This week, Tesla began a pilot program in the Netherlands in which non-Tesla vehicles can use its Supercharger network. It is the first time Tesla has opened its charging stations to other companies.
Tesla's Supercharger network has been praised as being the best EV charging network. It is fast, reliable and abundant. Tesla's network is only available to Tesla owners. This means that anyone driving a Ford EV or Volkswagen would not be able use it. This is changing, however.
Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, has been talking for years about opening his vast Supercharger network up to other electric cars. He began to reveal key details about the process over the summer. The company is now ready to begin the process with the announcement of its first pilot project.
Related: Tesla to Open its Superchargers for Other EVs
Non-Tesla EVs will have access to 10 Supercharger stations in the Netherlands initially. To access the stations, vehicle owners will need the latest version of Tesla's smartphone app (version 4.2.3 and higher). Customers will be asked to choose Charge Your Non Tesla to locate the nearest Supercharger station.
Tesla owners can use the stations as usual. The company stated in a blog that they will closely monitor each site for congestion and listen to customers about their experiences.
It is not surprising that the Netherlands was chosen as the starting point for the pilot project. Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the experiment would likely begin in Europe where standard charging cables connectors are required. The company will likely open its Superchargers in America to other European countries. (Tesla already has committed to opening the network in Norway.
It is not surprising that the Netherlands was chosen as the starting point for the pilot project.
Tesla uses a North American proprietary connector. This means that non-Tesla cars will require an adapter to access company's Superchargers. There are more than 6,400 plugs in America according to the Department of Energy.
The company stated that it has always been our goal to make the Supercharger network accessible to non-Tesla electric vehicles and encourage more people to switch to electric cars. This action directly supports our mission of accelerating the world's transition to sustainable energies.
It is still possible to purchase Superchargers around the world, but there are many pieces to be put in place. This includes how much other automakers will spend on adapters for customers. The pilot's success in the Netherlands shows that Musk is finally able to put the pieces in place for a major piece of his stated plan to encourage a revolution in EV adoption.
