Tesla opens Supercharger network to all EV drivers in the Netherlands

The opening of Tesla’s gold-standard Supercharger network to all EV drivers will surely encourage a lot more drivers to go electric. The company recently took another step towards that goal, expanding access for non-Tesla EVs to all 36 of its locations in the Netherlands. To start using the Superchargers, drivers of CCS-equipped EVs simply need to download the Tesla app.

Above: Tesla Supercharger station (Source: EVANNEX; Photo by Casey Murphy)

Tesla made the first move towards an open network in November 2021, with a “Non-Tesla Supercharger pilot” at 10 locations in the Netherlands. The automaker started with a small number of sites so that it could “review the experience, monitor congestion and assess feedback before expanding.”

Opening up the network will be good news for overall EV adoption, and probably for Tesla, which could win some customers from other brands, but existing Tesla owners are naturally concerned about increased traffic at charging stations.

Last month, the automaker announced that the program will expand to more stations in Norway and France.

Above: Non-Tesla EVs charging at a Supercharger station in the Netherlands (YouTube: electricfelix)

Tesla is expected to gradually open up the network throughout Europe, and eventually in North America. However, the latter will be a more complex proposition, as Tesla uses its own proprietary plug rather than the CCS connector. Non-Tesla EV drivers will need a plug adapter, and as some EV owners have pointed out, Tesla may need to make other modifications, such as installing longer cables to accommodate vehicles with charging ports in other locations.

Any such updates will be well worth making, however—Tesla will need to make its network available to all EVs if it hopes to benefit from some of the federal subsidies for EV infrastructure that are expected to start flowing later this year. (No, Elon Musk’s recent fling against government subsidies was not meant for general audiences.)

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This article originally appeared in Charged. Author: Charles Morris. Source: Electrek