Tesla’s Supercharger network will eventually be opened to all electric car makes globally, the manufacturer has revealed – but it hasn’t announced when this will occur.
A handful of sites are already public in Europe, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously hinted at broader accessibility.
However, during a call with media and investors this morning, the company confirmed it was preparing to democratise the infrastructure.
“We do plan to provide third-party vehicle access all over the world, not just in Europe, where our original pilot was,” a senior Tesla executive told investors.
“We are working on solutions in North America, which is a little more problematic with our connector being different than others, but we are moving in that direction.”
Tesla has previously suggested it would not open its chargers in Australia, however the recent comments suggest the local network is destined to be made public – though no timeline has been given for when this will occur.
While all electric cars will be able to use Superchargers, it will not be free – and it’s unclear if non-Tesla vehicles will be charged a premium for the service.
Currently, Australian Supercharger pricing is set at 52 cents per kWh – or roughly $30 for a complete top up – following a 25 per cent increase in late 2020.
Yesterday the country’s largest public, non-Tesla fast charger network Chargefox hiked the price of its 350kW ‘Ultra-Rapid’ services by 50 per cent – to 60 cents per kWh.
Despite this, public charging remains approximately 60 per cent cheaper than filling an equivalent petrol car by Drive’s estimation.
Further, surveys suggest public plugs are primarily used for long trips or emergencies – with 80 per cent of charging done at home.
Currently more than 40 Supercharger sites in Australia, primarily across Queensland, Victoria, and NSW. South Australia has three chargers, and Western Australia, Tasmania and the ACT each have one – though there are none in the Northern Territory.
Extracted in full from: Tesla Superchargers to open for all electric cars in Australia – eventually – Drive
