Tesla Is Crowdsourcing New Locations for Superchargers
Tesla relies more on Twitter for its communications needs than most companies, and its direct-to-consumer mentality seems to be growing.
Written by Andrew Koole
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Despite the drama between Elon Musk and Twitter this past year, he and his company are still heavily active on the platform. Recently, one of Tesla’s official accounts went so far as to use it to help decide where to expand the company’s
electric vehicle
charging network.In early September, Tesla Charging tweeted out a request for location suggestions from its followers. The message claimed that replies with the most likes will be included in the poll.
More EV chargers could help Tesla stay on top
For years, Tesla has claimed to have the most expansive network of chargers in the U.S. And while there isn’t an independent source tracking things and other brands insist they are the industry leaders,
Kelley Blue Book
(KBB) says Tesla’s assertion is the most substantial.The EV builder has more than 35,000 charging stations, with at least one in every U.S. state. The ever-expanding network is just one of many ways that Tesla continues to stay a step ahead of its rivals.
That said, Tesla has more than a few competitors offering public charging to EV drivers, and according to
Technology Review
, together, they’ve only provided 6,000 fast charging stations nationally, a number that’s dwarfed by the 150,000 gas stations in the country.Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
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Tesla Superchargers are still Tesla-only, for now
In 2021, Elon Musk said Tesla would open its Supercharger network up to drivers of other EV brands within the year. That never happened, but KBB the promise was recently repeated by a new authority—the White House.
In July, the Biden Administration published a fact sheet claiming that Tesla would “begin production of new Supercharger equipment that will enable non-Tesla EV drivers in North America to use Tesla Superchargers” sometime this year.
Tesla’s lack of a public relations department makes this quasi-reaffirmed promise difficult to verify, and KBB’s Sean Tucker remains skeptical.
But the government’s reiteration of it, coupled with the inclusion of Tesla in August’s renewal of the EV tax credit, could be enough to pressure Musk to live up to his word.
How does the Supercharger network affect Tesla ownership?
A Supercharger will get you juiced up faster than you can do it at home, but it’ll cost you. Tesla charges an average of 22 cents per kWh for the energy you take. That’s admittedly not a lot less than it costs to fill a tank of gas, but it’s more than the Level 2 charging you can do at home.
Where owning a Tesla costs more than a gas car is
car insurance
. Teslas tend to be paired with high premiums, not only because of the expense of replacing their battery but also because of their luxury vehicle status and ability to reach high speeds. That said, coverage rates change dramatically based on the provider you choose, so shopping with Jerry is a good idea. A licensed broker that offers end-to-end support, the Jerry app gathers affordable quotes, helps you switch plans, and can even help you cancel your old policy.
MORE: Elon Musk Says Tesla’s Biggest Problem Isn’t Growing Competition From Rivals
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