TESLA plans to make its Supercharger network available to all electric vehicle drivers later this year, after CEO Elon Musk revealed the company’s aims on Twitter.
With more than 25,000 Supercharger points worldwide, all of which offer ultra-rapid charging speeds and cross-country travel, the network is a strategic one and often a benefit for Tesla drivers.
Until now, only drivers of Tesla models have been able to use the network, which is able to offer ‘plug-and-go’ charging, where a driver simply parks up, plugs in, and the car starts charging.
It’s unclear as yet how the network will integrate other EVs, since any billing is calculated via Tesla’s in-car system. At the very least, this will need to be worked around, though this may be possible to control via an app or similar.
By opening the network up to other manufacturers, it becomes a truly public network, and will therefore have to adhere to certain regulations in the UK and abroad. It can continue to only offer CCS and Tesla Type 2 plugs – thereby excluding any EV that can’t accept those connectors. However, access, pricing, and charging information will need to be made available to the user of any car, not just a Tesla.
Many EV drivers have welcomed the forthcoming move in principle, as the charge points are often in useful locations and in significant numbers. However, the news hasn’t been met with as widespread optimism from existing Tesla drivers, since the Supercharger network has long been a significant benefit in owning a Tesla car.
As the network has only been available to Tesla drivers in the past, queues are rarely found, something that could well change in certain locations where Tesla has a good selection of charge points and there currently isn’t much else around from other networks.
The move does ring true with Musk’s continued statements that he wants Tesla to help make EVs truly mainstream, rather than sitting on what has certainly in the past been a position of strength in the electric vehicle market.
Little is currently known of how the changes will be implemented, but Musk’s tweets have said that the Supercharger network will be opened up to other EVs in all countries over time.