Europe’s Volvo EVs will be Tesla Supercharger compatible from the end of this year
Volvo has confirmed that its European range of EVs will be compatible with the continent’s 20,000-strong Tesla Supercharger network spread across 29 countries, starting from the fourth quarter of this year.
Widely considered to be the best public charging network with charging speeds of up to 350kW, the Tesla Supercharger sites are highly praised for their reliability and ease of use. Should any EV be compatible with the network, the driver simply has to plug it in using the charging cable and allow it to charge.
The Tesla Supercharger-ready Volvo models are the EX30 crossover, the EX40 and EX40 cousins, the new EX60, the full-sized EX90 SUV, and the ES90 saloon. In the United States, these cars are already compatible with the Supercharger, albeit via the Volvo app.
According to Alejandro Castro Perez, Volvo Cars’ energy chief, the Swedish manufacturer has allowed for Supercharger compatibility as a way of making EV charging easier, and helping usher in a more unified approach to public charging.
“Volvo drivers already have access to over three million charging points globally through the Volvo app,” he said. “Adding Tesla Superchargers in Europe means they now have even easier access to one of the most recognised fast charging networks.
“As we accelerate towards full electrification, our goal is to make charging simple and effortless, through a seamless ecosystem.”
Volvo’s latest electric-only model, the EX60, rides on Gothenburg’s latest 800V SPA3 platform, which has charging speeds of up to 400kW. This means it can onboard 200 miles of range in 10 minutes using the right charger. The EX60 also has a range of up to 503 miles, making it longest-range EV on sale in Europe at present.
Despite running on a heavily revised version of Volvo’s previous-generation 400V SPA2 platform, the ES90 and EX90 run the EX60 close when it comes to miles. The former can manage 435 miles on a single charge, while the latter achieves 380.
In September last year, Tesla introduced a handful of new V4 chargers across four sites in the US. Each boasts charging speeds of up to 500kW. Despite the increase in numbers, they still lag behind BYD’s upcoming ‘Flash’ chargers, which promise up to 1,500kW of charging power.
