Tesla is continuing its Chinese expansion, this time opening a Supercharging station in Chengdu, China.
Festivities were held on site at the Chengdu Yingtai Centre, where six Supercharging stations opened, according to Teslarati. Commercial real estate developer Yintai Holdings, known for its luxurious Chinese shopping malls, helped complete the deal.
This is Tesla’s breakthrough into western China. The company already has stores and Supercharging stations across northern and eastern China. This includes Beijing and Shanghai.
Globally, there are now 201 Supercharging stations in place, including 20 in Asia. North America has the most with 115, while Europe has 66. Tesla users can half-charge their vehicles in 20 minutes on 120 kW.
China is a prime market for Tesla, given its rising middle class, veracious appetite for vehicles, and environmental challenges. However, lack of charging stations has hurt potential growth. In addressing this concern, Tesla announced a month ago it would build 400 new charging points in the country to meet future demand. China’s central government is also looking to pump $16 billion in charging infrastructure.
Once China gets past the stumbling blocks of more charging stations, I would not be surprised if EV sales really take off outside of government fleets and taxis. Plug-in vehicle (PEV) sales in China rose 38% last year. This only further showcases the need for clean transportation solutions, in which Tesla can gladly provide.
Source: http://cleantechnica.com/2014/09/28/tesla-opens-supercharging-station-chengdu-china/
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