Tesla opens its Superchargers for other electric vehicles, Starts pilot project in the Netherlands

The Tesla Superchargers are open to cars with the Combined Charging System (CCS) favored by BMW, Mercedes-Benz maker Daimler, Ford and the Volkswagen, which includes Audi and Porsche.

Electric vehicle maker Tesla has launched a pilot program for non-Tesla electric vehicles to use its Supercharger network for the first time. Initially, only 10 Supercharger stations in the Netherlands will be available to non-Tesla EVs. "Ten stations are now accessible to Dutch Non-Tesla EV drivers via the Tesla app (version 4.2.3 or higher). Tesla drivers can continue to use these stations as they always have, and we will be closely monitoring each site for congestion and listening to customers about their experiences," the company said in a statement.

Tesla has more than 25,000 superchargers installed around the world and first began building out its supercharger network in 2012. "It is always been our ambition to open the Supercharger network to Non-Tesla EVs, and by doing so, encourage more drivers to go electric. This move directly supports our mission to accelerate the world`s transition to sustainable energy," the company added.

Musk has long spoken about the idea of opening up Superchargers to drivers of non-Tesla vehicles. The Superchargers are open to cars with the Combined Charging System (CCS) favored by BMW, Mercedes-Benz maker Daimler, Ford and the Volkswagen, which includes Audi and Porsche.

Charging prices for non-Tesla drivers will include extra costs to support a broad range of vehicles and site adjustments to accommodate these vehicles, Tesla said. The price to charge can be lowered with a charging membership, it added.

Tesla, which crossed $1 trillion in market capitalization for the first time last week, has defied supply chain issues and global chip shortages to mark a record quarter for car deliveries as demand ramps up and its investments in new factories pay off.

Meanwhile, Tesla is recalling 2,791 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles over concerns that their front suspension lateral link fasteners may loosen, potentially shifting the wheel alignment and increasing the risk of a crash. The affected vehicles are 2019, 2020 and 2021 versions of the Model 3 and 2020 and 2021 editions of the Model.

With inputs from reports (IANS, Reuters)

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