In a significant move to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption, Tesla has announced plans to open up access to its Superchargers in Canada. Following the government"s support, Tesla will enable other brands" EVs to utilize its Supercharger stations. The initiative will commence with a pilot route connecting Ottawa to Sudbury, with 750 stations slated for opening by the end of 2025.
Of the 750 planned stations, a minimum of 350 will feature high-speed 250kW Superchargers, which are crucial for facilitating long-distance travel. The pilot route will traverse a substantial portion of the Trans-Canada Highway between Ottawa and Calgary, allowing EV drivers to experience the convenience of reliable charging infrastructure on extended journeys.
This milestone announcement coincides with the Canadian government"s commitment to enhance accessibility to EV chargers nationwide. Collaborating with various partners, the government aims to install approximately 3,000 EV chargers across multi-use residential buildings, offices, public spaces, and fleets.
Among these installations, 1,908 will be Level 2 chargers, while 100 Level 3 chargers will be deployed, providing faster charging capabilities. Furthermore, funding has been allocated to five ongoing projects, which are expected to install up to 1,328 EV chargers.
This latest development in Canada follows Tesla"s previous endeavors to open up its Superchargers to other automakers in the United States and Europe. Additionally, Tesla recently announced its commitment to granting access to 12,000 North American Superchargers to Ford EV drivers starting in spring 2024.
Ford will adopt Tesla"s open-source charge port standard for its 2025 model-year vehicles as part of this partnership. These efforts by Tesla and Ford to collaborate on charging infrastructure will assuage concerns about inconsistent charger availability for non-Tesla EV owners.
On the other hand, Volkswagen plans to construct its inaugural North American EV battery plant in Ontario while negotiations for a Stellantis EV battery plant are underway. These developments and Canada"s existing automotive manufacturing base are expected to play a critical role in shaping the country"s future in the EV industry.
Source: Natural Resources Canada