But more than 12 months later, Tesla's network, with nearly 30,000 fast-charging plugs in the United States and Canada, remains largely inaccessible to most people who don't drive Teslas because of software delays and hardware shortages.
The delays have fueled speculation that Musk was having second thoughts about opening up Tesla's network, possibly because he was worried that access would help other automakers sell battery-powered models and lure customers from Tesla, which has suffered from declining sales.
Tesla eased those fears a bit Friday when the company's charging unit posted on the social platform X that it had stepped up production of a crucial piece of hardware: adapters that drivers of Ford, Rivian and other car brands need to connect to Tesla chargers.
A Tesla factory in Buffalo, New York, is producing 8,000 of the adapters per week, the company said, noting that outside suppliers are also producing the part. Still, it is unclear how fast those adapters would reach electric vehicle owners.
The slow rollout raises questions about the decision that almost all major carmakers operating in the United States made to abandon the Combined Charging System, the standard that most of them used previously, and adopt the North American Charging Standard developed by Tesla. The switch made them vulnerable to the whims of Musk, who frequently changes corporate strategy and tactics in ways that can surprise even his employees and supporters.
Tesla built the Supercharger network to encourage sales of its own vehicles. By opening up the network, Tesla can make money from drivers of other car brands, who pay per kilowatt-hour to charge. The electric car company also makes money from selling adapters to other automakers.
But Tesla risks alienating its own customers, who will lose exclusive access to the chargers.
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