Tesla Expands Its Charging Network
CARS.COM — Tesla’s launch of its new Model 3 was a huge success. As of Wednesday, preorders for the affordable electric vehicle had reached 270,000 units worldwide. Lost in the hubbub of the launch is another piece of big news: the automaker’s plan to massively expand its charging network.
Related: Tesla Model 3: First Ride
Currently, the Tesla network comes in two forms: superchargers and destination chargers. Superchargers are at dedicated stations that are designed just for vehicle charging. Destination chargers are placed at different businesses or points of interest, such as hotels, restaurants or malls. Both offer free charging to Tesla owners with compatible vehicles.
Since its inception, Tesla has been expanding its charging network rapidly, and according to CEO Elon Musk it’s about to grow even faster. Currently, Tesla has built 3,608 superchargers at 613 stations worldwide. According to Teslarati, a website that runs an interactive supercharger map, 259 of those are in the U.S. There also are 3,689 destination chargers globally. Tesla’s goal is to nearly double the number of superchargers to 7,200 at 1,200 stations and quadruple the number of destination chargers to 15,000 by the end of 2017.
“The reason supercharging is very important is it gives you freedom of travel. A lot about having a car is about freedom, going where you want to go,” Musk said during the Model 3 launch event.
This is where Tesla appears to have leg up on other electric-vehicle automakers – infrastructure. The superchargers are very fast and can replenish half of the battery life in a Model S in as little as 20 minutes, and 80 percent of the battery within 40 minutes. The destination chargers are also a big coup for Tesla; a branded charger that’s free for Tesla owners in popular locations is a convenience that owners of other EVs don’t get.
However, like any new technology, supercharging is not without its quirks. In theory, as Musk said, these stations give you freedom. Just fill it up with electricity instead of petrol and you’re on your way. But even though the supercharger is exceptionally fast by charging standards, it doesn’t beat filling up with gas at your corner station in terms of convenience.
Additionally, during times of high traffic on well-traveled paths, like the holidays, lines at supercharging stations can get long. At the Tejon Ranch supercharger in Southern California, people were forced to wait nearly two hours to use one of the superchargers the day after Christmas, according to the Tesla Motors Club. And if even half of the preorders for the Model 3 are filled, it could result in even more congestion at these stations, requiring further expansion.
The Model 3 will come with supercharging capabilitystandard, which means it will have all of the necessary equipment installed, but enabling the Model 3 to access the supercharger network may not be standard on a base Model 3.
With more Teslas coming onto the roads in the near future, building up the charging infrastructure is an important piece of the puzzle for the automaker, and improves the charge experience for current owners too.
