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Tesla’s CCS Supercharger expansion ramps with dual-charge stall sightings in Europe

(Photo: Klaus Schäfer/Facebook)

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Tesla is yet to start deliveries of the Model 3 in Europe, but the electric car maker is already making the necessary preparations for the vehicle’s upcoming arrival. Across the region, for example, Tesla is expanding its CCS Supercharger Network, which is specifically designed to support the Model 3. Several members of the Tesla community across Europe have shared images of the dual charge stations being installed in multiple locations as well, further suggesting that Tesla’s CCS Supercharger ramp is well underway.

As noted by Tesla in a previous statement, the first dual charge CCS charging stalls were set up in the Badhoevedorp Supercharger near the Corendon Village Hotel, just outside Amsterdam last month. Tesla installed eight additional stalls on the site, each one equipped with both a Type 2 and CCS plug. The electric car maker noted that the CCS stalls are compatible with the Model S, 3, and X, though images of the chargers themselves list the stations as “Model 3 Priority.” Tesla further noted that the existing Supercharger Network in Europe would be retrofitted with the dual charge setup in the near future.

In true Tesla fashion, Tesla has not let up on its efforts to expand its CCS Superchargers in the region. Earlier this month, images of the first CCS-compatible Supercharger stall from Norway was shared on Reddit. Tesla owner enthusiast and longtime YouTube host Bjorn Nyland even featured the newly installed dual charge stations in one of his videos. In social media platforms, Tesla owners from Germany have also reported sightings of the newly-updated Superchargers being set up — an indication that Tesla is preparing for a massive influx of Model 3 in the region.

A dual charge CCS Supercharger listed as “Model 3 Priority” is spotted in Germany. (Photo: Klaus Schäfer/Facebook)

Unlike the Model S and Model X — both of which are fitted with a Type 2 port — the Model 3 is equipped with a CCS port. The company’s adoption of CCS stands as a significant step forward for the electric car maker, considering that the standard is prevalent in the region, being preferred by notable European automakers such as Volkswagen, BMW, and the Daimler group. CCS combines a Type 2 design, which is utilized for slower AC charging at home or work, as well as two DC pins at the bottom for fast charging. By adopting CCS for the Model 3, Tesla is all but laying the foundations for a massive charging infrastructure that employs one of the most popular standards in the region.

This, of course, presents some advantages for the electric car maker. Considering the wide reach of the Supercharger Network, Tesla could open the doors to its charging infrastructure to other automakers, providing itself with a potentially lucrative source of revenue. This was something that was referenced by Tesla Head of Global Charging Infrastructure Drew Bennett in an interview with Auto Express UK, when he noted that several electric car companies have already reached out to Tesla about the idea of using the Supercharger Network.

“We’re definitely open to talking to other car manufacturers who want to have access to the network. Capacity is a driver for our investment; it’s new routes, new markets and then capacity. A lot of car makers have spoken to us about it, but we haven’t had any conclusive discussions on it. They’re still trying to figure out what they would need in a network, but we’re a couple of years ahead of them in terms of embracing the investment required to transition to EVs,” he said.

As Tesla’s CCS Supercharger ramp continues, thousands of Model 3 are already being shipped to Europe from the United States. Local news reports suggest that Tesla is aiming to ship 3,000 of the vehicles every week for the region. For now, though, there is practically nothing that could stand in the way of the Model 3’s eventual saturation of the European market, especially considering that regulators recently granted homologation approval for the electric sedan.

Watch Bjorn Nyland’s video on Tesla’s CCS Superchargers in the video below.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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SpaceX achieves incredible milestone with Starlink program

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX has achieved an incredible milestone by launching its 11,000th Starlink satellite into orbit.

This accomplishment occurred during the Starlink Group 17-50 mission, which lifted off on August 19 at 04:01 UTC from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

A Falcon 9 rocket carried 24 Starlink V2 Mini satellites on this flight, successfully deploying them into low Earth orbit approximately one hour after liftoff. The first stage booster, identified as B1097 on its twelfth flight, landed successfully on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean.

According to tracking data compiled around that date, this deployment brought the total number of Starlink satellites in orbit to just over 11,000.

The Starlink program began with test satellites known as Tintin A and B, launched on February 22, 2018. The first operational batch of 60 Starlink satellites followed on May 24, 2019, when a Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral. Those initial satellites marked the start of a rapid expansion that has continued for more than seven years.

SpaceX has conducted hundreds of dedicated Starlink missions since then, routinely launching batches of 20 to 30 satellites at a time using reusable Falcon 9 rockets. By mid-2026, the company had already surpassed 12,000 total satellites launched across all versions, with continuous replacements for units that deorbit as designed to manage space debris.

Looking ahead, SpaceX continues to expand the Starlink constellation to enhance global broadband coverage, capacity, and speed. The network already serves millions of users across more than 160 countries and supports applications ranging from residential internet to maritime, aviation, and emergency services.

Future plans center on next-generation hardware, including larger V3 satellites capable of delivering substantially higher throughput, which require the increased payload capacity of the Starship vehicle currently under development and testing.

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In July, SpaceX submitted an application to the Federal Communications Commission seeking authority for a Gen3 constellation of up to 100,000 satellites. These spacecraft would operate in very low Earth orbit shells at altitudes near 325 kilometers and 475 kilometers. The filing requests use of existing Ku, Ka, V, and E band spectrum along with new greenfield W and D band frequencies between 92 and 275 GHz.

SpaceX states that the expanded system aims to deliver multi-gigabit symmetrical broadband to consumers, enterprises, governments, and billions of AI-powered devices worldwide while handling a majority of global internet traffic. Approval and subsequent deployment would depend on regulatory review and the operational readiness of Starship for high-volume launches.

This ambitious scale reflects SpaceX’s ongoing commitment to providing ubiquitous high-speed connectivity from space.

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Tesla is opening Cybercab rides to a select few

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has opened a new sweepstakes to allow the public to be among the first to take an initial ride in a Cybercab. This all-electric, steering-wheel-less, pedal-less vehicle is the centerpiece of the company’s autonomous ride-hailing platform, Robotaxi.

There are two ways Tesla fans can get to Austin to take part in the first public rides of the Cybercab: by riding on the Robotaxi platform by August 23, or by mailing a very specific entry to their Headquarters at Gigafactory Texas.

Tesla announced the latter portion of the sweepstakes last night:

Tesla will give one entry into the sweepstakes if you mail a 3″ by 5″ piece of paper with your full name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, and date of birth to their address:

Tesla, Robotaxi Sweeps Event

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1 Tesla Road,

Austin, TX 78725

There is a limit of one entry per stamped envelope. You can send as many as you’d like, but they must be in separate envelopes.

The company’s unique strategy to give people the opportunity to ride in a Cybercab before pretty much anyone else outside of the company is a hilarious but spot-on representation of how Tesla operates. In classic fashion, they had the perfect response to the event:

Cybercab will launch later this month, it appears, especially as it plans to announce the winners of the sweepstakes on August 25. The car has already been operating internally, as employees have been able to utilize the Cybercab for rides in some capacity, something it announced earlier this month.

Tesla weirdly confirms Cybercab employee rides, a huge milestone

Moving forward, the big goal is to get Cybercab out on the roads and integrated into the public Robotaxi fleet, one that will pick up real-world ride-hailers and give them a ride from Point A to Point B.

No matter which way you cut it, it appears Tesla is close to putting a vehicle with no steering wheel and no pedals on the road to help people travel autonomously.

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You can ride along with us in our first Cybercab ride from the We, Robot event in October 2024. The video is embedded below:

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Tesla reveals plans for Robotaxi charging hub in Austin

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla has revealed plans through permit submissions for a massive Robotaxi charging hub in Austin, Texas.

Tesla plans to build the Supercharger hub in multiple phases, with the second phase potentially introducing wireless induction charging, something the company has been developing for the Robotaxi fleet.

Initially, 48 Tesla Robotaxi-geared Superchargers will be built on a lot just across from the St. Elmo, Texas, Service Center. There are about 80 additional spots that will not be impacted by phase 1 of the construction process.

Filings show that the second phase of the project will turn those 80 additional spots into wireless charging for Robotaxi, but it might be an error. The Key Notes state that item 3 is listed as “V4 Charging Cabinet to Support 80 Wireless Chargers in Phase 2. However, the drawings point to V3 Cabinets that are already tied to Superchargers:

There are roughly 128 total spots in the lot, but it is unclear if they will all be used for charging based on what appears to be some sort of typo in the blueprint.

This is among the first Robotaxi charging hubs Tesla has started to develop, as it currently has four others planned throughout various areas: one in Phoenix, one in San Antonio, another in Irving, which will serve the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and another in Las Vegas.

These projects are necessary as Tesla expands its Robotaxi program. Now that preparations have started for the public launch of Cybercab, Robotaxi will likely be expanding aggressively, especially over the next two to three years.

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Last night, The Information reported that Tesla was planning to launch Cybercab as soon as the end of August. Hours later, Tesla then announced it was launching a competition for fans to potentially ride in Cybercab during its first public rides.

Tesla Cybercab launch preparations have begun

Tesla’s plan to expand its charging infrastructure in the regions where Robotaxi will initially operate is great preparation for the expanding service. There is still a lot to do, including launching the Cybercab on time.

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