Tesla wants to make it easy for its customers when they come to one of its Superchargers. As per a report from Electrek, Tesla EV owners have spotted Starlink satellite internet dishes at Supercharger stations. It’s unclear how many dishes there are or if they can be accessed by drivers. Tesla is yet to comment on the rollout.
There could be several explanations for Starlink broadband at Supercharger stations. At the least, it could replace existing connections that handle basics such as payments and charger status. That could help Tesla deploy Superchargers faster and in more remote areas. That’s important as the company aims to open its Supercharger network to non-Tesla EVs and triple the size of its station network.
Offering free connectivity at charging stations
However, to process a transaction that much speed (97 Mbps) isn’t required, though, it wouldn’t be surprising if Tesla used the satellite link to offer Wi-Fi to Supercharger customers. Charging an EV requires enough time to watch some TV episodes.
Users might be able to stream shows without having a Premium Connectivity subscription or using their phones as a hotspot. Network congestion could be a hurdle if the chargers are busy, but it would be convenient and potentially increase Starlink users at home.
Superchargers for non-Tesla drivers
Besides, Tesla has started offering its Supercharger network to other EV owners. Elon Musk previously promised that his company will begin the process before the end of 2021. As of now, only 10 Supercharger locations are available to non-Tesla EV drivers, and all of them are in the Netherlands.
The company said it’s starting with a limited number of sites to “review the experience, monitor congestion, and assess feedback” from both Tesla and non-Tesla drivers. The company added that it aims to expand to other countries “shortly,” but said that additional sites will only be opened “if there is available capacity.” To use a Supercharger in Netherland, non-Tesla EV drivers will have to first download the Tesla app and create an account. They will then be able to access Tesla Supercharger stations.
