In the United States, Tesla has started to apply for public funds to open its fast-charging stations, the Superchargers, to electric vehicles from other manufacturers. In 2021, Elon Musk promised that Superchargers around the world would eventually be compatible with cars other than Tesla’s.
Opening Superchargers in the United States is more difficult than in Europe
For the moment, this is only the case in Europe, where the implementation of this approach has been facilitated by the adoption of a universal connector for all manufacturers of electric vehicles. On the Old Continent, drivers of an electric vehicle other than Tesla can therefore go to Superchargers but will have to pay a supplement, or take out a subscription, to charge their vehicle there.
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In the United States, where the number 1 electric vehicle has a vast network of more than 1,400 charging stations, things are very different: there are three types of fast charging, including that of Tesla. Elon Musk’s company wants to offer adapters there to allow other types of cars to connect to its chargers, as is already the case for its own drivers who can already access other charging stations. using adapters.
The role that Tesla can play in the United States is important, as many states want to build charging stations and the adoption of electric is encouraged by the authorities. ” They go from a walled garden where they have full control over the environment to 50 models when they start serving the general public. But they are well positioned to be a very big provider of this service if they see it as a good business opportunity. They are really good at building charging infrastructure Nick Nigro of Atlas Public Policy, a Washington-based research firm that studies the electric vehicle market, says of Tesla.
Eventually, Tesla wants to open all of its charging stations to vehicles from other brands. Photography: Markus Spiske / Unsplash
Tesla tries to obtain public funds
In 2021, the Biden administration passed a sweeping plan to modernize the country’s infrastructure. This includes $7.5 billion for the construction of charging stations across the United States. However, stations must be open to multiple builders to obtain financing; a boon for Tesla which can use it to open up more but also to expand its Supercharger network.
As reported by Wall Street Journal, the company has already applied for two financing offers along these lines. The first was proposed by Texas last November and distributed $21 million for highway fast chargers. Tesla applied for $1.8 million in funding but was denied because that specific offer was on a first-come, first-served basis and the automaker didn’t apply in time. .
In contrast, Tesla sites in Willows, Barstow, Coalinga and Baker are among 17 likely recipients of a California grant to build public chargers. The California Energy Commission is expected to approve the funding, likely at a meeting in October.
No doubt Tesla sees an opportunity to generate revenue by opening its Superchargers, since it charges a surcharge to drivers of vehicles that are not of its brand. It is therefore very likely that the company will make more requests for public funds, especially since the money from the state budget allocated to this sector should start to be available by the end of the year. ‘year.
As a reminder, Elon Musk’s firm had a more than decent second quarter of 2022, but has to deal with inflation as well as the shortage of semiconductors, which have slowed its growth.
