Skip to main content

Elon Musk: Tesla Will Open up Superchargers to Other EVs

After years of talking about it, Tesla CEO Elon Musk this week confirmed that the electric-car company will start to open up its network of Superchargers to other vehicles “later this year.”

Musk revealed the news on Tuesday, July 21, in response to a tweet about the company’s technology for rapid charging.

Recommended Videos

We created our own connector, as there was no standard back then & Tesla was only maker of long range electric cars.

It’s one fairly slim connector for both low & high power charging.

That said, we’re making our Supercharger network open to other EVs later this year.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 20, 2021

Details about the move are currently scant, but the news is of course a big deal for drivers of non-Tesla electric vehicles (EVs) who’ll soon have the chance to boost the juice at a bunch of new locations.

For drivers in the U.S., it’s going to mean getting hold of a charging adapter to fit the Superchargers, which may of course cost. Tesla will no doubt be happy to help.

In Europe, however, Tesla vehicles — and therefore its Superchargers — use the Combined Charging System also used by other automakers, suggesting that Tesla will open up its Superchargers there first.

Musk has long talked about opening up Tesla’s Supercharger network to EVs made by other automakers. Three years ago he insisted its system was not “a walled garden” that’s designed to keep other automakers out, but said that issues such as the connector compatibility would have to be overcome to make it happen. He added that at the time other automakers had shown little interest in using Tesla’s Superchargers, but it seems that this attitude could now be changing.

Offering its Superchargers to more vehicles would create a new revenue stream for Tesla through sales of both power and adapters. But Musk’s revelation may mean that drivers of its own vehicles will now be fearing longer lines at Supercharger stations when other electric cars start showing up as well.

However, the move looks like a positive one overall, giving drivers of non-Tesla vehicles more charging options while hopefully encouraging Tesla to further build out its network of Superchargers to improve its service and lower the chances of long waits at its stations.

Tesla currently has around 25,000 Superchargers at some 2,700 stations globally, with the technology enabling drivers to add up to 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
You can now charge your General Motors EV at a Tesla Supercharger
GM opens up access to more than 17,800 Tesla Superchargers

Taking a road trip in a General Motors-built electric car just got a lot more convenient. EVs made by Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac are now compatible with Tesla's Supercharger charging stations, though drivers will need to purchase an adapter before they can start plugging in.

Opening the Supercharger network to General Motors-built EVs adds over 17,800 charging stations to the list of places where drivers can stop and charge. This should take some of the stress out of taking an EV on a long trip, as Tesla's Supercharger stations are scattered across the nation and built in strategic locations. Tesla notes that a Supercharger is capable of adding up to 200 miles of range in about 15 minutes.

Read more
Tesla Cybertruck: everything we know
Tesla's Cybertruck.

The Tesla Cybertruck is Tesla's take on an electric truck, and boy has it had a controversial first few years. The truck was first announced back in 2019 -- complete with broken window... during a demo showing how strong the windows were supposed to be. When the truck finally started rolling out to customers in 2023, it did so very slowly -- and was soon subject of a recall.

We're now almost a year into Cybertrucks on the streets, and if you live in a major U.S. city, it's entirely possible that you've seen one in the flesh. If you have, you know that it's completely unlike anything else on the road right now, and represents Tesla's vision of the future of personal transportation.

Read more
Could Chinese cars save us from high EV prices?
BYD Han

The electric vehicle market is seriously heating up, with more great options being released every few months. But while there are more and more excellent electric vehicle options available, it’s still hard to find a great EV that doesn’t cost at least $40,000 or so.

But there could be a solution to that -- or at least a way to ease the problem. How? High-quality, low-cost Chinese EVs.
Competition
At face value, the solution to lowering EV prices is simple -- and involves a combination of the cost of new tech decreasing over time, while automakers release more and more models, increasing competition and pushing companies to create better-value vehicles.

Read more