Tesla Superchargers open to non-Tesla electric cars in a game-changing pilot

In a sign that Tesla is trying to preempt potential EV charging standards regulation, the carmaker is opening some of its Supercharger stations to other electric vehicles in a pilot project this week. Just like Apple, Tesla uses a proprietary charging system for its cars, so if your non-Tesla EV has to use the Supercharger network in North America, you would need an adapter.

In Europe, Tesla sells its vehicles with the more common Combined Charging System (CCS) port that Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW, Ford, Jaguar, GM, etc. use. That is why Europe, and more precisely the Netherlands, has been chosen for the pilot opening of Tesla's Supercharger network to other EVs. The Netherlands has one of the most developed electric vehicle charging infrastructures on the Old Continent, after all, with nearly a third of all European stations placed there.

This way, Tesla will be able to gauge and manage overcrowding of the Supercharger stations better than at some other places, as Tesla car owners could end up miffed at having to wait on a VW ID3, Hyundai Ioniq, or a Porsche Taycan to top up first. That is why Tesla is charging a bit more if you use a Supercharger to pump a different EV, and also has idle fees in place to encourage timing efficiency. 

Still, those electric car owners who live in the Netherlands and use one of the 10 "open" Superchargers there can sign up for a €13 (~ US$15) monthly membership in the Tesla app (version 4.2.3 or higher) to benefit from the same low charging rates as Tesla car owners do.

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