This Super Charged Network’s Ready to Take on Tesla

Just saw it. Very interesting. Between this and Tesla's own SC network, we'll have good coverage nationwide. $6 for 100 miles of range isn't bad at all; less than half as costly as covering that distance at 30 mpg and $4 a gallon.

 

I wish them luck, but it doesn't yet seem that anyone has made a business out of operating charging stations. Perhaps their ancillary revenues (such as advertising) will make the difference.

 

Curious how this will work since I thought there was a major software component to Tesla's handling of supercharge levels of power. Elon referred to it once as a "tango" between the charger and battery.

 

They both have Model Xs reserved :biggrin:

 

Why wouldn't Elon support it? Just let them have the software so they can charge any Tesla. The Supercharger network is free so it's not like there is any competition. Oddly enough, Tesla could then focus on other areas of the country and let this company build their network. Tesla can build their free Superchargers a little later. All that said, I can't imagine someone else beating Tesla to the punch. They plan on having the country blanketed by 2015. Unless these guys have a huge pirate chest of money they are willing to spend on this then they just aren't going to come around faster than Tesla. It's not like there are a vast amount of long distance EVs out there other than Tesla to make this worthwhile. The only thing special they seem to be doing is the local coupon thing. That will hardly generate $50K worth of profit.

 

Yeah, I don't see how they are going to make money, but I hope they figure out a way to do it. If these were available on the west coast for our trip to LA from Seattle (before the superchargers were available) we would have gladly paid $6 for 100 miles **IF** it was level 3. But now with supercharging I don't suspect they will get much business from S and X's in 2015.

 

It's going to Chademo for the Model S?! They'll provide the adapter, it looks like.