Tesla opens charging network to China pilot

On April 25, Tesla officially announced the pilot opening of charging stations in mainland China for some non-Tesla brand new energy vehicles, further promoting the "Charging Network Opening Pilot Program".

According to the official introduction of Tesla, the first batch of pilot open charging stations include 10 super charging stations and 120 destination charging stations, which are known to support 37 models. The program will also cover the Tesla charging network on a larger scale, expanding the range of services for different brands and models.

The first batch of open pilot: 10 super charging stations and 120 destination charging stations

According to Tesla China, the first 10 Tesla Supercharging stations are located in Beijing and Shanghai in business office areas, shopping centers and other areas where new energy vehicle owners gather. This will provide electric vehicle owners with a convenient and efficient energy replenishment experience.

At the same time, Tesla has also opened 120 destination charging stations in 25 provinces and municipalities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong and Jiangsu, with a total of more than 50 cities and regions, further expanding the pilot charging network and allowing more non-Tesla owners to enjoy a "worry-free charging, free to travel" travel experience.

Currently, owners who want to participate in the service can download and log into the Tesla App (version 4.20.69 or higher) to view information on nearby open charging stations and refill their vehicles. During the charging process, you can check the charging status in real time through the vehicle or the App; after the charging is completed, the history will also be kept, which is convenient and hassle-free.

The Tesla Supercharger Open Program has been open for about one and a half years

Tesla Supercharger open plan has been opened for about a year and a half. According to Tesla's official information, since November 2021, Tesla launched the pilot Supercharging Station Open Program worldwide, non-Tesla vehicle users in 18 countries and regions, including mainland China, have been able to enjoy this service.

The opening of Tesla charging stations to non-Tesla brands has been a topic of discussion for a long time, but mainland China has not been open before. Tesla Global Vice President Tao Lin previously said in an interview, "The reason Tesla has not yet developed charging stations is mainly due to safety concerns. The charging technology and the in-vehicle battery management system need to be kept matched, which means that only Tesla electric vehicles can achieve the highest efficiency on Tesla's charging piles."

And Tesla CEO Elon Musk has talked about how "opening the charging network to non-Tesla brand vehicles encourages more owners to use electric vehicles, which supports our mission to promote new energy."

Tesla has laid out more than 1,600 Supercharging stations in mainland China

It is understood that since November 2021, Tesla launched a pilot open program for Supercharging stations worldwide, the service has been available to non-Tesla vehicle users in 18 countries and regions, including mainland China.

Rather than relying on third-party charging networks, as most other automakers do, Tesla developed its own charging network from scratch. The company's Supercharger network is now the most extensive fast charging network for electric vehicles in the world and is one of its most important strengths.

Tesla began deploying Superchargers in 2012, and the number of Superchargers exceeded 10,000 in June 2018, 20,000 on November 8, 2020, 25,000 in May 2021, 30,000 in November 2021, 35,000 on June 10, 2022, 40,000 on November 22, 2022 and now at 45,000, this new milestone comes just under five months after the last one.

The company also noted that more than half of the world's 40,000 Superchargers are made at the New York SuperFactory, which is producing a giant charger designed for the Tesla Semi electric semi truck.

Improving charging infrastructure will be able to encourage more consumers to buy electric vehicles. Traditional automakers such as Volkswagen, GM and Ford are accelerating their transition to vehicle electrification, and laying out more charging networks will help traditional automakers gain an advantage in competition with Tesla.