Tesla is now opening its extensive Supercharger network in Germany to electric cars of other brands. From now on, e-car owners can charge their vehicles at 99 percent of the 186 Tesla-Supercharger locations in the country. The number of participating locations is set to increase further in the future, which represents a significant step towards improving the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.
Using the Superchargers made easy
To use the Superchargers, drivers of third-party vehicles need the Teslaapp, in which they can select the "Charging third-party brands" option. The cost of charging varies depending on location and time and is generally between 49 and 71 cents per kilowatt hour. Frequent drivers can benefit from a subscription model that enables cheaper charging rates for a monthly fee of 12.99 euros.
Pioneering countries and price advantages
With this opening Tesla follows the example of other European countries such as France, the Netherlands and Norway, where this practice has already been implemented. This step is intended to strengthen the charging infrastructure and make electric vehicles more attractive to a wider population by providing a widespread and reliable network of fast-charging stations.
Fast charging and reduced prices
Tesla's Supercharger network includes over 50,000 fast-charging stations worldwide, which can charge up to 275 kilometers of range in just 15 minutes. Since November 2021 Tesla has gradually begun to expand Supercharger access for third-party brands as well. In Germany, 99 percent of the 2,581 installed fast-charging points are approved for other electric cars. Many of these Superchargers are conveniently located on freeways and freeway junctions.
Price differences and technical information
Tesla has also reduced the price of its electricity - in some cases by up to 25 percent. During off-peak times, a kilowatt hour at some Superchargers now costs around 40 cents. However, these price reductions only apply to Tesla-customers. Third-party vehicles continue to pay higher prices, but can benefit from lower rates thanks to the subscription model.
It is important to note that vehicles with 800-volt architecture from brands such as Kia, Hyundai or Genesis are not eligible for the subscription model. Tesla Superchargers can only achieve reduced charging capacities of up to approx. 100 kW, as the Superchargers have so far been designed for 400-volt high-voltage systems.
Simple payment and new functions
Using the Superchargers is straightforward: Customers can pay via the Tesla-app, in which they enter a SEPA mandate or their credit card details. Another new feature is the option to pay for the charging process using special charging cards stored in the app. At locations with the latest Supercharger generation "V4", simple ad-hoc charging with a debit/credit card is also possible.
With this opening of the Supercharger network Tesla is taking an important step towards promoting electromobility and offering a user-friendly and far-reaching charging infrastructure for all e-car drivers in Germany.
