Tesla gets more ambitious with Superchargers as it prepares to start charging fees

As Tesla Inc. prepares to charge drivers of its electric cars for some usage of its network of "Superchargers," the company is increasing its goals for building out the network of charging equipment. In a blog post Monday, Tesla said it plans to double the number of Superchargers available worldwide this year, with North America seeing a 150% increase. That goal is more ambitious than the one set forth in February's quarterly-earnings report, when Tesla said it planned to double the number of Superchargers in North America. The announcement comes after Tesla said customers who purchase Tesla's top-of-the-line offerings, the Model S and Model X, after Jan. 15 receive free annual credits of 400 KwH, which adds up to about 1,000 miles of driving, and will have to pay a varying fee after that. Cars purchased before this year will still enjoy unlimited Supercharger usage, but Tesla has not said what it will offer with the Model 3, the lower-priced electric sedan it expects to begin manufacturing this year. Tesla stock has been trading at record highs this year, gaining more than 20% in the past three months as the S&P 500 index has increased 3%. Shares were trading 0.8% higher in Monday afternoon trading, with prices around $308 a share.

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