Tesla installs first high-speed ‘supercharger’ in Korea

Tesla has set up its first rapid-charging station in Korea, the first of its planned 14 “superchargers” this year, the American electric carmaker said Thursday.

The first supercharger was built at the Grand Intercontinental Hotel in southern Seoul. The company’s Model S 90D can run 270 kilometers (168 miles) on a 30-minute charge, Tesla said in an emailed statement.

Tesla customers are currently allowed to use the supercharger free of charge, but the policy may change, it said.

Telsa plans to build 14 superchargers in major cities like Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Jeju to better serve customers in a country where the charging infrastructure remains weak. It has already built 35 slow-charging stations at hotels, department stores and office buildings and plans to add 20 by the end of June.

Superchargers are able to provide 80 percent of battery capacity for a Model S in 40 minutes, while taking 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach 100 percent. Six to eight vehicles can be charged at once at the stations.

As of Friday, Tesla has established 5,487 superchargers in 844 rapid-charging stations worldwide. It aims to double the number of superchargers this year to enhance customers’ convenience.

Tesla has built more than 9,000 low-speed charging stations at hotels, resort towns and restaurants across the world. The automaker has opened two showrooms in Korea. YONHAP