Tesla opens entire Supercharger network in the Netherlands to all EVs – TechCrunch

Tesla said Monday that non-Tesla owners can charge their electric vehicles at all Supercharger stations in the Netherlands.

The announcement marks an expansion of a pilot program that kicked off in November 2021 with 10 stations. CEO Elon Musk had initially expressed interest in opening up the Supercharger network to other EVs in the summer of the same year.

Unlike other automakers, Tesla operates an expansive proprietary network that has previously prevented EVs from other automakers from using the chargers. The network, which Tesla began building in 2012, now numbers 30,000 Supercharging stations globally.

The company’s pilot program lets non-Tesla EV drivers in the Netherlands and some stations in other European countries, including France and Norway, Belgium charge their cars via the Tesla app – the automaker has not yet integrated its stations with other EV station collators like PlugShare.

Tesla uses a proprietary plug that only fits into Tesla vehicles, so non-Tesla vehicles might need an adapter to connect. Tesla did not TechCrunch with clarification in time.

Tesla said it is starting with a select number of sites so it can “review the experience, monitor congestion and assess feedback before expanding.” Future sites will only be opened to non-Tesla vehicles if there is available capacity.

The Netherlands has the largest number of EV charging stations in Europe, with 75,000 stations, which gives Tesla a competitive playground to further test this pilot. Tesla has 33 stations in the Netherlands, with 18 new stations “coming soon,” according to Tesla’s website.