Managers at electric automaker Tesla Inc on Thursday demonstrated new supercharger equipment on a Berlin research campus, saying they were looking at more target cities to attract possible buyers worried about access to charging.
“Now, as part of our commitment to make Tesla ownership easy and convenient for everyone including those without immediate access to home or workplace charging, we are expanding out supercharging network into city centers,” said Jeroen van Tilburg, manager Europe of charging infrastructure at the automaker.
A company spokesman informed reporters the automaker would open at least one more inner-city fast-charging site located in Germany in 2020, possibly more.
He stressed that the automaker still believed in the slow workplace and residential charging as the main way to charge vehicles but wanted to provide a quicker option.
The so-called V3 charger enables Tesla Model 3 cars to charge under five minutes enough to travel 120 kilometres (75 miles).
Older Tesla models would get relevant software upgrades.
German policymakers aim to increase the demand for electric cars to cut emissions.
“We have a lot to make up for in terms of charging infrastructure,” said Germany’s Economy Minister Peter Altmaier during the event.
He reiterated pledges to accelerate the roll-out of public charging points and allows private charging which had hindered sales in the past.
The recent legislation for a green-led recovery after the coronavirus crisis offers buyers incentives and helps bump up power grids.
Tesla has chosen a site near Berlin for a new factory which is to start operating next year.
Separately to the event, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper noted on Thursday that the factory had the potential to generate 40,000 jobs, citing the economy minister of Brandenburg state.
