Daimler has joined German supplier Robert Bosch in questioning Tesla’s decision to build a network of so-called “supercharger” stations in Germany that only cater to the U.S. electric carmaker’s vehicles.
“The future of an electric charging infrastructure lies in standardization. As with gas stations, we need a charging system for all manufacturers, not least because it reduces the cost of the infrastructure, but it is also more convenient for customers,” Thomas Weber, Daimler’s R&D chief was quoted recently.
In January, Tesla and German train operator Deutsche Bahn opened four charging stations between Munich in southern Germany and Cologne in the northeast of the country, enabling Tesla drivers to fast charge their batteries in about 30 minutes. The stations are part of network of 14 Tesla charging points across Europe. Tesla says its Model S has a range of 500km, but the car’s appeal with customers has been hurt by Europe’s limited charging infrastructure.
Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner remarked that it wouldn’t make economic sense if every carmaker pursued its own charging system, adding that “the technology exists for a Europe wide charging network, we just need to want to implement it.”
