Well, you don't need any apps at all - you can just turn up and use a card on fast chargers.Yeah I wish there was a universal protocol for the apps to use which all charging companies would be obliged to use (even if they also have their own apps with dedicated features).
Tesla don't make public profits just from their Supercharger network alone, but estimates suggest it remains profitable as a stand alone section of the overall business.Tesla Supercharging has been massively (and I mean massively) subsidised by the main business as a way of selling EVs.
Tesla Supercharger network grows, focus shifts from automotive
Tesla continued to increase the number of its Superchargers and connectors globally even as its automotive production and sales faltered in 2025.
Tesla said it added over 3,800 net new Supercharging stalls, finishing the year with 8,182 stations and 77,682 connectors globally, YoY increases of 17% and 19% respectively.
The 10K that Tesla filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), along with its earnings notes, states that services and other revenue increased by 19%, “primarily” due to an increase in paid Supercharging sessions, non-warranty maintenance services, collision revenue, used vehicle sales volume and automotive insurance business revenue.
Most people can understand peak and off peak, some will understand "shoulder" pricing. Most can't be bothered with trying to understand if they use Electroverse at x time until midnight it will cost y, then after midnight it will cost z. But if they use a contactless card iit will charge a connection fee, a lower rate until midnight, a higher rate after, and an idle fee if I stay for more than 4 hours. And yet another price if I use Zapmap. Then add in subscriptions which add yet another layer of complexity... It makes the whole thing seem like a shambles and is one of the major reasons I bought a Tesla and rarely venture far from the Supercharger network (once in fact for a test).With specific reference to the complexity point I think that’s just ZapMap making a hash of things. It’s pretty clear on the Char.gy website:
I don't know enough about the commercial realities, although you have explained them eloquently. It seems to Joe Average (me) that the infrastructure of a lamppost is already there, there can't be much of an upgrade required for such slow charging, and maintenance must be minimal compared to large charging hubs.And as I say a lot of the time lamppost chargers are inactive so are costing the business money rather than earning a return on investment.
I'm sure it won't either, but from I've seen on my travels, the lamppost charging bays seem to remain empty unless being used. The ones I pass are marked "Electric Vehicles Only" in a bay though. And of course most people won't be charging every night, so I wonder if people who own EVs will be more understanding about availability than ICE drivers?Depending on the detail of the installation, I wonder how many disputes there will be over kerbside charging facilities, - e.g.
will there be any restriction on IC vehicle parking by points?will residents get possessive about the point outside their property?will charger cables pose a safety hazard to the free flow of pedestrians?I'm sure it won't be trouble free.
Of course, when we get the level of charging availability of Norway, with a charger in virtually every parking bay, then we won't have any of these concerns.
Incidentally, I heard the old classic, 'EVs can never take off as we just don't have the infrastructure' at work yesterday. It's astonishing that people still believe that nonsense; even the mainstream press aren't peddling that anymore are they?
Edit: of for off
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