Hilton announced an expanded agreement with Tesla, which will result in mass installations of Tesla Universal Wall Connectors in North America.
The company intends to deploy up to 20,000 Tesla Universal Wall Connectors, introduced last month (watch first use video), at 2,000 hotels in the United States, Canada and Mexico, to create the largest EV charging network within the hospitality industry.
Installations will begin in early 2024 with a plan to offer at least six units at each of the selected hotels.
Let's recall that the key feature of the 11.5-kilowatt charging points is that they can recharge both Tesla and non-Tesla electric vehicles. That's because besides the Tesla NACS-compatible plug, there is also a built-in J1772 adapter.
The flexibility of the new charging points is crucial for Hilton, which will be able to offer charging services for all its customers. In the longer term, all EVs will be compatible with the NACS charging standard, but until then, a universal solution is the preferred one.
Hilton notes that its network - with hotels alongside roadways and in key urban destinations across North America - is uniquely suited to provide charging access at scale for travelers on long-haul trips. Of course, we are talking about overnight charging, or at least a few hours stay, which is classified as a destination charging point.
According to the company, in 2023, "the website’s EV charging search attribute had the fastest volume of growth to-date, jumping from fourth to second highest in converting searches to stays."
The retail price of the Tesla Universal Wall Connector is $595 and shipping is expected to start in October.
Rebecca Tinucci, senior director of charging infrastructure at Tesla said: “A key priority for Tesla Charging is installing low-cost, convenient AC charging anywhere electric vehicles are parked for more than an hour or two. To ensure electric vehicle adoption at scale, our joint industry goal must be to vastly improve upon the traditional gasoline vehicle ownership experience, not just meet it. Installing infrastructure at popular destinations like Hilton hotels enables EV owners to charge where they park, meaning no unnecessary refueling stops along their journey. We applaud Hilton for their leadership in the space and look forward to continuing to ramp this critical program with other industry leaders.”
