Blog Tesla Planning to Triple Supercharger Network

As the number of Tesla vehicles on the road continues to swell, the company is giving some serious consideration to its charging network.

On the company’s Q3 earnings call, the company said it plans to triple the size of its charging network around the world.

“We are executing on accelerating expansion plans globally,” said Drew Baglino, Tesla’s senior vice president of powertrain and battery engineering. “The network has doubled in the last 18 months, and we are planning to triple it over the next two years. And even so on an individual-site basis to combat existing congestion more quickly where it is isolated and problematic, we expedite local relief sites, deploy mobile Superchargers, and we try to introduce pricing strategies that encourage more off-peak usage to avoid the waiting.”

Tesla currently has about 29,281 Superchargers at 3,254 locations around the world. In addition to serving Tesla vehicles, the company recently announced that the network will also accommodate electric vehicles from other automakers. 

 

[Rocky_H]

I, personally, am thrilled that places such as Altura and Hines even have Superchargers. Clearly nobody except Tesla has put any infrastructure in that area.

That is the opposite of the truth, actually. The one place we REALLY need it (U.S. highway 95 above Winnemucca) ONLY has coverage by EVGo, but NOT by Tesla. And Burns/Hines got a Chargepoint CHAdeMO station years before Tesla put in a Supercharger there. Try again.

The problem with that is that the EVGo stations in Orovada and McDermitt are pretty bad to try to use. There is no J1772, so you'd better have an adapter for either CHAdeMO or CCS. And the inside of the credit card reader sounds like it's lined with sandpaper and give read failures, the touch screens don't work a lot of the time, and communication from there to the online apps to activate them is spotty.

 

[Ogre]

Perhaps your example is not the best one. Texas blackouts happened once in recent history, $5,000 bills happened to a few people who chose to pay demand prices. California things I mentioned are ongoing and have been happening for years now. Just because you can find a occasional residential place for rent in Austin which costs $15K a month, doesn't mean cost of living in Austin higher than Silicon Valley.

You don’t live there, you have no clue what it’s like to live there.

You have your preconceived notions about what it’s like based on little experience and biased-media and nothing I say will change that.

Lived in California for 30+ years. It is a big state it has 10x more people than most states. Never had a single “Rolling Blackout” and while I’m sure some of my friends have, it’s not endemic. Certainly not as damaging as being stuck in a massive near statewide blackout in extreme cold then getting $5000 power bills even if that “just happens once”.

“Long EV Charger lines” happens to some people, but it’s the most populous state and the highest EV concentration in the country. Problems with EVs are going happen there first.

All of the rest of your commentary is similarly nonsense.

The big problems California has are problems the whole country planet is suffering, climate change. In California that means droughts and heat.

 

[Packfan]

Perhaps your example is not the best one. Texas blackouts happened once in recent history, $5,000 bills happened to a few people who chose to pay demand prices. California things I mentioned are ongoing and have been happening for years now. Just because you can find a occasional residential place for rent in Austin which costs $15K a month, doesn't mean cost of living in Austin higher than Silicon Valley.

Cost of living is high due to demand of the high number of people that want to live and work in California. Don't really know what your point is here? To tell us all CA is terrible? Ok, great story. Don't move here. It's cool, we'll be fine without you.

You want to hear another one? I wake up every single day happy in the fact that I don't live in Seattle.

 

[whitex]

You don’t live there, you have no clue what it’s like to live there.

You have your preconceived notions about what it’s like based on little experience and biased-media and nothing I say will change that.

You are right, I don't live there. I did live in both Texas (short stint) and California in the past. While in California (East Bay area) I have experienced scheduled rolling blackouts regularly.

“Long EV Charger lines” happens to some people, but it’s the most populous state and the highest EV concentration in the country. Problems with EVs are going happen there first.

I think "the most populous state and the highest EV concentration in the country" could just be another way to say overcrowded, as in too many people.

 

[whitex]

Cost of living is high due to demand of the high number of people that want to live and work in California. Don't really know what your point is here? To tell us all CA is terrible? Ok, great story. Don't move here. It's cool, we'll be fine without you.

You want to hear another one? I wake up every single day happy in the fact that I don't live in Seattle.

I never said it's terrible, though I did personally choose to move out of CA. I was just saying if you live in a place where so many people want to live, it's going to be overcrowded and expensive to live there. To some the costs outweigh the benefits, and if so, don't whine about the costs (like long lines at superchargers) - accept it and enjoy it.

PS> Washington is not my first choice, but probably second of all US locations I've lived in, but since my wife likes to live here (family, friends) that is where I am.

 

[Packfan]

I never said it's terrible, though I did personally choose to move out of CA. I was just saying if you live in a place where so many people want to live, it's going to be overcrowded and expensive to live there. To some the costs outweigh the benefits, and if so, don't whine about the costs (like long lines at superchargers) - accept it and enjoy it.

PS> Washington is not my first choice, but probably second of all US locations I've lived in, but since my wife likes to live here (family, friends) that is where I am.

First, look up redundant in the dictionary.

Second, kind of the point. People live in different places for different reasons. And that’s fine. It’s only the little man insecure in his own rainy location that wants to come and tell everyone their place sucks.

Third, nobody whines about costs other than you. Nobody whined about lines that was local. In fact, most locals came to say those photos of lines are the exception and not the everyday service.

Finally, the free market is what anyone is arguing. Long lines would indicate someone will probably step in and grab that revenue, yes? I mean, people want a charger in BFE northeast of Saskatoon. More mockery there than the people that say stick another charger in SoCal that will pull you a gazillion more dollars a day, IMO. And yes, I know driving sales and whatever. Just saying charging is a long game steady revenue steam. No doubt some safe bet investments are part of the strategy.

48 and rain in Seattle tomorrow. Enjoy. I’ll be thinking of you while I’m at the park.

 

[whitex]

Nobody whined about lines that was local. In fact, most locals came to say those photos of lines are the exception and not the everyday service.

Well, I assumed since the post I was replying to (below) was from a member who claims his location is So-Cal, that they were in fact local to California. If you are calling @airborne spoon a liar about his location, that's your beef with that member, not me. If however you have some political beliefs that Southern California is not real California, let me clarify this for you - if someone says they live in California, South, North, East or West, to me it's still California.

Now, I'll give you a minute to climb off that high horse.

 

[tdroney]

The supercharger network is one of the top reasons I purchased a Tesla. Of course the tech is pretty good (with some caveats). That said, I've had my model Y for about 7 weeks and put 5K miles on it so far and haven't used the next work yet. My 170mi daily commute allows me to return and charge at home each night. When I have time to drive farther afield I'll end up needing a supercharge. I really like that it will tell me if I need to stop at one, shows on the map where they are and how many open chargers there are.

 

[Packfan]

Well, I assumed since the post I was replying to (below) was from a member who claims his location is So-Cal, that they were in fact local to California. If you are calling @airborne spoon a liar about his location, that's your beef with that member, not me. If however you have some political beliefs that Southern California is not real California, let me clarify this for you - if someone says they live in California, South, North, East or West, to me it's still California.

View attachment 729915

Now, I'll give you a minute to climb off that high horse.

We should fact check a zillion. They also say remote locations, so didn’t seem state specific. Also, you’ve used the quote reply now which is useful. Still seems pretty odd to go on some rant about a state you don’t live in. My horse is not high, I’m not the one coming to the board bagging on someone else’s chosen home. That said, you dished it, so take it. How was your weather today?

Finally, all CA is CA.

 

[Ogre]

Tesla managed to bang out another 5k superchargers since May.

Tesla Supercharger network reaches new milestone: 30,000 chargers worldwide

Tesla announced that it reached a new milestone with its Supercharger network: it now has over 30,000 fast-chargers around the...

electrek.co

 

[drtimhill]

And block chargers for people who travel and need them. Got you.

And people who are not traveling but also need them as they dont have access to home charging? Or do those people not "count" in your estimation?

 

[WhiteWi]

And people who are not traveling but also need them as they dont have access to home charging? Or do those people not "count" in your estimation?

Pro hint. Maybe hold off to buy EV if you can’t charge it at home just bc you want to look cool. I know I wouldn’t think about EV if I didn’t have house.

 

[drtimhill]

Pro hint. Maybe hold off to buy EV if you can’t charge it at home just bc you want to look cool. I know I wouldn’t think about EV if I didn’t have house.

Speaking for myself, I do indeed have both a house and home charger. However, I'm so not so arrogant or self-centered as to tell others that they are not entitled to an EV because they aren't in the same situation. Pro hint: People sometimes buy EVs for other reasons than "looking cool".

 

[WhiteWi]

Speaking for myself, I do indeed have both a house and home charger. However, I'm so not so arrogant or self-centered as to tell others that they are not entitled to an EV because they aren't in the same situation. Pro hint: People sometimes buy EVs for other reasons than "looking cool".

Sure if you live in the city you don’t need a car period. Walk, use public transit or use bicycle

 

[drtimhill]

Sure if you live in the city you don’t need a car period. Walk, use public transit or use bicycle

... and if you live in the country you can use a horse.

 

[WhiteWi]

... and if you live in the country you can use a horse.

Not quite the same

 

[Hexo09]

Pro hint. Maybe hold off to buy EV if you can’t charge it at home just bc you want to look cool. I know I wouldn’t think about EV if I didn’t have house.

Oh snap! I missed the memo where Tesla changed their mission statement to “accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy, but only for boomers and trust fund kids who are pretty much the only people who can still afford to be first time home-owners in 2021”…

 

[Earl]

boomers and trust fund kids

I think you're missing the problem that needs solving and the math that makes it happen.
The goal is to accelerate the transition to sustainable transportation.
The limit to EV proliferation is not because most people can't afford them. It is limited because there are not enough factories producing them to keep up with the demand.
We need more factories building EVs
If there is still demand among "boomers and trust fund kids" that cannot be met with the current factories. Those folks can afford to and are willing to pay more for the cars available and to pay for their own chargers at home can't get them. Therefore, it makes sense to sell to these folks, at good sales margin first. The extra money made can and is (at least by Tesla) being put into building more factories.
When we have so many factories producing EVs and the time comes that there are EVs sitting, unsold, on lots, waiting for buyers, then the problem will be:
We need more places for people to charge or they are too expensive.
Then, it will make sense to spend resources on facilitating charging for those who don't wish to give up their three $4 Latte's per day or always buying the latest iPhone or those who really can't afford to put them in where their car spends most of its time (usually home or work). Or, it will be time to reduce the sales margins on the cars sold.
Luckily, Musk understands what the real problem is, how to solve it, and is.

 

[Hexo09]

I think that you missed my point also… If we are trying to make EVs widespread, we can’t be elitists and give “pro tips” such as the one above.

The “$4 a day for a latte” is again a hilarious argument and very stereotypical of the view of a certain generation. I save a ton, barely eat out and make a good living. Yet in the grand scheme of things I’m not any closer to being able to buy a good house in a halfway decent neighborhood in the Bay Area compared to someone who spends $50/month at Starbucks… Thankfully I can charge at work, but I struggle to see the issue with having an EV even without a garage. It’s just very classist and elitist to have that kind of comments.

 

[WhiteWi]

Oh snap! I missed the memo where Tesla changed their mission statement to “accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy, but only for boomers and trust fund kids who are pretty much the only people who can still afford to be first time home-owners in 2021”…

Move from Cali and you will be able to buy a house. I am not a boomer and not trust fund kid. Me and my wife bought our first house when we were 26. We are 38 now.