Tesla opens Australian Supercharger network to other EV brands across five NSW sites
Tesla’s Superchargers in North America. Image: Tesla Motors
Following the pilot program across Europe and the UK, Tesla has opened 5 supercharging sites in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) to non-Tesla vehicles - assuming they are CCS2 compatible.
The story first broke on Twitter, with the Tesla app quickly confirming that non-Tesla EV drivers are able to pay and charge at Bathurst, Dubbo, Narooma, Tamworth, Hollydene, and Narooma Superchargers:
Which cars can charge on these Superchargers?
Well, any BEV/PHEV with a CCS2 cable can now access these five sites. If you drive a Nissan Leaf or other CHAdeMO-equipped vehicle though, you’re out of luck.
How do I access the Tesla Supercharger network, and how much does it cost?
Download the Tesla app on your smartphone - you’ll need to create an account if you don’t have one already. Within the app, the home screen offers a menu titled “charge your non-Tesla”. Clicking on it allows you to access a map where you can scroll or search for open chargers:
The Tesla app shows available chargers, and gives non-Tesla drivers access to charging.
Click on the red pin, and you’ll see a menu with directions, amenities, charging fees, and the option to start charging. Pricing for non-Tesla users isn’t cheap, at $0.79/kWh, or $0.66/kWh with a $10/month subscription. For comparison, Chargefox and Evie Networks currently charge $0.60/kWh for their 350kW DC chargers and $0.40/kWh for the slower 50kWh chargers.
The subscription option looks quite appealing, with only a couple of charges required to see value for money. I scoured the terms and conditions, and couldn’t see any penalties for canceling, meaning that drivers could take out the subscription prior to a road trip, and then cancel it when not needed. The main stipulation by Tesla is that there is a maximum of five charges per site per day.
Supercharging a Tesla Model 3. Image: EV Brief Media
EV Brief’s Take
There has been wide-ranging feedback about this announcement across the internet, from critical views such as Tesla’s network should be reserved for Tesla drivers only, and that this move will create large queues at Superchargers.
Tesla owners have provided plenty of positive support, however, with many seeing this as an opportunity for the brand to continue its charging infrastructure rollout in Australia.
Personally, I think this is a great decision and is a small step towards meeting Tesla’s promises of advancing the transition to zero emissions transport, and is an opportunity to increase revenue from charging. It’s also unlikely to cause many demand issues at the charging locations, with these 5 Superchargers seeing light-medium usage.
Is Tesla Supercharging expensive for non-Tesla drivers like myself? Comparatively, yes, but the additional charging options in regional NSW are invaluable, especially in light of the sparse Evie Networks/Chargefox locations, and chronically broken chargers. The price is roughly $45 for a 10-100% charge of my Polestar; the equivalent cost of filling my former petrol Golf GTI would be around $75, assuming 450km of range and consumption of 8l/100km, and $2.10/litre for premium fuel.
Non-Tesla EV drivers are unlikely to use them in this way however; Tesla’s network will prove to be most useful in providing a reliable fast-charge top-up to get drivers to their destination, or a cheaper charging site for a deep charge.