Tesla recently announced they had placed their 40,000th Tesla Supercharger, making them the world’s most extensive DC fast charging network. But where will the company expand to next?
Like all other companies currently producing electric vehicles, Tesla has always faced the issue of offering charging to its buyers. Even today, with Tesla’s supercharging network being as extensive as it is, it is nowhere near the scale of gas stations available to ICE vehicles. Ultimately, this leads to a poorer ownership experience for EV drivers. Looking globally, there are a few areas where Tesla may want to expand first.
40k Superchargers around the world — and counting pic.twitter.com/w6tShTkwPA
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) November 22, 2022
First, it is essential to recognize that the Supercharger network has requests for new charging locations everywhere, and it will likely be working on expanding its network for years to come. The best thing that Tesla can do is intelligently place upcoming chargers. Below are just some of the challenges and opportunities that Tesla may find helpful in the near future as the Supercharger network grows.
North America –
Tesla has a massive presence in the North American market, particularly in the United States, and one of the primary reasons for the company’s success has been its extensive Supercharger network. But even here, Tesla will need to expand as more and more people switch to Tesla products by the day.
Foremost is the concern about city/urban charging. Because most people don’t have access to charging at their homes in dense urban areas, they are forced to use Supercharging locations. And while Tesla has already focused on making charging available in these communities, the daily lines for charging and the enraged Twitter posts indicate that more will be needed as soon as possible.
At the same time, ensuring that charging is located in rural areas is another concern. People in these communities have the opposite problem as those who are in the cities. While they can often easily charge at home, they lack access even to Tesla destination charging near them, effectively forcing them to drive far out of their way to charge their vehicles quickly.
Finally, while the United States and Canada have been serviced fairly well in terms of Tesla charging, Mexico lags years behind in terms of development. Despite having a multiple times bigger population than Canada, Tesla Superchargers are exceedingly rare outside of Mexico City. Hopefully, by introducing more charging infrastructure to the country, Mexico can also grow the demand for electric vehicles.
Europe –
While North America and China have seen dramatic growth in Supercharging locations, Europe has seen more conservative growth, mirroring the demand for Tesla products on the continent. And while Europeans have a wealth of options for electric vehicles (certainly more than in the United States), Tesla should consider an expansion of charging in Europe as a form of leverage to entice buyers away from other brands from Stellantis, Volkswagen Group, and Renault Group.
The three major markets on the continent, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, are likely on the top of the list for Tesla. The company entered these countries first as they came to the European market, yet with exponential demand for their products, they will be pushed by consumers to construct more chargers here first.
At the same time, countries that Tesla has only recently expanded to, including Spain, Italy, and Portugal, will be looking for more charging. And without Tesla’s support in developing that infrastructure, Tesla risks losing customers to competitors who can offer a better charging experience on CCS.
Asia –
The Asian market is far more bifurcated than any other market. The American EV giant has correctly seized on the demand for electric vehicles in China, the world’s biggest car market. And from their investment, they have become the largest western EV brand in the country. However, other significant markets, including Japan, South Korea, and much of South East Asia, remain lacking both Tesla Supercharging locations and demand for electric vehicles generally.
Expansion in China will likely be an ongoing process. A country with over 1 billion people will always have problems with supply. And perhaps this is great news for Tesla as they have an excellent opportunity to grow their market share in the blossoming economy.
Simultaneously, Japan has a similarly fledgling demand for electric vehicles. Despite the country’s reluctance to accept the technology, sales have steadily grown as consumers have become more comfortable with the option. As the third largest economy and one that hasn’t entirely accepted electric vehicles into the norm yet, Tesla should see the island nation as an untouched source of fresh customers.
Overall, Tesla finds itself in a target-rich environment. Any supercharger they place will certainly be helpful for someone. We can only hope that as charging becomes a more profitable venture, Tesla will be more incentivized to place more DC fast chargers and ensure more charging availability for everyone.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the company will extend Cybertruck production slightly to handle its extensive order backlog.
On Wednesday, Musk announced that “In order to work through more of the Cybertruck order backlog, production will be extended through the end of summer 2027.”
In order to work through more of the Cybertruck order backlog, production will be extended through the end of summer 2027
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 11, 2026
Tesla has already attempted to simplify its last months of production for the Cybertruck by eliminating several trim levels and only offering the Cyberbeast, the most expensive trim that starts at $109,990. The other two trim levels, the Cybertruck All-Wheel-Drive and Premium All-Wheel-Drive have both been discontinued.
There has been plenty of backlash against Tesla’s decision to ax the Cybertruck, but the company’s forecast prioritizes Cybercab and autonomy. Factory space at Gigafactory Texas that is not necessary is now being set aside for the Cybercab as the company truly embraces its “transportation-as-a-service” model.
There is still a slim chance the Cybertruck survives. Last evening, Tesla upfitter Unplugged Performance offered to take the Cybertruck line off of Tesla’s hands and continue building it, along with a CyberSUV.
Nevertheless, Tesla seems to be ending the Cybertruck on its terms after what will be a three-and-a-half-year run. It still does not really feel quite real; I think many of us thought the Cybertruck would be around for years to come.
Musk added more detail, stating that while it was not the smartest move, “there must be some room in this world for sentimentality or what’s the point?”
This is not the smartest move from a profit-maximizing standpoint btw, but there must be some room in this world for sentimentality or what’s the point?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 11, 2026
Other EV pickups on the market have experienced a similar fate.
The Ford F-150 Lightning was axed by the Detroit company due to the continued losses the company took from sales. That truck was never profitable, and Ford is still taking a quarterly loss in its EV side. However, things are moving along as it has plans for a mass market EV pickup, which will likely gather some substantial demand if Ford can get it just right.
Perhaps another extension or even a total change of heart might come. Only Musk knows.
In a sudden and closely watched milestone, Tesla Robotaxi has edged past Waymo on the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles automated vehicle registry. As of November 10, Tesla lists 1,302 registered vehicles under Tesla Robotaxi, LLC, compared with Waymo’s 1,297.
The flip is narrow, but real, according to the State’s books. Tesla’s Texas fleet, following an expansion on November 10, now consists of 729 Model Ys and 573 purpose-built Cybercab vehicles. Waymo’s roster is dominated by the Jaguar I-PACE and a growing number of Zeekr-based Ojai minivans.
NEW: Tesla Robotaxi just added 20 Tesla Model Ys to its fleet. The Texas fleet now stands at 1302 vehicles.
Live tracker: https://t.co/ri0WMLRhCQ
Tracker powered by @EVject
— Texas Autonomous Vehicle Tracker (@texasavtracker) November 10, 2026
Those figures come from the same public TxDMV automated vehicle listings that independent trackers have monitored since a Texas law required operators to disclose fleet sizes.
The scale of Tesla’s climb is pretty interesting and shows how much the company has grown its autonomous ride-hailing fleet over the past months. When the registry first became public in late May 2026, Tesla listed just 42 vehicles on it. Meanwhile, Waymo had several hundred vehicles registered to it.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk shades Waymo: ‘Never really had a chance’
Since then, Tesla has multiplied its authorized Texas fleet more than thirty times, driven by repeated Model Y additions and a steady build of Cybercabs. Waymo has also expanded, but at a slower pace than Tesla.
It is also important to note that registrations are not necessarily equal to operational fleet. The TxDMV list shows the number of vehicles each company is permitted to run, but it does not report how many are actively carrying riders, which cities they serve, or trip volume. Both companies stage vehicles and run mixed fleets that can include units in testing or temporarily offline.
A lead on the registry therefore signals capacity and regulatory positioning more than immediate ride volume.
Tesla has use the growing authorized fleet to expand its unsupervised service beyond the original Austin geofence area, as now it is flowing into cities like San Antonio and Dallas. The company has highlighted plans for a broader Cybercab deployment, eventually into new states and territories.
Waymo is operating across multiple Texas markets and in other areas of the United States.
Right now, the five-vehicle margin is thin and could reverse with the next large registration from either side. For the moment, however, the public Texas record shows Tesla holding the larger authorized Robotaxi fleet in the state.
Elon Musk
SpaceX just cleared a key FCC hurdle in its fight with Verizon and AT&T
The FCC accepted SpaceX’s bid for Grain’s 800 MHz spectrum, opening review for Starlink Mobile.
The Federal Communications Commission has formally opened its review of SpaceX’s plan to buy a nationwide block of 800 MHz spectrum from Grain Management, moving Starlink Mobile one step closer to operating as a full U.S. wireless carrier.
In a public notice issued Tuesday, the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau said it accepted for filing the applications to transfer control of two Grain license companies, Prism License Co. 1 and Prism License Co. 2, to Starlink Spectrum Holdings, a wholly owned SpaceX subsidiary. The deal covers 546 paired licenses across 3,224 counties, reaching roughly 100% of the U.S. population in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The proceeding sits under WT Docket No. 26-313.
Acceptance is not approval. It means the applications cleared an initial review and the public comment window is now open. Comments and petitions to deny are due December 1, and oppositions are due December 8. The bureau also said the conditions attached to Grain’s July purchase of the licenses from T-Mobile, which require rapid buildout for terrestrial and direct to device service, would carry over to SpaceX if the transfer is approved.
SpaceX announced the agreement on October 8, saying the new airwaves would let Starlink Mobile’s signal reach phones inside buildings, something its 2 GHz spectrum from EchoStar cannot do as well. The portfolio includes up to 14 MHz of paired spectrum in the 817 to 824 MHz and 862 to 869 MHz bands, which most existing phones already support. Elon Musk called it “the last critical piece of the spectrum puzzle needed for SpaceX to provide complete phone coverage in America.”
According to the filing, SpaceX would hold up to 89 MHz of total spectrum in any given market after the deal closes, including up to 14 MHz below 1 GHz. That is far under the 385 MHz threshold the FCC uses to flag a transaction for closer competitive scrutiny, and well short of the roughly 300 MHz each of AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile holds.
Tuesday’s notice does not decide how SpaceX can use the spectrum from orbit. A separate application SpaceX filed on October 27 seeking authority to provide supplemental coverage from space on the same frequencies, along with related waiver requests, is still pending before the commission.
The ground network is already taking shape. Last week, SpaceX picked Qualcomm to supply radios, baseband units and software for a nationwide 5G build, with deployment across tens of thousands of U.S. cell sites starting in 2027. The FCC also voted on October 29 to advance a proposal opening another 482 MHz to direct to device service, though AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile hacritive pushed to strip nearly 300 MHz from it. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell has said service on SpaceX’s own airwaves is targeted for early 2028.
Tesla extends Cybertruck production as Musk concedes ‘sentimentality’
Tesla overtakes Waymo in Texas as Robotaxi fleet performs shock flip
