SuperChargers, Tesla announced recently that they had reached a milestone of 20000 superchargers across the globe.
This is an amazing feat when you consider that they only started their network around 10 years ago. The supercharging network was a revolution when it was first conceived. It gave Tesla a foot up and a head starts to the evolution of the electric car. Without the Supercharging network, Tesla would not be the powerhouse it is today.
Range Anxiety
Range anxiety as it has been labeled over the years was a consideration that most would have taken for granted in an ICE car. The proliferation of the petrol station has long since passed and people expect it to be available everywhere without issue.
The supercharger network is attempting to address a similar issue. It has certainly achieved this in the USA. Where this becomes an issue for most Tesla owners outside the USA is in countries that don’t have a large footprint of Tesla uptake.
Australia
Let’s take my homeland, Australia. I live in a large city that is sprawling and wide, Brisbane Australia. We are a First World country and have access to all the usual amenities that one would expect. We have had a slow uptake of electric vehicles and lag about 5 years behind if not more than the rest of the world when it comes to infrastructure and purchasing.
The main reason for the slow up take includes,
- Poor government support for new technology
- Little or no incentives
- Poor infrastructure within urban areas.
- No national emissions target.
- Government proposing taxes on EV’s
Manufacturers
The supercharging network is dedicated to Tesla but Elon has mentioned in the past that he is open to the idea that other manufacturers can utilize the supercharging network. This may be a best-case scenario, however other companies like Tritium (Australian Owned) and Charge fox, RACQ, and others have attempted to fill the void.
Their infrastructure has been due to demand from the uptake of electric vehicles and understanding that the world is shifting to renewables and sustainability, this includes electric vehicles.
This last year Tesla increased its purchases across the globe and in Australia, the sales went up by a significant magnitude.
So why do we lag behind with the deployment of Superchargers. Obviously, Australia is a small fish and does not seem to be at the forefront of the mind of Tesla and Elon musk when it comes to supportive infrastructure.
If you build it they will come
However, if you build it, they will come. If tesla was going to improve the uptake of vehicles, they need to continue to address the issues that they had in the early days of the USA. Increase the output and distribution of the supercharging network to urban areas. By allowing visibility of the Tesla brand people will start to look at the name and the vehicles and see value where none previously existed.
Superchargers are one part of the puzzle but a big part. In Brisbane, we have 1 supercharger station. This is located in the center of the city. Brisbane covers the same land size as Los Angeles
Currently, in Brisbane, there is one supercharger, In Los Angeles there at 10 – 15. The red icons are the superchargers.
I know tesla is growing at a rate unseen for over 100 years. I am sure the Supercharger network will grow with it but at the moment this is not the case jete in Australia.
Fill the void
On the upside, in any void, someone will fill it. Tritium is making great strides to be that void filling product. Their introduction of superchargers and soon to announce new products only help to address the need. Not only are they versatile as they allow for all-electric cars to charge but they are proactive in looking for new opportunities to make travel less stressful and more of a journey for electric car owners.
Tesla is the gold standard, but tritium and others are making strides to meet them and surpass the expectations.
I look forward to the day that I can own a Tesla, but I also look forward to the day that more people can purchase electric vehicles at a price that grows uptake. If tesla increases the superchargers and other companies like tritium grow the only winner as well as the consumer.
I look forward to that day.
Dave
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