Despite Tesla’s announced slowdown in Supercharger installations, automakers aligned with Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) show no signs of changing their charging strategies.
Ford, General Motors, and other major players in the electric vehicle (EV) market have committed substantial resources to EV development but lacked an extensive public charging network. Tesla’s Supercharger network, with thousands of locations across North America, provided a solution.
However, recent developments have cast uncertainty over these plans as Tesla parted ways with key executives responsible for Supercharger development and let go of lower-level charging team employees.
Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, confirmed a shift in focus toward maintaining existing stations rather than rapid expansion. This decision, combined with the lack of clarity on new Supercharger projects, has raised eyebrows in the industry.
Tesla still plans to grow the Supercharger network, just at a slower pace for new locations and more focus on 100% uptime and expansion of existing locations
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 30, 2024
Despite Tesla’s revised strategy, automakers like Ford and GM remain steadfast in their commitment to NACS.
“We have nothing new to announce regarding our plans,” GM said in a statement. “We are continuing to monitor the situation regarding changes to the Supercharger team and the potential impacts with no further comments or updates at this time.”
Ford echoed GM’s sentiment, stating there were no changes to their plans at present.
Tesla’s decision is part of a broader cost-saving initiative affecting 14,000 jobs. While cuts have occurred at all levels, the departure of several high-ranking executives, including Senior Vice President of Powertrain Drew Baglino, raises questions about the timing of these changes.
