Photo: Twitter video screenshot
On the brink of the Model 3 release, the car that should double the number of Tesla vehicles on the road in just a matter of two years max - if the planned production schedule holds - Tesla reveals it's thinking about opening its Supercharger network to the rest of the EVs out there.
The Palo Alto isn't just thinking about the possibility, it's actually "actively talking to other automakers" about the subject, to put it into Tesla Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel's own words (via Electrek).
Right now, the only vehicles that can use the network are the Roadster, the Model S, and the Model X. Pretty soon, the Model 3 will join the party, but any other battery-powered car will die of thirst next to a Supercharger before it can suck some power from its cable.
On the other hand, Tesla vehicles can get an adapter that lets them use the conventional charging stations scattered around, even though they have no real reason to do so unless it's an emergency. With free access to the Supercharger and the maximum 120 kW per car they can get from the grid, the company's proprietary network is the logical choice for any Tesla owner.
And it's not just the recharge speed, but also the availability. At least in the U.S., the Supercharger network offers very good coverage, with the only issue being the occasional overcrowding in some more densely populated areas. Opening it up to EVs built by other companies could only make it worse.
Earlier this year, Tesla introduced an idling tax to deter owners from leaving their cars in the Supercharger spot after the battery had been completely recharged in an attempt to cut down waiting times, but queues still form occasionally.
At the same time, there are numerous plans for universal fast-charging stations that would offer rates over Tesla's 120 kW. The most noteworthy of them is a joint effort from BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford, and VW Group who plan to open 400 new locations across Western Europe by 2020. The stations will use a technology based on the current Combined Charging System (CCS) standard and will provide power levels up to 350 kW.
Right now, the only vehicles that can use the network are the Roadster, the Model S, and the Model X. Pretty soon, the Model 3 will join the party, but any other battery-powered car will die of thirst next to a Supercharger before it can suck some power from its cable.
On the other hand, Tesla vehicles can get an adapter that lets them use the conventional charging stations scattered around, even though they have no real reason to do so unless it's an emergency. With free access to the Supercharger and the maximum 120 kW per car they can get from the grid, the company's proprietary network is the logical choice for any Tesla owner.
And it's not just the recharge speed, but also the availability. At least in the U.S., the Supercharger network offers very good coverage, with the only issue being the occasional overcrowding in some more densely populated areas. Opening it up to EVs built by other companies could only make it worse.
Earlier this year, Tesla introduced an idling tax to deter owners from leaving their cars in the Supercharger spot after the battery had been completely recharged in an attempt to cut down waiting times, but queues still form occasionally.
At the same time, there are numerous plans for universal fast-charging stations that would offer rates over Tesla's 120 kW. The most noteworthy of them is a joint effort from BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford, and VW Group who plan to open 400 new locations across Western Europe by 2020. The stations will use a technology based on the current Combined Charging System (CCS) standard and will provide power levels up to 350 kW.
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