Photo: Tesla
Tesla’s “Host a Supercharger” program is ongoing, despite the company continuing to expand its network by itself. Businesses are invited to apply, and they're promised an important advantage in return – being included in Tesla’s built-in navigation. Moreover, there’s another way to get charging for your future customers. Here’s what you should know.
If you’re running a shop, a hotel, or any other type of business that gets many visitors each month, then it would be a great idea to have some charging options available on-site. Customers who own EVs will appreciate it. Knowing they can put some energy into the vehicle’s battery while it’s parked will encourage people to not look elsewhere for accommodation or refreshments, for example.
Tesla is one of the all-electric automakers that want to work together with other entities to make charging one of their cars as easy as possible. Because, unlike in Europe, Tesla still has its own type of connector in the U.S. That’s why the “Host a Supercharger” program still exists, even though it was launched publicly over a year ago.
Businesses that wanted to get Tesla chargers on their property were able to do so since 2015, when Tesla paid hotel owners, for example, for the whole operation and supplied the needed parts, including the chargers. But they had to take the initiative back then as there was no specific program.
Now, Tesla says it wants to work together with interested parties to expand the Supercharger network. In exchange, they will include the location in their navigation which might bring more customers in. The automaker promises to take care of the construction, installation, and maintenance of the stalls.
But Elon Musk’s company isn’t looking for patches of land with no activity. The selection process favors businesses that have something ongoing; more specifically, it will prioritize those places where there’s enough space for at least eight parking spots with charging for each of them. Also, companies that will receive the seal of approval must have some minimum amenities available nearby. Restaurants or shops, for example, might have the best shot at getting Tesla’s Superchargers.
The other option for business owners who don’t want to deal with these specific rules is to buy a maximum of 12 wall connectors, pay for the installation themselves, and make sure everything is set up to standard before registering with Tesla. A motel or hotel, for example, could get these connectors that cost $400 a pop and add around 44 mi (71 km) of range per hour. Then, the place could be approved to be suggested as a good place to stop and recharge for Tesla customers that use the built-in navigation software to navigate.
It's not entirely clear if Tesla will allow third-party operated Supercharger stations to set their own tariffs or charging limits, but the second option that includes slower charging and a costlier setup that might be available from the very beginning.
Tesla is one of the all-electric automakers that want to work together with other entities to make charging one of their cars as easy as possible. Because, unlike in Europe, Tesla still has its own type of connector in the U.S. That’s why the “Host a Supercharger” program still exists, even though it was launched publicly over a year ago.
Businesses that wanted to get Tesla chargers on their property were able to do so since 2015, when Tesla paid hotel owners, for example, for the whole operation and supplied the needed parts, including the chargers. But they had to take the initiative back then as there was no specific program.
Now, Tesla says it wants to work together with interested parties to expand the Supercharger network. In exchange, they will include the location in their navigation which might bring more customers in. The automaker promises to take care of the construction, installation, and maintenance of the stalls.
But Elon Musk’s company isn’t looking for patches of land with no activity. The selection process favors businesses that have something ongoing; more specifically, it will prioritize those places where there’s enough space for at least eight parking spots with charging for each of them. Also, companies that will receive the seal of approval must have some minimum amenities available nearby. Restaurants or shops, for example, might have the best shot at getting Tesla’s Superchargers.
The other option for business owners who don’t want to deal with these specific rules is to buy a maximum of 12 wall connectors, pay for the installation themselves, and make sure everything is set up to standard before registering with Tesla. A motel or hotel, for example, could get these connectors that cost $400 a pop and add around 44 mi (71 km) of range per hour. Then, the place could be approved to be suggested as a good place to stop and recharge for Tesla customers that use the built-in navigation software to navigate.
It's not entirely clear if Tesla will allow third-party operated Supercharger stations to set their own tariffs or charging limits, but the second option that includes slower charging and a costlier setup that might be available from the very beginning.
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