Tesla Providing Free Wall Chargers, Invites More Model 3 Reservation Holders To Order Their Cars

Tesla has kicked off a new program designed to expand the number of places its owners can charge their vehicles. High on the list are employers and residential property owners. As Tesla prepares for selling lots more cars, it wants to make sure owners have more places where they can plug them in. Charging at work is one priority, but so is getting chargers installed at condo and apartment buildings — places where getting access to a charger has been a problem up to now.

Fortune reports the chargers will be free to qualified applicants. It will work closely with electricians and installers to insure the chargers are connected properly to the power supply. Those companies and building owners who want to apply for a free charger can submit their request online. Prior to approval, detailed plans must be filed with the company by the electrician who will do the installation.

On the Tesla website the company says, “From small businesses to entire campuses, Tesla provides an easy way to install convenient charging for your employees.” It also specifically appeals to residential building owners. “As a developer or property manager, you can install Tesla charging as a basic amenity. We will consult your team on the best overnight charging solution for your current or future residents.”

Once an application is approved, the company will supply all the technical support necessary to complete the installation, including training an electrician in the proper procedures for installing multiple chargers. The chargers themselves are the same 220 volt units individual Tesla owners now install at their homes. The company will refer the applicant to a qualified electrician if requested. It will also train interested professionals who want to become certified Tesla charger installers. Videos and installation manuals are available on Tesla’s website in a multitude of languages.

The free chargers work only with Tesla vehicles and the new charger locations will not appear on any public charging maps. The chargers are not intended for use by people who happen to be travelling in the area.

Tesla Model 3 News

Tesla hasn’t said how much it plans to spend on the program above, but it is clearly interested in making sure there are enough chargers available for all the new customers it expects as production of the Model 3 ramps up. Mercury News reports that some Model 3 reservation holders who are not Tesla employees or existing Tesla owners have now been invited to configure their cars for production. The notices say the cars should be delivered in about 4 weeks after the ordering process is completed, providing they choose the high-end, long-range Model 3.

That suggests more Model 3s will soon be on the road, but Tesla continues to keep its production numbers a tightly guarded secret. We won’t know for sure how the production ramp is progressing until the company announces its production numbers at the beginning of the second quarter. Expect that announcement sometime in the first week of April.