[ElectricBowtie]

Tesla is going to be opening up a piece of its Supercharger network to non EVs in the US. By the end of 2024 they're expected to open 3,500 new and existing superchargers along highway corridors and 4,000 slower chargers at locations like hotels and restaurants.

Tesla to open U.S. charging network to rivals in $7.5 bln federal program

Tesla Inc will open part of its U.S. charging network to electric vehicles (EVs) made by rivals as part of a $7.5 billion federal program to expand the use of EVs and cut carbon emissions.

www.reuters.com

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) will open part of its U.S. charging network to electric vehicles (EVs) made by rivals as part of a $7.5 billion federal program to electrify the nation's highways to cut carbon emissions, the Biden administration said on Wednesday.

Such a move could help turn Tesla into the universal filling station of the EV era - and risk eroding a competitive edge for vehicles made by the company, which has exclusive access to the biggest network of high-speed 'superchargers' in the United States.

By the end of next year, Tesla will open 3,500 new and existing superchargers along highway corridors, as well as 4,000 slower chargers at locations like hotels and restaurants, to non-Tesla customers, the administration said.

A White House official said at a briefing that Tesla would be eligible for a subsidy - including retrofitting its existing fleet - as long as its chargers would allow other vehicles with a federally backed charging standard called CCS to charge.

Tesla and Chief Executive Elon Musk did not respond to requests for confirmation and comment.

Tesla has 17,711 superchargers, accounting for about 60% of total U.S. fast chargers that can add hundreds of miles of driving range in an hour or less. There are also nearly 10,000 "destination" chargers with Tesla plugs that can recharge a vehicle overnight.

Opening up access to Tesla's network would be a quick win for an ambitious federal program to build 500,000 EV chargers by 2030, up from 130,000 currently.

 

[Steverino]

We'll see how this shakes out, but more charging stations = a more better driving experience

 

[threeputts]

I suspect Tesla will switch over to a new generation of supercharger some time soon for new installs that meets the subsidy requirements. The current version they are installing cannot deliver 150kw to all stalls simultaneously so I expect the next version will be more than just pedestals with a "magic dock" that provides CCS compatibility. My uneducated guess is that they will leave existing locaitons as they are.

 

[Evan1]

This will be a great idea, but I feel Tesla owners will think that they're "privileged" and give me the "bird" every time I charge up my Equinox.

 

[Kabloona]

Kyle Connor posted an interesting discussion on this very topic on YouTube yesterday.....check it out.

🙂

 

[Steverino]

I feel Tesla owners will think that they're "privileged" and give me the "bird" every time I charge up my Equinox.

Tesla is not changing all its stations Evan, so the reserved first class Tesla only section will still have the curtain drawn, haha.

On a serious note, I wonder if Tesla will voluntarily do the same in Canada?

 

[Evan1]

Tesla is not changing all its stations Evan, so the reserved first class Tesla only section will still have the curtain drawn, haha.

On a serious note, I wonder if Tesla will voluntarily do the same in Canada?

Steve, how will folks be able to differentiate at these charging stations if it will be for a Tesla or non-Tesla?

 

[Kabloona]

My understanding is you will need to use the Tesla App in order to charge your non-Tesla EV at a Supercharger....so I assume you'll need to pre-load the credit card/payment info into the App first....

Just my $0.02.....

 

[Steverino]

Steve, how will folks be able to differentiate at these charging stations if it will be for a Tesla or non-Tesla?

The schnozzles are different. Perhaps Tesla will use signs as well.

 

[threeputts]

The way the current ones work is the supercharger communicates with the car and charges the session to the account that car belongs to - you have to have a credit card on file. It would be great if they can make this work for other makes assuming CCS communication can also uniquely identify a vehicle. If not my guess is you will have to use the app to tell it what pedestal you are connected to.

This will be a great idea, but I feel Tesla owners will think that they're "privileged" and give me the "bird" every time I charge up my Equinox.

You're more likely to get flipped off by a neanderthal in a dually pickup with compensation issues driving by. If I was supercharging somewhere and you pulled up in an Equinox I would want to check out your car. I read Tesla forums frequently and just about all Tesla drivers are EV enthusiasts.

 

[Steverino]

If I was supercharging somewhere and you pulled up in an Equinox I would want to check out your car. I read Tesla forums frequently and just about all Tesla drivers are EV enthusiasts.

Yes, it's cars like the Volt that some Tesla owners find unholy. If there was any snobbery, it would more likely be about the price of the Equinox EV or perhaps the tech. Some people are like that.

 

[threeputts]

If there was any snobbery, it would more likely be about the price of the Equinox EV or perhaps the tech. Some people are like that.

I would not be surprised if the first released Equinox trims will cost more than a RWD model 3.

 

[hellsop]

I would not be surprised if the first released Equinox trims will cost more than a RWD model 3.

So far they look about compartable. The cheapest Model 3 is one red paint job away from costing more than the quoted MSRPs for the priciest trim of the Equinox EV. Add any pretense of self-driving or performance and you're into "Equinox plus a ruinous dealer markup" territory.

 

[Steverino]

But with FSD, Tesla owners are making over $30k/year, so the car is almost free at that point... /s

 

[Evan1]

I'm just worried that this will fry the grid.

 

[Steverino]

It's interesting that EV's will bring down the grid, but not swimming pools, air conditioners, big screen TV's a sortie house filled with 30 hair driers blasting away, haha.

If there is a grid problem (there is), let's build it back better or make the grid great again, or whatever your favorite slogan is. We can do it.

 

[Kabloona]

Overall, I'm guessing EVs will add more capacitance to the electric grid as the adoption rate slowly increases....plenty of time for the Utility Companies to adapt.

 

[hellsop]

I'm just worried that this will fry the grid.

EVs USUALLY charge at night, even without Time of Use incentives. That's when the grid has the most spare capacity.

 

[Evan1]

EVs USUALLY charge at night, even without Time of Use incentives. That's when the grid has the sparest capacity.

I'm just going by what Gavin Newsome (?) instructed Californians to do now that a lot more people are getting Evs in that state. If they went back to nuclear energy which is very clean for the most part the grid wouldn't be in trouble. Yes, there is the waste (but that is contained in cement and stored) but other nations that share the same air and water (won't mention them) do far worse.

 

[obermd]

The way the current ones work is the supercharger communicates with the car and charges the session to the account that car belongs to - you have to have a credit card on file. It would be great if they can make this work for other makes assuming CCS communication can also uniquely identify a vehicle. If not my guess is you will have to use the app to tell it what pedestal you are connected to.


You're more likely to get flipped off by a neanderthal in a dually pickup with compensation issues driving by. If I was supercharging somewhere and you pulled up in an Equinox I would want to check out your car. I read Tesla forums frequently and just about all Tesla drivers are EV enthusiasts.

I bet Tesla owners would be curious about the Equinox EV as well, especially since it's in a vehicle class that no Tesla is in.