Tesla will open part of its proprietary Supercharger network for use by owners of non-Tesla electric cars, the White House has announced.
The Largest of Its Kind
Tesla’s massive Supercharger network may be its most important asset. Rivals have begun selling many new electric vehicles (EVs), some of which have been well-received by critics and car shoppers. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, for instance, is the reigning World Car of the Year and our own Best New Model winner.
But they depend on a series of charging networks owned by several companies, none as extensive as Tesla’s. Tesla’s Supercharger network is more than double the size of that of its closest competitor, Electrify America.
Tesla operates Superchargers in all 50 states, along most highway routes, and in nearly every city of significant size. They can charge only Tesla cars, which use their own proprietary charging plug.
A recent study found that charging remains a frustrating challenge for many EV owners – more than 20% of charging attempts fail due to broken chargers and faulty payment systems. So a reliable, easy-to-find charging network is a huge competitive advantage for Tesla.
Move Helps Qualify for Federal Dollars
The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law last summer, provides billions of federal dollars to help expand the nation’s charging infrastructure. But it’s only available to build chargers that use a common charging system different from Tesla’s.
To qualify, Tesla will open part of its network to other users, the White House says. The company will open “at least 7,500 chargers available for all EVs by the end of 2024.” The list includes 3,500 DC fast chargers – the fastest type – along highway corridors and 4,000 slower destination chargers at other locations.
That’s a fraction of the Supercharger network. According to the Department of Energy, Tesla operates at least 17,700 fast chargers and many more destination chargers.
Opening them to use by owners of other brands will require installing adapters and altering software. Tesla has not explained when that process will begin.
