Tesla has announced plans to make driving its Model S electric car more convenient for New York-area drivers who either live in or commute to Manhattan.
According to a New York Times report, the auto company is planning a partnership with about two dozen garages around town where 240-volt charging units for the vehicle would be available. Participating garages span the island from Wall Street up to 94th Street, and will include hotels like the Waldorf Astoria.
Under the plan, vehicle owners would park by the hour, day, week or month at participating garages. Over the coming months, the company says it plans to sign several dozen more locations to the network.
This initiative follows installation of charging stations along major highways as part of Tesla’s plan to offer more places for drivers to replenish their batteries. The planned chargers in Manhattan garages can add an estimated 58 miles of range per hour to enable a full charge in up to four hours. In contrast, the company’s highway superchargers can charge in about a half-hour.
Unlike Tesla’s highway superchargers, however, charging will not come free. Rather, it is up to each each garage to determine how much to add on to their parking fees for the service.
Over the last year, Tesla has been setting up chargers at resorts, parks and restaurants nationwide. But densely packed urban environments like New York City present a special challenge of time and space.
“We wanted to move to an urban charging network that meets the needs of those who live in apartments or commute into a big city,” Alexis Georgeson, a Tesla spokeswoman, told The Times. “Naturally, Manhattan was the place to try this for the first time.”
➤ Tesla Drivers Will Soon Find More Charging Stations in Manhattan [The New York Times]
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