A Closer Look At Tesla’s Supercharger Network

Tesla’s (NASDAQ: TSLA) network of Superchargers enables Tesla drivers to recharge their cars in as little as an hour. This growing charging infrastructure is viewed as a competitive advantage for Tesla, as it improves customer experience and reduces range anxiety. The service is offered as a free perk with the Model S and X vehicles although Model 3 owners need to pay. The total number of Superchargers charging points globally has grown from about 9.3k to 14.7k between Q1’18 and Q3’19, although it is growing slower than cumulative deliveries, meaning that waiting times and user experience could take a hit. Below, we take a look at how Tesla’s supercharger network is expanding and compare its growth with the company’s cumulative deliveries and rival charging networks.

View our dashboard analysis on A Closer Look At Tesla’s Charging Infrastructure

Tesla’s Supercharger network has grown from around 1200 stations in Q1’18 to over 1650 stations as of Q3’19

• The number of Supercharger connectors, which indicate the number of vehicles that can be charged simultaneously has expanded from 9.3k to 14.7k in the same period.
• The number of Supercharger connectors per station has expanded from 7.7 to 8.9

However, Tesla’s Supercharger Network is growing at a slower pace compared to its Vehicle Deliveries

• While Tesla’s Cumulative deliveries have grown from 320k in Q1’19 to 790k in Q3’19, driven by the launch of the Model 3 sedan, its Supercharger connectors have grown from 9.3k to 14.7k in the same period.
• This means that the number of Vehicles per Connector has grown from under 35 to about 54.

How does Tesla’s network of chargers compare with rivals?

• Tesla has a total of over 7,600 supercharger points in North America, compared to about 1,400 charging points for ChargePoint, a company that operates an independent network of EV chargers and 1,660 points for Volkswagen’s Electrify America network.
• There are a total of about 14k DC Fast Charge connectors in the U.S. and Canada, spread across 4k stations, meaning that Tesla operates over half of all fast chargers in North America.
• However, Tesla’s overall network, which includes Fast Chargers and slower Level 2 chargers (destination chargers for Tesla cars) stands at 17.7k in North America. This is well behind ChargePoint which has close to 34k charging connectors.

For more information on how Tesla’s network of chargers compares with its rivals, view our dashboard analysis.

Conclusion

• While Tesla’s Super Charger network is expanding, the company’s chargers might be getting more congested, post the launch of the Model 3 which has increased the ratio of Teslas on the road to the number of Superchargers.
• That said, Tesla is still far ahead of the competition in terms of fast chargers and this does provide the company a competitive advantage, of sorts. Moreover, Tesla owners can use third-party networks (which may require adapters) although Tesla’s superchargers are exclusive to the company’s vehicles.

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