Tesla Motors chief Elon Musk is pushing for more uniform electric car charging. But to achieve that, Musk may have to give up some industry secrets, including the design for his Supercharger system, which debuted in September 2012.
During this week's U.K. launch of the Model S, Musk told the crowd that, despite having to share intellectual property, opening Supercharger patents will help create a standard for all electric vehicle makers, Engadget reported.
Initial Superchargers were installed in high-traffic areas across the U.S., from Vancouver to San Diego, and Los Angeles to New York. They arrived in Europe and Asia for testing last year.
The system runs on a "free for life" charging plan, which allows Model S owners to pull up to any Tesla Supercharger and juice up their battery without making a payment. All expected costs are factored into the original cost of the vehicle.
But Musk needs other EV manufacturers to adopt his business model in order to achieve uniformity. They would also have to pony up a "fair" amount of the maintenance and operational costs, though Musk promised they won't be excessive. After all, Engadget said, Supercharger locations are given to Tesla rent free.
Tesla did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.
By December, the electric car maker had installed fast-charging stations in more than a dozen U.S. states and a handful of Canadian territories. The company also boosted its charging capacity to 120 kW, promising to replenish three hours of driving in just over 20 minutes.
Two teams of Tesla employees tested the country's charging stations in February, during a road trip from LA to New York, spending 76 hours on the road, and zero dollars on gasoline. The $89,650 vehicle also promises 225-mile driving range and five hours on a single charge.
The Model S was named best overall vehicle in Consumer Reports' 2014 Top Picks list, citing its "easy-to-use" 17-inch touch-screen controls, keyless operation, full Internet access, and zero-emission driving.
For more, see 10 Thrilling Minutes in Tesla's Model S and the slideshow above.