Tesla is prepping for giant Supercharger expansion ahead of opening the network to other EVs

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Tesla is adding a lot of job listings for design managers of new Supercharger sites as the automaker preps for a massive expansion of the Supercharger network ahead of opening it to other electric cars.

The Supercharger network has been growing at an impressive pace lately.

Last quarter, Tesla had 26,900 Superchargers at 2,966 stations around the world, which represent 49% and 46% year-over-year growth.

It is growing fast, but Tesla might need to grow the fast-charging network even faster if it wants to welcome more electric vehicles to it by opening it to other automakers later this year.

The automaker recently confirmed plans to open the Supercharger network to electric vehicles from other automakers by the end of the year.

Not only that, instead of making deals with specific companies, Tesla confirmed that it plans to simply enable EV owners to download the Tesla app to give them access to the charging stations.

In some markets, like in North America where Tesla is using its proprietary plug, EV owners will also have to use an adapter, which Tesla plans to offer at the stations.

This could result in a significant increase in traffic at Supercharger stations, which are often already super busy in some markets where Tesla vehicles are really popular.

Tesla has been expected to increase its effort to deploy charging stations in order to prepare for this expected increase in usage.

The automaker recently updated its map of planned charging stations with new stations and updated timelines.

Tesla is enabling new routes, but there also appears to be a focus on adding capacity in urban areas.

For example, Los Angeles, a popular market for Tesla, is seeing almost a doubling of its Supercharger network (planned stations in gray):

Tesla Cybertruck Tesla is prepping for giant Supercharger expansion ahead of opening the network to other EVs Screen-Shot-2021-08-18-at-6.13.32-AM

Electrek also found that Tesla added many job listings for new Charging Infrastructure Design Managers.

The role involves the management of the entire process of deploying new stations:


The Supercharger Design Manager role entails active program coordination of all deployment phases of Tesla’s Supercharger projects, including construction feasibility diligence, layout and design, utility design and easements, permitting, construction, site commissioning, and closeout. The ideal candidate has relevant hands-on experience managing infrastructure projects (up to thirty projects at one time across multiple states/provinces) and demonstrates a bias to action, logical problem solving, and mastery of a project’s tactical details. Finally, s/he brings high energy and an optimistic approach to fully completing projects in a swift and quality manner.
Tesla recently added seven of those positions in the Southwest alone:

In Austin, Tesla plans to more than double the size of its Supercharger network, and it currently has more stations planned than in Houston and San Antonio:

Tesla Cybertruck Tesla is prepping for giant Supercharger expansion ahead of opening the network to other EVs Screen-Shot-2021-08-18-at-6.11.12-AM

Tesla is expected to especially grow the Supercharger network in the US where its fleet could grow fast after the start of production at Gigafactory Texas.

The automaker could get significant funding to grow its charging network, as the federal government just approved $7.5 billion in EV infrastructure funding. One of the requirements is that the charging networks receiving funds must be open to more than one automaker.

It could explain the timing of Tesla finally announcing the opening of the Supercharger network to other automakers after years of discussions about it.

https://electrek.co/2021/08/18/tesl...er-expansion-ahead-opening-network-other-evs/
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braddibbnd

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In Austin, Tesla plans to more than double the size of its Supercharger network, and it currently has more stations planned than in Houston and San Antonio:
I would hope that they plan to at least double the Superchargers in the Austin area. I hope to go there to pickup my CT like many of you and there maybe many MY customers that will want the same thing. The factory itself may become a bit of a tourist attraction for EV owners as well so having plenty of SC options is a great idea.
Elon doesn't get enough credit for not just making great EV cars. The biggest problem to EV adoption was the lack of charging stations and they worked just as hard on that problem as battery management and range.
 
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TruckElectric

TruckElectric

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Elon doesn't get enough credit for not just making great EV cars. The biggest problem to EV adoption was the lack of charging stations and they worked just as hard on that problem as battery management and range.
Agree (y)
 

ajdelange

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Elon understood enough system egineering to understand that the Charging Segment is every bit as important as the Transportation Segment. Now we just wish that he would appreciate that the Support Segment is as important as the other two.
 


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TruckElectric

TruckElectric

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It's great as long as the app is working and the techs can get to you.

Which is apparently not always.

-Crissa
No back-up phone number to call in case app fails?
 

ajdelange

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Is it that bad?
It can be but I must say that it is not, or has not been in my experience, as bad as the horror stories that capture all the attention. It also depends a great deal on where you are. Where I live in the winter it is a 5 minute drive to the nearest service center, a 20 minute drive to either of two others and 20 minutes to a Tesla body shop. Where I live in the summer it is over an hour's drive. Ranger service covers a lot of stuff and that's the best though in any case it seems that one cannot get an appointment in less than a week or 10 days.

It seems that most of the horror stories come out of California which is where, of course, the bulk of the Tesla cars are located. And things have gotten better in the couple of years I've driven Tesla.
 
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