Tesla To Triple Supercharger Network: LA to NY by Year End
Tesla Motors is tripling the size of its supercharger EV stations in a major expansion of the company's re-charging network in the U.S.
The move means Tesla will go from 9 supercharging stations to 27 stations by the end of June.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the expansion while being interviewed at the D11 conference Wednesday night. A formal announcement and more details, including a map of new supercharger locations will be made Thursday afternoon.
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LA to New York By Year End
For Musk, adding more charging stations will help quiet critics who have said Tesla, and other electric vehicles, are not practical for long trips because of the lack of places to re-charge the car batteries during a long trip.
Now, Musk says Tesla owners will be able to drive from L.A. to New York by year end using supercharger stations. The company has long said that it hopes to have 100 super charger stations across the U.S. By 2014.
Currently, there are 6 Tesla re-charging stations in California and 2 on the east coast in Delaware and Connecticut.
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30 minutes for 150 miles.
How practical is driving Tesla's Model S for an extended drive? It depends on how far you are going and how much time you have to re-charge your car batteries.
A 30 minutes charge will give Model S batteries enough juice to go approximately 150 miles.
Fully charged, a Model S with the largest battery can go up to 265 miles.
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The more stations Tesla adds to its supercharger network the more it will help reduce "range anxiety", the feeling they will not have enough power to reach their destination or the next re-charging station.
Range anxiety has long been a major drawback for electric vehicles. Tesla's expansion of the Supercharger network could potentially bring in a new group of customers.—By CNBC's Phil LeBeau. Follow him on Twitter @LeBeauCarNews
Questions? Comments? BehindTheWheel@cnbc.com
Correction: An earlier version of this story should have cited Tesla's Model S automobile.
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