Tesla opens its first Australian Superchargers to non-Tesla EVs, at a hefty price
Tesla has opened its first Supercharge sites in Australia to non-Tesla electric vehicles, starting with five little-used charging points in NSW.
The move follows similar openings in overseas markets and marks a major shift from what is by far the largest, and most efficient and reliable, private network in the world.
The news will be welcomed by thousands of non-Tesla drivers across Australia, who can now charge at select Tesla Supercharger sites, having previously been limited to third-party sites with few charging points and machines that were often broken.
The news was initially reported on Twitter:
Stop everything! Tesla Superchargers are open to non-Teslas in Australia
(Prices in AUD)
Fees: 79c/kWh discount to 66c/kWh with membership
Membership: $9.99/month @Rizflip @RahulPrasad74 @TeslaGong @TeslaStraya @sydney_ev @DrSallyL pic.twitter.com/zVvLSvbqDY
— Ludicrous Feed (@LudicrousFeed) January 31, 2023
Earlier today, five NSW Supercharger sites began appearing in the Tesla app under Charge Your Non-Tesla section. They are:
Bathurst – 6 stalls Dubbo – 4 stalls Hollydene – 6 stalls Narooma – 4 stalls Tamworth – 4 stalls
All these sites are outside the main traffic corridors and are relatively little used. Driven editor Giles Parkinson made three trips up and down the New England highway and didn’t see another Tesla at the Holydene or Tamworth facilities.
However, prices of the chargers to non-Tesla drivers will be significantly higher at 79 c/kWh, which can be reduced to 66 c/kWh with a Tesla membership plan set at $9.99 per month.
White Tesla charger. Image: Riz Akhtar
Even without the membership, the Tesla app shows that non-Tesla drivers can charge at these sites using the “Pay Per Use” where you pay the higher fee as you go.
To make it easier, Tesla has created a guide on their website under their Non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot page. Tesla provides four steps on how to charge while driving a non-Tesla EV:
Download the Tesla app (version 4.2.3 or higher) for iOS or Android and create a Tesla account. Select ‘Charge your non-Tesla’ and find your Supercharger site. Add your payment method, plug in your car, select a stall and tap ‘Start Charging’. Select ‘Stop Loading’ to complete your session.
Another main point that more than 40,000 Tesla drivers in Australia may want to know is whether their prices will change now that non-Tesla drivers can also charge at certain Superchargers. Tesla says on its website that it won’t affect current Tesla drivers:
“Tesla drivers can continue to charge for the same price,” it says.
Many of these initial sites are not part of Tesla’s NSW Government charging infrastructure rollout, where much larger sites are also planned by Tesla this year. Some of these sites will have up to 15 charging points and – because they are partially funded by the government – will be open to all users.
Image: Riz Akhtar
The largest supercharger site is currently in Box Hill, Victoria, with 12 Superchargers and it may also open up to non-Tesla in the coming months.
The opening of the Tesla Supercharger network is great news for EV owners as Australia’s most reliable charging network with over 300 fast charging locations begins to become accessible to thousands of EV owners.
The latest data from carloop shows that 72% of all fast charging locations across Australia use Tritium chargers which are known to have reliability issues.
What Tesla did today should also send a strong signal to other charging infrastructure operators to improve reliability at their charging stations.
Overall, this is a good step towards encouraging more EV adoption in Australia, as far more reliable chargers are now accessible to current and future EV drivers.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, which specializes in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transportation infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, especially EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.
