Elon Musk has several plans for Tesla-branded superchargers. Some hosts of these recharging areas did not wait for it to develop rather innovative concepts.
Tesla held its general meeting of shareholders on August 4, 2022. Among the many topics addressed by Elon Musk during his long speech (a summary of which you will find here), the theme of superchargers caught our attention.
The question of recharging is the sinews of war in the ecosystem of electric mobility. Tesla immediately understood this by developing its own charging network, which the brand continues to want to improve. V4 Superchargers, new locations and the desire to make some charging stations more friendly were topics discussed during this speech by Elon Musk.
Towards a deployment of V4 superchargers
Strangely, this part of the Tesla Live appears to have been edited before the replay went live. Despite the late hour of the broadcast, we did of course hear Elon Musk talking about the next generation of superchargers from the brand named V4.
While waiting to have more concrete information from Tesla, concerning the start of the implementation of these new V4 superchargers, the plans have already leaked and can be consulted on Electrek.co. These new terminals would change their look, but above all, they would be more powerful (up to 350 kW) and more suitable for opening up the charging network to other brands with a longer cable.
A figure to remember for superchargers: 99.6%
The availability (uptime) of Tesla terminals reaches 99.6%, enough to make all competing operators green with envy
Worldwide, Tesla has already installed more than 35,000 Superchargers, distributed in more than 3,500 stations. Europe-wide, there are 800 stations and 9,000 superchargers in more than 30 countries. France alone offers Tesla vehicles, and sometimes other brands, a choice of 120 charging stations to cover the territory.
Tesla could ask its users about the locations of new locations
For the moment, the establishment of new charging stations responds to a logic of territorial networking and demand. Elon Musk does not hide that the use made of superchargers is studied carefully. The new stations are used to complete the offer in a white zone, or else to double the capacities in the zones with very high demand, where the current stations reach saturation regularly.
At the general meeting, several Tesla owners asked Elon Musk to develop the superchargers in Alaska. It must be said that, for the moment, this region is forgotten by the manufacturer. To which the main interested party replied: “ Maybe we should do an online poll to find out where we should put the Superchargers? Yes, let’s do that. »
Finally, it is not enough for Elon Musk to ask where to install the supercharger stations, he must also be able to find the land to accommodate the terminals. He did not hide that certain sectors, for example, in California, in Malibu, were particularly complicated to find available land.
Elon Musk wants more fun charging stations
It must be said that not all charging stations are alike. A good portion of superchargers are not going to deliver an unforgettable experience to customers. Some even offer rather spartan comfort. Elon Musk would love to change that.
During his speech, he shared a vision of a charging station that would be like the typical old Diners in the USA. The customer could come and connect there, while nibbling on a good cheeseburger and watching videos on a big screen. A half drive-in cinema half diner experience from the 1950s, but all with a futuristic twist. Why not.
In the meantime, some supercharger locations have sought to develop a more pleasant reception offer. This is particularly the case for two stations in Germany. The first offers a kind of lounge with several vending machines, pizzas to eat on site, spaces to make a private call, and toilets, all accessible with a QR Code to limit access to this waiting room.
In the other multi-brand charging station, a swimming pool has been installed in a container. At the initiative of Tesla, this pool is accessible for about ten minutes to customers making a charge. These initiatives are in any case particularly interesting for users of electric vehicles.