Tesla makes industry-changing modification to its electric vehicle charging policy: ‘A huge win’

Tesla announced on X earlier this month that its Supercharger network in Sweden is now open to all-electric vehicle brands.

To celebrate, Tesla made charging free for both Tesla and non-Tesla EV owners in Sweden for 24 hours the next day, marking a major step toward expanding EV accessibility in the country.

Tesla’s Supercharger network includes stalls that add up to 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes. Sweden is now the second country after the Netherlands to fully open the network, Teslarati reported. In other regions, such as the U.S. and South Korea, non-Tesla EVs can only use the chargers in select locations.

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According to Statista, Volvo sold nearly 18% of the electric cars in Sweden in 2023, making the domestic brand the EV market leader in the country. Kia ranked second with 12.4% of the EV market, followed by Tesla that same year.

The move comes as Sweden’s EV adoption continues to surge. EV registrations in the country increased by 61% in 2023 compared to 2022, according to the European Environment Agency. By 2029, the Swedish EV market is expected to grow by over 13% annually, reaching $22.8 billion, per Statista. Tesla’s expanded charging access could accelerate this growth by alleviating “range anxiety” for EV owners.

Switching to EVs from gas-guzzling cars offers numerous environmental benefits, including drastically reducing planet-warming gas pollution and eliminating harmful pollutants like tailpipe chemicals like carbon monoxide. The transition also contributes to quieter areas.

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Opening the Supercharger network adds to Tesla’s growing list of developments that lower barriers to EV ownership. Last month, the company announced that it had deployed 60,000 Supercharger stalls globally, providing EV owners more opportunities to charge on the go.

Earlier this year, Tesla cut prices on its Model Y, S, and X vehicles in the U.S. by $2,000, making EVs more affordable — especially when paired with federal tax credits of up to $7,500.

Reddit users responded enthusiastically to the news from Sweden.

“More Supercharger locations is a huge win,” one user wrote in the r/teslamotors subreddit.

Another added more context, saying they thought “this won’t have that big of an effect for EVs in Sweden as there are so many chargers everywhere now” but added “the more [the] merrier of course!”

Tesla’s efforts not only make EV ownership more feasible and affordable but also promote a cleaner, greener future. Interested in making the switch? Check out the TCD Guide’s page on making your next car an EV to see comments from other users.

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