Tesla Supercharger stations to get virtual queues
Arguments over who should charge their car next could be a thing of the past
One of the bugbears still surrounding EV motoring is charging and specifically waiting times. But Tesla is looking to tackle this issue by piloting ‘virtual queues’ at its Superchargers.
Set to start in the spring, Tesla hasn’t announced where the virtual queuing system would be tested, just stating ‘selected sites’ at this stage. The American company did confirm it would implement a ‘wider rollout this year if feedback is positive’.
Details on how the virtual queuing system will work haven’t been announced yet either, although we expect it to be integrated into the Tesla app or in-car system. It should make a note of drivers as they enter the station, which will hopefully avoid any arguments about who’s next in line to charge. The brand has said that less than one per cent of its Supercharger users experience a wait time.
Supercharger stations have been open to non-Tesla EVs (as long as they have a CCS-type port) for almost three years now, and we’re doubtful if this new scheme will be open to those vehicles.
Tesla’s founder and CEO, Elon Musk, reportedly fired the entire Tesla Supercharger team last year in a move to deal with competition from rivals. The company’s Supercharger roll out is still planned to expand by 20 per cent year-on-year. Last year there were 60,000 Superchargers globally, with 1,400 of those in the UK.
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