Tesla To Increase Number of Superchargers Ahead of Model 3 Launch
The vision of Tesla vehicles dotting the roads with people going cross country is becoming more of a reality as we near the Model 3 launch. However, what good is a bunch of electric cars if we have nowhere to charge them? The only way this is going to become a way of life is for charging stations to be as prevalent as gas stations, otherwise, this entire endeavor is moot.
Tesla understands this as they stated in a press release on Monday that their top priority is charging. The number of Model Ss and Xs is increasing, but when the mass-market Model 3 hits the roads for the first time, the number of Tesla vehicles on the road will increase dramatically.
https://twitter.com/TeslaMotors/status/856539289168912385
To prepare for the impending Model 3 launch, Tesla announced that they will double the number of chargers that are currently in service, from 5,000 to 10,000 in 2017, with an additional 1,000 in California alone. Tesla will also expand their Destination Charging numbers to 15,000 connectors around the world. Hopefully, the increase will be able to keep up with demand for the Model 3, which Tesla intends to produce in huge numbers, citing a target of 500,000 vehicles in 2018.
In addition to increasing the number of chargers, Tesla also plans to build larger charging sites along the busiest travel routes that will accommodate several dozen Supercharging stations simultaneously. Also in the works are charging stations further from highways, making charging in urban centers a more common occurrence.
Increasing the number of chargers is a great step in the right direction but in order for electric vehicles to make more sense over gasoline cars, the speed of the charging needs to be increased. You can fill up a car with gas in just a few minutes, but as fast as the Superchargers currently are, it still takes significantly longer to charge a car when compared to filling up with gas.
Regardless, Tesla has a plan to make charging as hassle free as possible when the Model 3 takes over the roads!
