(Credit: PATRICK T. FALLON / Contributor / AFP via Getty Images)
In the wake of Tesla laying off its entire Supercharger team, the timeline for connecting more non-Tesla brands to the charging network has slipped.
The Tesla website says Volvo, GM, and Polestar drivers will get access to 15,000 eligible stations in spring 2024, but Polestar tells PCMag it won't happen until later this year. "The timeline has been adjusted to later this summer, but we don’t have further details to share at this time," a Polestar rep says.
Earlier today, Sanaz Marbley, director of global strategic technology communications at GM, said adapters would be "available to purchase through our GM vehicle brand apps later this year," suggesting that it too might miss a spring 2024 rollout. She later clarified that the timeline is still spring 2024. GM does not have "a specific date" for when adapters will go out, but we have about three weeks until it's officially summer.
The adapters will allow non-Tesla drivers to use Supercharger stations by converting the tip of the Supercharger charging cord from the Tesla-designed NACS port to the CCS port on other EVs. Rivian and Ford, which gained access to the Supercharger network earlier this year, are in the process of providing their drivers with adapters.
Volvo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Tesla layoffs, meanwhile, affected the entire 500-person Supercharging team. It was a puzzling move given the effort to expand access to the network. Bloomberg later reported that Tesla rehired some of the people it laid off, one of whom confirmed the move on LinkedIn.
George Bahadue, senior manager of site acquisition and business development for commercial charging at Tesla, wrote: "Charging is still one of the main blockers to EV adoption and there is much work to be done. Over the years, we have forged amazing site host relationships and I'm excited to get back to working with them to solve this."
When PCMag reached out to GM immediately after the layoffs, Marbley said the company was "continuing to monitor the situation regarding changes to the Supercharger team and the potential impacts." It appears there has been communication between Tesla and the brands since then.
All EV brands in the US were scheduled to get access to the Supercharger network by the end of this year or in 2025, though it seems that rollout could be delayed or adjusted.
Editors' Note: This story was updated with additional comments from GM.