VW EVs Are Finally Getting Access To Tesla Superchargers

• VW will finally get access to Tesla’s Supercharging network next week.
• It has become the 22nd major brand to do so.
• Owners will be able to plug in on November 18th.

After nearly a year of “coming soon,” Volkswagen owners in the U.S. and Canada will be happy to know that they will finally get access to the Tesla Supercharger network next week, the company announced this week. Yes, for real this time.

The Germans initially teased access to the Supercharging network back in January. The Volkswagen Group’s portfolio of EVs—that includes the VW ID.4, ID.Buzz, as well as Audi and Porsche models—were slated to gain access over the summer. But that time came and went and VW had to sheepishly tell its customers to keep waiting. Now that the the bureaucratic and technical headaches are over, the electrons are ready to flow.

Photo by: Volkswagen

Starting on November 18th, Volkswagen owners in the U.S. and Canada will be able to plug into one of more than 25,000 supported Superchargers across North America.

This is a pretty major upgrade for VW drivers. For comparison, the vehicles currently have access to about 5,000 DC Fast Charging sites through VW’s partnership with Electrify America. Of course it also has access to any other DC Fast Charger available publicly as well, but Tesla’s massive network opens up significant more charging opportunities for owners.

Speaking of opportunities, that’s exactly what this is for Tesla. An opportunity to flex its charging muscle on the world by not only allowing other automakers to use its network, but to profit from them without even selling customers a car.

The automaker announced that it would begin opening its charging network to other automakers few years ago—and it finally acted on that towards the end of 2024 when it granted access to Ford. Tesla has opened it up to Acura, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Genesis, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Lexus, Lucid, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Rivian, Subaru, Toyota and Volvo. Audi and Porsche also recently got the Supercharger treatment, so it was only a matter of time before VW did as well.

And for VW? Well, it’s not throwing in the towel on the Electrify America charging network project, but it certainly is a pretty polarizing look. I could imagine that it feels like a failure to outbid Tesla’s charging empire. On the flip-side, Electrify America was started as a $2 billion Dieselgate penalty, anyway. But in an industry that is obsessed with in-house vertical integration, it’s also kind of refreshing to see consumers getting more options (even it it took all summer).

Owners wanting to take advantage of the charging network will need to purchase a $200 charging adapter. The original owners of 2025 ID.4 and ID.Buzz EVs will be eligible for a $100 rebate, effectively making it $100, and 2026 VWs will have the adapter included from the factory. VW says that certain owners will also need a software update in order to “support optimal charging behavior.”

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