could or should become the norm as well: electric razors, vaporisers, head-flashlights (like Petzl), many kinds of toys like RC cars and such, christmas lights, Halloween decorations etc etc.
It think in many cases it will usually be a lot more ecological to use devices you already own as long as you can and keep repairing them if possible. It’s nice to have usb-c, but throwing out a fine, still functioning toothbrush to replace it by a usb-c chargeable model just for that reason seems to me like the opposite of ecological.
Of course, but there’s also the matter of the degrading battery with much shorter life, the peeling handle, the worn head. Yes, I can put up with the battery for longer, but it will need to be replaced and it may not be any cheaper than replacing the toothbrush. I could just deal with the peeling handle, but it’s not hygienic. I could buy more replacement heads but it’s throwing more money after an appliance whose time is nearing its end
Fair enough if it’s decaying in many ways! I had gotten the impression it would be just for the usb-c only. In my perfect world many electronic appliances would also be forced to be a minimum level of repairable and have replaceable batteries of course. Possibly only “professionally replaceable”, but not glued in and/or artificially made as little repairable as possible.
Mine actually does have a replaceable battery but not a standard one.
The thing is even where things are maintainable, you get to the point where maintenance exceeds replacement cost, where multiple things need attention at once. There’s always the trigger point, but the accumulation affects the weight
Yes.
More and more common personal things are being electronised - toothbrushes, shavers/razors, water picks, just to name a few from the bathroom, but there’s also the tons of various nightstand bits, kitchen utilities (I actually have a handheld stick blender/whisk that uses USB-C, as well as a milk frother), the list goes on.
If it’s a low power device (sub-100W charging/supply), USB-C should be mandatory for it.
Yes I know USB-C can now do 240W but it’s not widespread yet and people would be annoyed by the fact their €5 10W charging brick can’t make their 200W thingie work.
So we have hope, that will make it here as well.
The EU pushing USB-C (and other standardised charging protocols) does actually help every country - because for most manufacturers it will be cheaper to swallow that extra $1-2 cost (at most, incl. design changes for products already in planning) than to set up two separate product lines.
Thinking more broadly than just portable devices, EVs seems like an obvious candidate for harmonization. I’m aware that the industry is still settling, but perhaps a set of standard voltages that all charging stations could support and a protocol / interface for dynamic charger / vehicle voltage negotiation wouldn’t go amiss.
I believe EVs are being harmonized, although separately….or is that what you meant?
Don’t EVs in EU have a standardized charger and negotiate voltage and current?
In the US, we have an old standard that needs to go away, a newer standard that is going away, and Tesla’s standard which seems to be on the way to the winning standard. But the handshake is already compatible: switching between systems just requires a physical adapter. I believe the car and charger negotiate for the best voltage and current it can use
And of course level I and II charging use residential electrical standards, so already must be as standard as you can get. No one wants to try resolving those
Refer to my follow-up comment to NeatNit below.
I’m not really in the know but isn’t that already a thing? I’m pretty sure it is.
I looked into it, and apparently EV chargers in the EU are supposed to comply with EN ISO 15118-1 to -5 series of standards from January 8, 2026 and additionally EN ISO 15118-20 from January 1, 2027. I haven’t exactly had the chance to read all of those obviously, but the summary certainly sounds encouraging:
These standards are the central basis for future-oriented functions such as “Plug & Charge”, secure communication between vehicle and charging point and bidirectional charging (vehicle-to-grid).
Oh ok. I have no idea what the situation here is for bidirectional charging. It’s not common yet.
And yes, we’re trying to work out common payment systems, but as far as I know, that’s just software. Historically chargers required you to register and pay through the manufacturers app, but that’s unscalable when you have many possible charger manufacturers supporting a common standard.
One of the requirements for US incentives to build out chargers was mandating credit card readers so anyone can drive up and charge without a proprietary app. Of course that was cancelled in our chaotic political situation, so will take more years to happen
Here’s hoping you guys will eventually manage to work it all out, even if that will likely have to await a more, um… rational policy regime.
Rational … hahahahahahahahahhehehe hoo hohoho hah haha hah hah hahahahahah aha haha. Sorry, where were we again?
I think we were having a shared nervous breakdown over the current state of geopolitics, but the hyperventilation made my lose consciousness so I can’t be sure.
I sure wish my AirHog drone could be charged with USB C and not whatever super teeny tiny thing it actually uses. I lost the charger for it because it is so small and I also have no idea what kind of charger it is to see if a replacemrnt is cheaper than buying a new drone.
