Tesla’s first Supercharger sparks new era for EVs

A quiet revolution took place at the Uptown Mall in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City as Tesla Philippines formally unveiled its first-ever Supercharging station, marking a pivotal moment for electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.

Equipped with four Superchargers, the station offers a pay-per-use basis. Operating at a peak output of 250kW, Tesla’s Superchargers can juice up a car for a 120-kilometer journey in just five minutes.

For context, that’s three round trips from Uptown Mall to Quezon City. At P19 per kilowatt-hour, charging a Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive to its full 513-kilometer range (WLTP) costs roughly P1,140.

WLTP stands for Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure. It is a global standard for measuring the energy consumption, range, and emissions of vehicles, particularly electric and hybrid cars.

The Supercharging experience is designed to be seamless, featuring automated charger detection, which flips open the charging cover as you approach, eliminating the extra effort often associated with traditional setups.

The Tesla mobile app further simplifies the process, allowing users to locate available chargers, monitor charge status and automate payment — all without leaving the driver’s seat.

Isabel Fan, Tesla regional director, led the launch together with key officials of the Department of Energy (DoE) in undersecretaries Sharon Garin and Felix William “Wimpy” Fuentebella, assistant secretary Ronald Conquilla and DoE director Patrick Aquino.

Also gracing the affair were Barangay Fort Bonifacio chairman Jorge Bocobo and Megaworld vice president and head for mall operations support department Rene Arnobit, who represented Alliance Global Group Inc. chief executive officer Kevin Tan.

“Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. Tesla enables the use of electric vehicles by building charging infrastructure around people’s lifestyle,” Fan said.

“Tesla will keep expanding our charging network to create a seamless EV experience in the Philippines; we will collaborate closely in the near future.”

Model 3, which costs P2.1 million, and Model Y, which amounts to P2.3 million, are now available to view and order in the Philippines.