Tesla Backtracks on Supercharger Expansion Plans After Firing Entire Charging Team

Elon Musk’s recent decision to fire Tesla’s entire charging team has reportedly already led to the company pulling back on its plans to expand the Supercharger network. EV owners already face difficulties finding working charging stations, especially during busy travel times, and these difficulties aren’t likely to be lessened anytime soon.

Electrek reports that in a move that has left many in the electric vehicle industry confused, Tesla has decided to backtrack on its plans to expand the Supercharger network, one of the company’s most critical assets. This decision comes on the heels of CEO Elon Musk’s controversial decision to fire the entire team responsible for overseeing the company’s charging infrastructure.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 15: Tesla cars recharge at a Tesla Supercharger station on February 15, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Electric car company Tesla is partnering with the U.S. federal government to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the United States. Tesla announced plans to open an estimated 7,500 of its Tesla Superchargers in the country to all brands of electric vehicles by the end of 2024. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

According to reports, Tesla has already backed out of four leases for upcoming Supercharger locations in New York City, including sites in Maspeth, South Bronx, Queens, and Gateway Center in Brooklyn. These new stations were recently announced to address the issue of overcrowded Supercharger stations in the city, which had led to long wait times for Tesla owners and ride-sharing drivers.

The backtracking on these plans is particularly concerning given the increasing demand for a robust charging infrastructure. Tesla had previously promised to deploy 100 additional chargers around New York City by the end of the year and had even worked directly with Uber to gather data to locate the new stations at optimal locations.

While some of the vacated sites may be taken over by other charging operators like Revel, which expressed interest in the locations, the overall impact of Tesla’s decision on the expansion of the Supercharger network remains uncertain.

Tesla’s Supercharger network has long been considered one of the company’s key strengths, allowing Tesla owners to travel long distances with the security of a network of chargers available to them. The company had also recently won the battle for charging standards, with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) being adopted by other automakers, and the Supercharger network becoming the go-to charging solution for non-Tesla electric vehicles as well.

However, with the firing of the charging team and the apparent slowdown or halt of Supercharger installations, Tesla’s charging advantage may be eroded, potentially impacting the company’s competitiveness in the electric vehicle market.