A recent move by Tesla may have made it harder for electric vehicle (EV) drivers to charge their cars, even if they own a model from a different brand. Just weeks after cutting 10% of its global workforce, the automaker announced another round of layoffs. Tesla said it will part ways with with almost the entire team responsible for its Superchargers.
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Tesla’s Superchargers are capable of fully charging up a car battery from zero in about an hour. That is a significant improvement over the three to eight hours required by most public EV chargers. The auto company also boasts a larger network of fast chargers in the United States than all other providers combined, making it a crucial player in the EV charging landscape.
Many other automakers planned to utilize Tesla’s Supercharger network for their own EV models. Over 20 different brands expressed intentions to make their vehicles compatible with Superchargers over the next two years. However, the sudden downsizing of the Supercharger division raised questions about the feasibility of those plans.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, said that the company remains committed to expanding its Supercharger network at a slower pace. He said Tesla intends to focus on improving the reliability of existing charger locations rather than rapidly expanding the network.
Executives at other automakers shared their concerns in light of Tesla’s recent layoffs. Rivian, which just started shipping out Supercharger connectors to thousands of customers, was surprised by the news. Ford is also in the middle of making its own connector deliveries. The company warned its EV owners that shipments may be delayed due to “constraints” with the supplier.
The ripple effects of Tesla’s layoffs on the broader EV industry remain uncertain. Other car brands will continue weighing their options and assess the impact on their own charging infrastructure plans.
