In the vast, evolving market that supplies the Electric Personal Vehicles (EPV) industry, one pioneer’s legacy reigns supreme. That pioneer is Nikolai Tesla, and we hear his namesake has stirred up a bit of controversy with a recent handshake or two.
According to Tesla’s website, a Tesla Supercharger station can juice up a Tesla model so she’s good for up to 200 miles with just fifteen minutes hooked up to the grid. These numbers may flux depending on the environs, the vehicle, and the battery getting the charge, but ultimately the Supercharger boasts the fastest charge commercially available, aiding wait times since the station’s debut in 2012 (via Wikipedia).
Unfortunately, it looks like those wait times are about to see a big uptick – and ain’t because Tesla’s Supercharger stations are getting slower.
Tech Crunch tells us that Tesla has just made deals with Ford and GM, opening up their Supercharger stations to new models from both companies – and while it’s great the EPV marque has chosen to share their tech, the ownes of the marque’s machines are a little worried their luxury experience is about to be a little crowded.
Currently, Ford and GM have a collective 210,000 electric vehicles on the road. That’s a lot of new vehicles seeking a refill every 230-400 miles – and considering each charging station already sports an average of about 80 Tesla cars per stall (on average), the numbers aren’t looking good for future wait times… or the grid’s performance under such an influx of vehicles, for that matter.
“Tesla will have to double its Supercharger network in under three years or risk owner backlash,” predicts Tech Crunch.
“Tesla owners will likely begin to feel some pain next year. Given GM and Ford’s production targets, it’s likely that the two automakers will put nearly a quarter million more EVs on the road this year and nearly three-quarters of a million next year.”
“By 2025, they could potentially be selling a combined 1.5 million EVs annually. That would bring their combined EV fleet to somewhere between 2.5 million to 3 million vehicles by 2025.”
So where do electric motorcycles come in on all this?
As of March of this year, we hear that Tesla has introduced the Magic Dock – a new addition that can make Tesla’s Supercharger station compatible with electric motorcycles, including certain electric LiveWire, Energica and Zero offerings.
If you have an Energica Experia, you’re in an even better position to capitalize on Tesla’s networks. The Experia has been lauded since her birth to posess “the longest range of any electric motorcycle (153 miles combined to 261 miles urban).”
In other words, you’ll have some good fodder to toss into the breeze when it’s your turn to charge and you have to engage in neighborly small talk with any topic except that Tesla joke that Musk won’t shut up about (via the Verge).
(For the record, we’ve noticed motorcycles using Tesla’s charging stations as far back as 2016, thanks to a handy bit of tweaking to use something called a “Diginow.” It wasn’t the most convenient method of charging, but it got the job done, so there you go. Check out the video here).
Unfortunately, compatibility with Tesla’s Supercharger network also means a contribution to the problem. If you can juice up at a Supercharger, you will likely experience a lineup or two in the coming year…that is, if TechCrunch anticipates correctly.
What do you think? Will Tesla’s charging grid be overwhelmed by the new influx of vehicles needing a quick lick from “the largest global, fast charging network in the world?” (via Tesla)
Better yet, do you think Tesla will beef up their grid in time to take the load?