Tesla Is Now Powering One of Its Biggest Charging Rivals

EVgo has installed the first Tesla Supercharger stalls on its own network, marking a significant shift in the US electric vehicle charging landscape. The new 12-stall station in Chicago begins an expansion plan that will see hundreds more Tesla-powered stalls deployed across the country.

What Happened

The newly opened Chicago station utilizes Tesla’s V4 Supercharging cabinets, which offer charging speeds up to 500 kW. These stalls are equipped with Tesla's Magic Dock connector, allowing them to serve both vehicles with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) port and those using the Combined Charging System (CCS). This infrastructure is part of a partnership with real estate developer Regency Centers, which owns the grocery stores and shopping outlet centers where the first batch of Tesla-powered EVgo stations will be built. Illinois was selected as the starting point for this initiative due to a 60% growth in EV registrations over the past two years.

Why It Matters

This move underscores Tesla's evolving role as a brand-agnostic technology provider following the industry-wide adoption of NACS. While other manufacturers have integrated NACS ports into their charging cabinets, Tesla's hardware is widely recognized for its reliability, with Tesla claiming 99% uptime. In a recent survey, EVgo ranked second in reliability behind Tesla; integrating Tesla's Supercharging cabinets is expected to further bolster EVgo's reputation. Additionally, these new stations will appear in Tesla’s in-car navigation system, allowing Tesla drivers to locate and charge at EVgo sites as easily as they would at traditional Tesla Superchargers, provided the "third-party charging" option is enabled.

The Bottom Line

EVgo aims to add at least one NACS port to every charging station built after 2023 within the next two years. The company reports it is already on track to reach 500 NACS-enabled charging stations nationwide, independent of the Supercharging network. This expansion reflects the broader industry transition toward NACS and highlights the increasing interoperability between former competitors.