Owners of non-Tesla electric cars can now use the Supercharger ultra-rapid charge network in Sweden, Spain, Belgium, Austria, and the UK.
Previously, the network of DC fast chargers was locked for owners of Tesla-rivalling electric cars. The move is part of a pilot program that started in The Netherlands, France, and Norway.
Non-Tesla owners keen to access the network pay slightly higher charge fees than Tesla owners, due to “additional costs incurred to support charging a broad range of vehicles and adjustments to our sites to accommodate these vehicles”.
“Access to an extensive, convenient and reliable fast-charging network is critical for large-scale EV adoption. That’s why, since opening our first Superchargers in 2012, we have been committed to rapid expansion of the network,” Tesla says in a media release.
“It’s always been our ambition to open the Supercharger network to Non-Tesla EVs, and by doing so, encourage more drivers to go electric. More customers using the Supercharger network enables faster expansion,” it said.
“Our goal is to learn and iterate quickly, while continuing to aggressively expand the network, so we can eventually welcome both Tesla and Non-Tesla drivers at every Supercharger worldwide.”
Europe is being used as a pilot because Tesla mirrors most of its rivals by using a CCS2 charge port, instead of the proprietary connector it fits in the USA.
The CHAdeMO plug fitted to older Japanese electric cars isn’t supported by the European pilot.
In total there are more than 25,000 Superchargers at over 2500 locations worldwide.
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