The Tesla Supercharger Network is about to become even more useful for people who don’t drive a Tesla electric car. So much so that it could help push more drivers towards electric cars.
According to a fact sheet just released by White House (Opens in a new tab) Tesla Superchargers will begin allowing non-Teslas to connect and recharge before the end of this year. The paper mentions what electric vehicle charging companies are doing to expand charging infrastructure – including Tesla.
In the process, the White House revealed that Tesla would begin production on equipment that would allow non-Tesla drivers to use Superchargers by the end of 2022.
People who follow the Supercharger news will know that Tesla is already allowing non-Teslas to recharge at Supercharger stations across Europe. While still officially in beta, the move saw the Supercharger unlock access in countries like France, the UK, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, and more.
Non-Tesla cars can drive in the Gulf, deliver and have their shipment confirmed via the Tesla app. Meanwhile, Tesla drivers can continue to deliver and start recharging without any additional action. And soon, it looks like electric vehicle drivers in the US will be able to try it out for themselves.
This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, as Elon Musk has been promising this will happen for some time. After his demand to open Supercharger access to non-Teslas in Norway, so that the company could demand financial incentives from the government, Musk confirmed that Supercharger’s worldwide exclusivity would be lifted.
The process likely began in Europe for the sake of simplicity, where both Teslas and non-Tesla use the same type of charger – the CCS-2 standard. North America proved more difficult, since Tesla still uses a proprietary charger, rather than the CCS-1 standard found in the vast majority of electric vehicles.
Back in May Elon Musk confirmed Work has begun to ensure compatibility between non-Teslas chargers and American Superchargers. According to a tweet meaning adding “rest of the industry connectors as an option for a US supercharger,” this likely meant modifying Superchargers with an extra cable, featuring a CCS plug, and removing any software blocks that would prevent non-Teslas from drawing power.
Now, according to the White House, that process will begin before the end of the year. Which is a good thing, too, because the White House recently confirmed that federal funding will not be available for electric vehicle chargers that don’t include a CCS plug. Provided you also comply with other guidelines, such as making payments without an account, Tesla may be eligible for some of these funds.
It’s a win/win for everyone involved. Tesla gets federal funds to build Superchargers; Tesla drivers will take comfort from the fact that more superchargers are coming; And non-Teslas will finally have access to a charger at one of our 1,400-plus supercharger locations across the United States.
Given the range and charging concerns hindering the adoption of electric vehicles, this may be the impetus that electric vehicles need to help outpace gasoline-powered vehicles. Given the popularity of Teslas, it’s still pretty pricey—prices start at $46,990 million for a Tesla Model 3.
Meanwhile, there are cars, like the Chevy Bolt, that are available for under $30,000. Giving these cars access to several 250kW superchargers across the United States may be the key to encouraging more drivers to buy an electric car.
We don’t know exactly when the first supercharging stations will allow non-Teslas recharging, or how quickly they will start up. But it happens relatively soon, which is the most important thing.
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