In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla’s Supercharger network in the US (and in North America, in general) will open up to non-Tesla EVs.
This will expand the Non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot, which was launched last November and is currently available in France, Norway, and the Netherlands.
While Elon — being Elon — didn’t disclose a specific timeframe, he did hint at the addition of a different connector:
“It’s a little trickier in the US because we have a different connector than the rest of the industry. But we will be adding the rest of industry connectors as an option to Superchargers in the US.”
This can only indicate the CSS type 1 plug, the standard charging connector in the North American market.
It’s unclear how this change will be implemented, but it’ll surely need an infrastructural change.
The Supercharger stalls could end up having a dual-head, with Tesla’s own connector and a CSS1 connector. It’s also possible that we’ll see a special adapter from Tesla to CSS1.
That’s a bit more complicated compared to Europe, where all new Tesla models are equipped with a CSS2-compatible charging inlet — the standard connector in the European market.
In any case, it’s safe to assume that non-Tesla EVs will be able to use the company’s network through the Tesla app as well.
When asked if this choice is putting the company at risk, Musk displayed his usual “world savior” attitude:
“We’re trying as best as possible to do the right thing for the advancement of electrification; even if that diminishes our competitive advantage.”
But if we move past his messianic comment, the expansion of the Supercharger network is definitely a good thing. Improved access to fast charging sites is key to facilitating the EV adoption no matter the provider.
And no, we’re not gonna cry over Tesla’s ‘loss’, since it’s going to profit from the charging fares.
You can watch the full interview below, but start at 1:03:40 if you don’t have one hour and 20 minutes to spare.
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