Tesla Announces Plan to Double The Size of Its Supercharger Network

With more chargers and bigger batteries, range anxiety could soon go out of style.
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Tesla may be feeling the heat now more than ever. When the Silicon Valley automaker first came onto the scene, it was one of the only companies selling electric cars and developing autonomous technology. But since then, a handful of other manufacturers have followed suit and are fighting to become leaders in the EV segment. To curb the competition, Tesla has consistently unveiled brand-specific benefits like their Supercharger network that are exclusive to company customers. The automaker recently announced that it will also be doubling the size of its charging infrastructure, adding even more allure to the Tesla package.

This is all part of the manufacturer’s plan to make charging “more of a priority.” To beat out rivals like Chevrolet and Nissan, Tesla looks to implement charging stations across the U.S. where EV infrastructure is noticeably lacking compared to the European market. This will not only help current Tesla customers, but also those in the future who buy into the brand’s first high-volume car, the Model 3.

According to Tesla, more than 5,400 Supercharger stations have already been built and an additional 10,000 are planned, featuring “several dozen” ports at some sites in the next five years. This would make charging easily accessible to the masses as these chargers will be branched out “further off the highway to allow local Tesla drivers to charge quickly when needed, with the goal of making charging ubiquitous in urban centers.”

Earlier in the year, Tesla announced that it would begin charging Supercharger users a small per-minute fee to “fill up” its cars. Prior to December 31, 2016, the entire network was free to use, drawing in a lot of premium customers. 

“We’re moving full speed on site selection and many sites will soon enter construction to open in advance of the summer travel season,” Tesla said. Tesla also will have to account for the increased demand from the anticipated September release of the Model 3.

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