Network of Proprietary Charging Stations Fuels Tesla’s Dominance
Tesla continued to dominate the U.S. EV market in 2021, delivering roughly seven out of ten newly registered electric vehicles. The trailblazing company is reaping the benefits of being the first major automaker to manufacture EVs exclusively, engineering extraordinarily efficient vehicles that are stylish and fun to drive.
Tesla has also built a robust network of strategically placed charging stations that are currently only available to Tesla owners. These state-of-the-art facilities add great value to the vehicles themselves, and Tesla intends to continue augmenting its network aggressively. If you are considering doing your part for the environment by going electric, you owe it to yourself to consider the practical benefits of Tesla’s sophisticated charging infrastructure.
Tesla’s network offers two major types of public charging, “destination charging” and “supercharging”. Destination chargers are Level 2 units that operate at 240 volts, delivering alternating current at a moderate pace. This is the same type of equipment that EV owners install inside their garages, designed to fully exploit opportunities when the vehicle will be parked for an extended period of time. Tesla’s destination chargers are typically located in hotel or restaurant parking lots, and the electricity is often provided as a complimentary amenity. Tesla’s superchargers are powerful Level 3 units designed for drivers on the move, utilizing 480 volts to deliver direct current straight to the vehicle’s battery at the fastest rate possible. Though not as quick as filling a tank with gasoline, supercharging only becomes necessary during longer journeys and is now reasonably quick.
It is difficult to be precise about how fast a supercharger can get a Tesla back on the road. Different models have different DC acceptance rates, and not all superchargers dish out electrons at the same speed. The Model S recharges the fastest, recovering up to 200 miles of driving range in just 15 minutes. The Model 3 and the Model X can recover 175 miles in the same amount of time, and the Model Y can recover 162. Because supercharging is the most expensive way to refuel an EV, Tesla owners often use the company’s online trip planning tools to minimize the use of superchargers, relying on destination chargers whenever possible.
Even though they are considerably slower, destination chargers play an important role in Tesla’s network. Most 2022 Tesla models are equipped with an impressive 11.5 kilowatt onboard charger that is capable of accepting alternating current from a very powerful Level 2 charger. Depending on the model, a Tesla receiving a Level 2 charge at 48 amps will recover anywhere from 30 to 44 miles of range in one hour. Destination chargers hosted by hotels allow Tesla owners to wake up in the morning with a fully loaded battery, just like they do at home, greatly reducing the need to visit superchargers.
Working in tandem, Tesla’s ubiquitous superchargers and destination chargers form a convenient, flexible network. Billing is effortless, and their chargers are very reliable. Teslas are also fully compatible with charging stations operated by independent companies like ChargePoint or EVgo. Tesla recently announced its intention to one day open up its extensive U.S. charging network to all EVs. For now, superior charging availability remains part of the unique joy of drving a Tesla.