Latest news with #GardenStateParkway
New York Times
7 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
New Jersey Turnpike to Replace Tesla Chargers After Contract Expires
The agency that runs the New Jersey Turnpike is replacing the more than 60 superchargers for Tesla vehicles along the highway after the state did not renew its contract with the electric-car maker. New Jersey officials said in a statement on Friday that the state would shift to another company that would provide universal charging stations. The change, already underway, will almost triple the number of charging stations along the turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, a second major toll road, where chargers are being added for the first time. The decision drew an apparently irked response from the company's chief executive, Elon Musk. 'Sounds like corruption,' he wrote on his social media platform, X, on Friday night, without providing any evidence. Mr. Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Thomas Feeney, a spokesman for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which operates the highways, said that the decision was both about increasing the number of stations and providing chargers that were compatible with more than just Tesla vehicles. 'Our goal is to serve as many E.V. owners as possible across all our service areas,' he said. The state has amended its agreement with Applegreen, an Irish company that already manages restaurants and stores in the turnpike's service areas, to include its new line of fast charging stations to replace the Tesla equipment and build new stations elsewhere. In a message posted to X on Friday, Tesla said it would continue to offer its superchargers in New Jersey. 'We have been preparing for 3 years for this potential outcome by building 116 stalls off the New Jersey Turnpike, ensuring no interruption for our customers,' said the post, which included a map of the charging stations. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Fast Company
02-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Tesla Superchargers are being removed from the NJ Turnpike as state opts for third-party EV chargers
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) announced its plans last week to transition to Universal Open Access chargers for electric vehicles as soon as June 6. In preparation for the transition, the NJTA asked Tesla to remove 64 existing Tesla Superchargers from the highly trafficked thoroughfare. Applegreen Electric will provide the new third-party charges, which will be compatible with all makes and models of EVs, the NJTA said. 'The universal chargers will be available as of June 6 at the Vince Lombardi, Woodrow Wilson, Richard Stockton, James Fenimore Cooper, Joyce Kilmer, and Walt Whitman Service Areas,' the authority said in a statement. 'The Turnpike Authority is working diligently with Applegreen to get the universal chargers online soon at three other Turnpike locations.' According to the NJTA, the universal chargers are expected to be operational at the Molly Pitcher Service Area next month and Clara Barton and John Fenwick Service Areas this fall. The transition is part of a larger agreement The NJTA had previously reached an agreement with Applegreen Electric to operate service areas along the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway. An amendment to the agreement was authorized in 2023 to include the installation of EV chargers. As part of the amended agreement, Applegreen Electric will install and operate 80 EV charging ports by the end of this year and a total of 240 EV charging ports by April 2033. Blackstone-backed Applegreen Electric says it has over 600 locations across Ireland, the UK, and the United States. In the U.S., its chargers are concentrated in the Northeast. Tesla and Tesla users are not happy Tesla confirmed the news in a statement on X: 'The New Jersey Turnpike Authority ('NJTA') has chosen a sole third-party charging provider to serve the New Jersey Turnpike and is not allowing us to co-locate. As a result, NJTA requested 64 existing Supercharger stalls on the New Jersey Turnpike to not be renewed and be decommissioned.' The automotive company explained that it had spent the last three years building 116 stalls off the New Jersey Turnpike in preparation for this outcome. Tesla said it remains hopeful that NJTA or New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will reverse the decision. In response to a tweet that shared the news, Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote, 'Sounds like corruption.' Paul Kanitra, a Republican member of New Jersey's general assembly, further expressed outrage over the decision. 'I agree that these decisions by the NJTA are absolutely absurd and will be asking that it gets looked into immediately,' he posted on X. Fast Company contacted Murphy's office for comment and will update if we receive a response. Some EV drivers prefer Superchargers The reaction to the news has been mixed. In a recent article for InsideEVs, writer Suvrat Kothari discussed the news and shared his experiences using different EV charging stations along the New Jersey Turnpike. Kothari explained he has had trouble when using non-Tesla chargers.
