Tesla Motors has announced a serious expansion of its Destination Charger network.
The Californian automaker has installed 150 chargers in 14 European countries. Unlike the existing Supercharger network, the Destination Charger concept means placing chargers in recreational destinations.
From restaurants to shopping centers and ski resorts, Tesla partnered with select locations to provide owners with charging solutions for when they arrive at a potential destination.
Both Tesla and the business owners benefit from this arrangement, as the carmaker can pride itself on an expanded charging network, while the businessperson can expect new customers in the form of Tesla owners.
Unlike Superchargers, Tesla’s Destination Chargers are claimed to be cheaper to install and are fitted to places where owners are expected to spend more time. Therefore, installing them in shopping centers, spas, hotels, and other types of leisure facilities is the best solution.
Meanwhile, Tesla Superchargers can be placed in locations with less infrastructure linked to them, as they recharge a larger range in an hour when compared to the Destination Chargers. The Destination Charging program has just been launched in Europe, but Tesla has already employed it in Asia and North America for some time.
A Destination Charger pumps enough juice to last for 58 miles (93 km) in an hour. Meanwhile, a Supercharger provides around 170 miles (273 km) of charge in the same amount of time for a Model S. Both charging solutions are free to use for Model S and Model X users.
Tesla wants to expand this network to over 1,200 locations and 7,000 individual chargers by the end of next year, so expect to find a Destination or Supercharger on the map near your location by 2018.
According to Electrek, Tesla offers the first two “Destination Chargers” for free, or with a hefty discount for interested business owners. All they have to do is install them in a “convenient or visible location,” and cover the cost of electricity for them. In return, Tesla will include the business in its available charging stations map, automatically updated to all Model S and Model X cars.
Tesla is open to adding new locations, and if businesspeople do not suggest any new places that provide a space for fitting a Destination Charger, the company even considers recommendations from visitors of their website.
Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News