Tesla has started adding standalone screens at Superchargers in Taiwan. While the screens might seem like a bizarre addition for Tesla to make, the company has been forced to do it due to new regulations in the country, and is a strong hint that they will soon open up their Supercharger network in Taiwan to other electric vehicles (EVs).
Unlike third-party EV charging stations, Tesla Superchargers have never had any kind of screen or display on them. Instead all of the information related to the charging session, like the cost, how many energy was consumed, was presented on the in-car display, making for not only a seamless and reliable experience, but it also translated into lower costs for Tesla for not having to install and maintain a screen on their charging piles.
This all changed in the last few months with the introduction of a small credit card reader and screen in the V4 Supercharger. While that screen has been integrated into the design of the charging pile, Tesla has been forced to take a different approach with their existing Superchargers in Taiwan by adding a standalone screen.
According to a report by DDCar, the standalone screens have already been installed at at least three Supercharger stations in Taiwan. (via @hsumacher) Although Tesla has not officially commented on the new screens, it is likely they will soon be added to all Supercharger stations in Taiwan, and all of this is to comply with new regulations of the Bureau of Standards, Inspection and Quarantine of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which require a display screen so that the car owner can see how much electricity has been consumed. It is also required that the displayed charging information be accurate to the third decimal place.
Photos of the display screens show a user can select the stall number, initiate the charging session, and then be able to see how much energy has been used.
Considering the fact that Tesla owners can access all of this information through their vehicle’s main display, it stands to reason that Tesla is adding these screens to accommodate non-Tesla EV owners. The non-Tesla Supercharger pilot program started in Europe in November 2021, and has since expanded to 19 countries, and will soon include Canada. Taiwan has not yet been added to the list, but it would not be surprising to see it added in the next few days or weeks.
This isn’t the first time Tesla has been forced to make alterations to their Superchargers in Taiwan due to regulations. In 2021 the company was forced to retrofit all of the Superchargers with CCS2 plugs.
