Tesla has agreed to make part of its extensive charging network available to drivers of other brands, the White House said Wednesday.
Driving the news: The company will make at least 7,500 chargers nationwide available by the end of next year, per a White House summary.
- At least 3,500 new and existing open-access chargers will be on highway corridors to "expand freedom of travel for all EVs."
- Others will be at spots like "hotels and restaurants in urban and rural locations."
Why it matters: The move by the country's dominant EV player will help expand what remains limited national access to public charging.
- Drivers' confidence they can find charging is important for speeding up the transition to EVs, which remain a small but growing share of sales.
The intrigue: Tesla's agreement follows "intense lobbying from the Biden administration," the Washington Post reports.
- "The upgrades will allow Tesla to qualify for federal dollars" under the administration’s plans to help the country have a national network of 500,000 chargers by 2030, per Politico.
Zoom in: The chargers Tesla will open up to other brands include supercharger stations near highways and other locations such as hotels and restaurants.
- The company will more than double its network of superchargers, which are manufactured in Buffalo, New York.
Catch up fast: The news came in a wider set of White House announcements about efforts to boost charging.
- They include final Transportation Department standards for chargers built using billions of federal dollars made available under the bipartisan infrastructure law.
Go deeper: The electric car revolution hinges on equitable, affordable charging
Editor's note: This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
