The growth of Tesla Inc.’s TSLA supercharger network slowed in the third quarter, with the company adding just 2,800 superchargers in the period compared to the more than 3,000 added in the third quarter of 2023.
The slowdown in adding new chargers has seemingly avoided locations of interest for Tesla CEO Elon Musk‘s rocket manufacturing company SpaceX.
What Happened: Tesla announced on Saturday that it opened 16 stalls in Robstown, Texas for people traveling to see the fifth test flight of Starship which occurred on Sunday from Starbase in Boca Chica. The company is also opening 8 stalls in Mathis, Texas this month, it said.
“FYI to those driving to/from the Starship launch tomorrow. Charging team is on the ball fixing congested routes,” Tesla engineer Wes Morrill wrote on social media platform X ahead of Starship’s launch.
In June, days after Starship’s fourth test flight, Tesla announced a new supercharger station in Boca Chica Boulevard with 16 stalls, possibly to cater to the tourists who arrive to witness the vehicle’s launches.
All development and manufacturing of the Starship currently takes place only at Starbase in Texas. According to data released by Cameron County officials in June, SpaceX has invested over $3 billion in infrastructure at Starbase. It has over 350 acres of land and over 222,000 square feet of manufacturing.
Supercharger Growth In Texas: According to announcements made by Tesla on social media platform X, the company has put up nearly 100 stalls in Texas in the three months till the end of September, or 3.5% of its overall Supercharger additions around the globe.
However, Texas is home not just to Starbase but also to Tesla headquarters and one of its gigafactories.
Why It Matters: Tesla announced earlier this month that it opened 2800 superchargers in the third quarter, marking a growth of 23% year-on-year, and taking the total number of Tesla supercharger connectors globally to over 62,000.
However, the supercharger network’s growth has seemingly slowed significantly since the company announced layoffs of at least 10% of its global workforce in April. The layoffs impacted 500 members of the supercharging team and Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s then Senior Director of Charging Infrastructure, left the company.
During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in June, Tesla CEO Elon Musk slammed rumors of the death of its supercharger network as “greatly exaggerated.”
“Our supercharger network is continuing to grow,” Musk then said.
Tesla will invest $500 million in expanding the network this year, the CEO said, reiterating his investment goal from May.
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