Tesla announces plans to expand Supercharger network with unexpected partner: 'That's a massive expansion'

You probably wouldn't expect to see electric vehicles charging at a gas station. However, Tesla recently announced a surprising partnership with the N1 gas station chain in Iceland to expand its Supercharger network significantly, as Electrek reported. 

With 95 locations around Iceland, N1 gas stations are convenient places to add Superchargers for people needing to charge their cars on road trips. 

According to a tweet from the official Tesla Europe & Middle East account (@teslaeurope) on X, formerly known as Twitter, Tesla plans to add 20 more charging locations at N1 stations around Iceland. 

As the post explained, this will bring the total to 29 Supercharger sites with over 200 charging stations total over the next several years across the country.

"That's a massive expansion, considering Tesla currently only operates 9 Supercharger stations in Iceland," Electrek reported, showing a map of Supercharger sites sparsely located throughout the island. 

While there are already several Tesla Destination Charging sites at hotels, shops, and tourist attractions in Iceland, these chargers require more than 12 hours for a full charge, according to J.D. Power. 

In comparison, Superchargers can charge EVs for up to 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes, making this a much faster option for drivers who want to get back on the road quickly. Designed to function much like gas stations, Superchargers are open 24/7, with locations near major roadways worldwide. 

Tesla operates over 50,000 global Superchargers, with Iceland being added to the network in 2019, as Teslarati reported. Since EVs accounted for 85% of new car sales in Iceland in the first half of 2023 and Tesla's Model Y was the best-selling car on the island, it only makes sense for Tesla to invest in more Superchargers. 

In 2022, Tesla opened several Supercharger stations to non-Tesla EVs in Iceland, according to Electrek. That's perfect timing since Iceland is offering incentives to car rental companies for upgrading their rentals to EVs, as the news outlet RÚV reported last year. 

Now, people who rent Teslas while visiting the island will have even more charging options, helping them leave range anxiety in the rearview. 

"Nice! Lots of Teslas in Iceland but not a lot of chargers. Thanks!" one X user commented on Tesla Europe's post. 

"Awesome!! We plan on renting a Tesla in Iceland soon! Keep the Supercharger deployment rolling!" another person said. 

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