Thanks to a fast charging network with more than 25,000 charging stations worldwide, Tesla has a competitive advantage. Other automakers are forming alliances or investing in start-ups because of similar networks, Reuters reported.
–
“We will make our Supercharger network available to other electric cars later this year,” Musk wrote. He added that in time Tesla’s charging network would be opened to other electric cars in all countries.
–
In June, the German transport minister said he was trying to persuade Tesla to open its charging network to other car manufacturers, making it easier for electric car drivers to charge. The American carmaker is now building a plant in Grünheide, a few kilometers southeast of Berlin. Serial production there will begin in late January next year, with a six-month delay from the original plan.
–
Development of infrastructure
At the end of June, the White House unveiled an infrastructure investment plan that has support among Democrats and Republicans alike. According to a document published by the White House, the sum of basic and new expenditures planned for the next eight years is a total of $ 1.2 trillion (CZK 26.2 trillion). Of that amount, $ 7.5 billion will go to electric vehicle infrastructure, including charging stations.
–
Blink Charging, EVgo, ChargePoint Holdings and Electrify America, founded by Volkswagen, are also building networks of charging stations across the USA. Improving the charging infrastructure in the US could encourage more Americans to buy electric cars, which would strengthen General Motors and Ford in the competition against Tesla.
–
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), consumers and the Sustainable Transport Association called in February for a charging infrastructure in a letter to the European Commission. According to them, the European Union should set a binding target to build one million public charging stations for electric cars by 2024 and three million by 2029.
–
However, the establishment of public charging stations to replenish those at home and in the workplace is still slow. In addition, tariffs and payment methods are not uniform. Last year, there were a total of 224,538 public charging stations in the EU. There were 1,516 public stations in the Czech Republic – less than five electric cars per socket.
–