Elon Musk has confirmed through your Twitter account that will open the Superchargers to other brands throughout 2021. The first news we had that this would happen was in June, when it was revealed, through official documents, that they planned to do it in Norway in 2022.
Initially a way to incentivize the purchase of the brand’s electric vehicles, the Superchargers have become the most important charging network in the world. It is part of the total strategy of Tesla to control all aspects of the chain of value to the consumer. The manufacture of the vehicles, the sales and after-sales service, as well as the total development of the software and, of course, the charging network.
The plan has yielded great results for the company. The availability of high-speed chargers that work has always been one of the big drivers behind the adoption of Tesla vehicles. They also follow the brand’s philosophy of trying to make things work always and with minimal user intervention.
Charging should never be a complicated activity. The Superchargers do not require activating them from an app, using keys or NFC cards, nor is it necessary to start charging. Just connect the hose and you’re done. Fees are automatically deducted from the card associated with the Tesla account.
We created our own plug when there were no standards for electric vehicle charging yet and only Tesla was making long-range cars. It is a single connector for fast and slow charges.
That said, we will open up our Supercharger network to other brands later in the year.
The slowness of the industry and the opening of superchargers to all other brands
The philosophy of having control of the entire value chain towards the consumer by Tesla has made the network of superchargers always work only for company vehicles. In 2016, when they presented the Model 3, Elon Musk assured that he is totally open to being used by other brands, “but no one has come close.” In the following five years we have seen conglomerates of manufacturers have partnered to set up networks such as Electrify America in the United States or IONITY in Europe, the latter with a general operation pretty poor.
In fact, the automotive industry in general, not only by manufacturers, but by incumbent players and important stakeholders such as multinational electric companies, has been especially slow in the construction and adoption of charging points for electric cars. It also opens a gap: although in the United States, Canada, Europe and some parts of Asia, the network is wide, in regions such as Latin America it is practically non-existent.
Tesla has decided to open its network of Superchargers for all brands. Rumors have circulated for some years that this would happen, but it is the first time that the sole spokesperson for the company, Elon musk, give a slightly more specific date of when it will happen. It also speaks in general terms, so it is understood that it will be in all the countries where they operate.
It will work through the Tesla app, which will be opened to anyone who wants to use it, not just vehicle owners or their Powerwalls. From there the user will be able to configure their credit card and from then on simply arrive, connect and charge.