Tesla’s plans to open its Supercharger network to accommodate other electric vehicles (EVs) is facing delays due to the unexpected layoffs within Tesla’s Supercharging team.
Originally, Tesla had announced electric vehicles (EVs) from General Motors (GM) and Polestar would gain access to over 15,000 Supercharger stalls across Canada and the United States by the spring of 2024. However, representatives from Polestar have confirmed that their access has been delayed to later this summer, with no precise dates provided, according to a report from PCMag.
Volvo, which is owned by Geely, which also owns Polestar, has not confirmed if their access has been similarly delayed.
GM, which was originally expected to gain access in February, has also confirmed a delay in the availability of their NACS adapters, which allow their EV owners to use Tesla’s Supercharger network.
This delay in timelines follows a series of layoffs that saw Tesla dismissing its entire 500-person Supercharger team in the US, as well as its team in Canada. The layoffs included two high-level executives directly involved with the charging infrastructure. However, these cuts have had a ripple effect, causing disruptions not only internally but also among partner brands waiting to gain access to the Supercharger network.
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So far, Ford and Rivian owners have officially been given access to the Supercharger network, with both automakers announcing their access prior to the layoffs.
With GM and Polestar confirming their delayed access, that means all other automakers that were in line behind will likely see similar delays. The timing of automakers gaining access to the Supercharger network will largely be based on the order in which they signed.
