Tesla will roll out its first mass-market vehicle — the $35,000 Model 3 — later this year, significantly increasing the demand for charging stations. That’s why the company says it’s going to double the number of Superchargers available worldwide by the end of this year.
Tesla says it will soon double its existing network of around 5,000 Supercharger stations to more than 10,000, though in the U.S. the increase will only be around 150%.
The car company also currently has around 9,000 Destination Charging Connectors that allow drivers to charge at hotels, resorts, and restaurants like they would at home with Tesla Wall Connectors. That number will soon be increased by 6,000 worldwide.
The company says it’s currently working on site selection, with construction starting ahead of the summer travel season. Speaking of road trips, Tesla is going to build larger sites along the busiest travel routes that will look more like traditional gas stations, that will allow “several dozen” Tesla vehicles to charge at the same time.
Other new sites will be located off the highway to allow local drivers to charge quickly, “with the goal of making charging ubiquitous in urban centers,” the company says.
Last fall, Tesla announced that it would be pulling the plug on the totally free use of its Supercharger stations. Prices will be set state by state here in the U.S., and country by country elsewhere, Tesla confirmed in January this year.
The fees folks pay to charge will help cover the cost of expanding the Supercharger network, Tesla said at the time.
“We are only aiming to recover a portion of our costs and set up a fair system for everyone; this will never be a profit center for Tesla,” the company claimed.
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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