The Tesla Supercharger network of fast-charging stations was introduced in 2012. Since then, the network has grown to more than 10s of thousands of individual ultra-powerful 480-volt charging stalls worldwide.
What Happended?
This gigantic charging network has always given Tesla a competitive edge over its competitors—who have always had to either form alliances or invest/acquire startups for network technology as they rushed into the EV market.
But this is all about to change, according to a tweet by CEO Elon Musk, Tesla will open this network of superchargers to other EVs later this year.
Why It Matters!
An improvement in charging infrastructure could encourage more car buyers to purchase electric vehicles, giving other automakers like Ford and GM much-needed bandwidth to compete with Tesla.
Tesla, however, has its own connector.
This means these automakers would have to provide adapters to owners of their EVs to access the Supercharger network.
Either way, Tesla wins as this is just another way for the automaker to generate revenue from charging fees.
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