Tesla is looking to expand its pilot program testing the opening of the Supercharger network to electric vehicles from other automakers in Norway.
Over the last year, we have been reporting on Tesla ramping up its effort to open the Supercharger network, its extensive global network of fast-charging stations, to electric vehicles from other automakers.
Last month, we saw Tesla take the first step in that direction with a pilot program running at 10 Supercharger stations in the Netherlands where non-Tesla EV owners can charge using the Tesla app.
When announcing the new pilot program, Tesla said that it plans to slowly expand it as it tests the user experience for both new non-Tesla EV owners being onboarded on the network and current Tesla owners who are going to see more traffic at those charging stations.
Tesla already slightly expanded the program by allowing EV drivers from Germany and Belgium to also use the 10 stations in the Netherlands.
However, it has yet to expand the program to new stations.
This is apparently about to change.
Patrik Gayer, a manager of public policy and government relations at Tesla, sent a letter to Norway’s Ministry of Transport in which he indicated that Tesla is looking to expand the Supercharging pilot program to the country.
He wrote in the letter obtained by Bilbransje24:
We are now investigating other markets for a potential expansion of the pilot project. We would therefore very much like to meet you to tell you more about our plans…
There’s no mention of a specific timeline for expanding the program.
As we previously reported, Tesla has also previously indicated in a government filing earlier this year that it planned to open two specific Supercharger locations in Norway to other EV owners.
It was related to getting access to government subsidies for those stations, which could be a factor playing an important part in the timing of Tesla opening its popular charging network to EVs from other automakers.
We previously noted that it is a requirement to get access to the $7.5 billion that the US government recently announced will be investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure as part of its broader infrastructure bill that passed last month.
However, Tesla has yet to announce an expansion of the pilot program in the US, where it will be a little more difficult to open the Supercharger network to other EVs since it requires making a charging adapter available.
The automaker previously hinted that it would both release one for sale and also plans a way to make one available at the stations.
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Author: Fred Lambert
Source: Electrek
