Tesla’s mission statement is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy, and, while it’s easy to be cynical about seemingly altruistic goals by billion-dollar corporations, Tesla are taking another step towards fulfilling that goal with their latest announcement.
According to Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, Tesla will begin allowing vehicles from other manufacturers to use their Supercharger network later this year. With over 600 Supercharger points around the UK, this move will make a significant impact on the feasibility of electric vehicles for the average car-owner. The precise details of when this change will come into effect are yet to be released, as well as the details of which countries will benefit from the change.
Charging Compatibility
While Tesla may not be the first electric vehicle manufacturer, it has done a great deal to advance the cause of EV adoption, and part of that was the aggressive expansion of Tesla charging points into a world that did not have much in the way of electric vehicle infrastructure.
Unfortunately, as Tesla’s Supercharger network is only available for Tesla vehicles, it failed to meet the UK government’s requirements for ad-hoc public charging access. It also meant that you had to buy a Tesla to benefit from them, and, while Tesla have made great strides in bringing more affordable models to market, the brand name is hardly synonymous with budget automobiles.
The good news for non-Tesla owners (at least in the UK and EU) is that Tesla has been moving their vehicles over to Type 2 and CCS/Combo charging cables for some time, in order to bring them in line with the regulations in this part of the world. The restriction on the Supercharger network only being for Tesla vehicles was a software-based one, and EV owners looking to charge at a Tesla Supercharger point after they are opened up will not need to purchase an adaptor to do so.
The same cannot be said for cars in different parts of the world, however. In the US, for instance, Tesla makes use of a proprietary connector that is not found on non-Tesla vehicles, and their Supercharger stations are built for that connector. If the Supercharger network is opened up to other EV brands, an adaptor will be needed to make use of them.
High-Speed Charging
In addition to the convenience of having a potential charging spot in over 70 locations across the country, the Tesla Supercharger network is also noted for their speed, with the latest V3 Superchargers offering up to 250kW. For the new Tesla Model S Plaid, this means a purported 200 miles of range from just 15 minutes charge.
Of course, your performance in a non-Tesla may vary. The Supercharger network charging points can deliver the power, but your vehicle needs to be able to take the charge as well. It’s also worth noting that a variety of factors can affect your charging performance. For example, cold weather, and the number of people currently charging their car can both cause the actual power you are getting to drop. It is also the case that the first 20% of an empty battery charges much faster than the last 20% of a nearly full battery, so don’t expect to fill your 400 mile-range EV up in just half an hour.
Popularity
Among the UK’s EV owners, Tesla’s Supercharger network rarely comes up as a favourite in polls, with the Instavolt network topping a recent survey carried out by What Car? Magazine. However, with the widespread availability of these charging stations, and the unrivalled charging speeds (Tesla’s Supercharger network does rank number one there), the move to open these charging points up to the wider EV public could change that.
Details to Come
It is worth noting that this news came from an Elon Musk tweet, which is a dubious news source at the best of times. It is highly unlikely that Musk would tweet such a thing if Tesla had no intention of opening the Supercharger network up, but very little information has been given about how it will work, or where it will be available.
