Porsche is planning a Supercharger-like network of fast-charging stations at dealerships and highway locations across the US. There will be at least 500 by the end of 2019 according to Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Porsche Cars North America, speaking to Automotive News.
The timing coincides with the launch of its Mission E electric vehicle that is scheduled for 2019, followed by a crossover EV in 2020 (shown above).
“If you want to buy that car, you want to know what happens if I go skiing and go further than 300 miles,” Zellmer told Automotive News. “What do I do? So we need to have answers for that.”
According to the report, Porsche is considering requiring payment for the use of the chargers not at dealerships — it’s up to the independent dealership if they require payment for use of the chargers. If this plan follows Tesla’s pricing, drivers can expect to pay slightly different rates in different states. Tesla charges a flat rate $0.26 per kWh in California, while in Michigan the cost is $0.24 per minute above 60 kW and $0.12 per minute at or below 60 kW.
Porsche will not pay to have the chargers installed at its U.S.-based dealerships. It will be up to the dealerships to decide if they want to cover the cost of installing the chargers.
Porsche is right and is following Tesla’s proven example. EV owners need places to recharge their vehicles and automakers have stepped up to build the infrastructure in the place of third-party companies.