Tesla (TSLA) has launched an “accordion-style” pre-assembled Supercharger station, aiming to reduce installation costs and speed up deployment in response to BYD’s rapid catch-up in the fast-charging pile sector. Meanwhile, with the Roadster launch imminent, options market volatility is at a low, and multiple catalysts are approaching.
Tesla recently showcased a video of its first “accordion-style” Supercharger station being put into operation. The station is essentially a pre-assembled charging unit that can transport 16 charging piles with a single semi-truck, with installation costs 20% lower than traditional charging stations. The entire unit is foldable and can be put into immediate use without technicians, specifically designed for sites that cannot accommodate behind-the-curb installation, eliminating tedious work such as trenching, pipe laying, and permitting, and opening up areas such as urban and retail parking lots that were previously difficult to build in. A post from Tesla’s charging account stated that the goal is to pre-assemble all Supercharger stations at the factory, and if behind-the-curb installation is not possible, the pre-assembled solution can install charging stations between parking spaces.
This is not Tesla’s first attempt at a similar system. In 2022, Tesla bragged about building a complete Supercharger station in just eight days; in 2024, it shortened the time from delivery to going live to four days, saving 15% on deployment costs. However, this prompted Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk to fire the entire Supercharger team. Since then, Tesla’s Supercharger station construction has not gone so smoothly. Before the team was disbanded, Tesla’s Supercharger network had been growing at an annual rate of more than 35%, while today’s annual growth rate is still only about half of that in 2024.
Tesla’s accelerated Supercharger station deployment is a big deal, because it has long been a competitive advantage, directly eliminating range anxiety and making long-distance electric vehicle travel more practical. BYD, after launching in March this year, took only five months to install 10,000 1,500-kilowatt “flash charging” stations by the end of August, covering more than 320 cities in China, and hopes to double that number by the end of this year. Calculating two charging points per flash charging station, BYD alone will build about 40,000 charging points this year, roughly equivalent to half of Tesla’s global number of charging piles. In addition, the electrical power of these BYD charging stations is about three times that of Tesla’s V4 charging cabinets, which peak at 500 kilowatts. In the coming years, Tesla and BYD may compete in many markets, and charging infrastructure will be one of the major battlegrounds.
Tesla cars have always been priced high, and the Roadster, which the company will launch on October 1, is likely to become its most expensive model to date, judging by the $50,000 reservation deposit. Currently, Canada and China have also opened reservations.
Tesla will hold a Semi truck launch event on September 24, the Roadster sports car will make its debut on October 1, followed closely by the release of third-quarter delivery data. The 30-day implied volatility is about 41%, close to the bottom of Tesla’s stock price fluctuation range over the past year.
