Tesla is no stranger to offering free access to its Supercharger network in times of crisis, and now, amidst Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, the automaker is offering free Supercharging to people fleeing the country.
In an email to Tesla owners in Ukraine, the automaker explained that several Supercharger stations near the Ukrainian borders with neighbouring countries (like Poland, Slovakia and Hungary) are now free to use for both Tesla and non-Tesla EVs.
“We hope that this helps give you the peace of mind to get to a safe location. As always tap any site on your car’s touchscreen to see current pricing. Safe travels,” the email read. Ideally, free access to charging stations will give those fleeing the country one less thing to worry about.
While Tesla has offered free Supercharger access in response to natural disasters, like hurricanes, in the past, this is notably the first time Tesla is doing it for a “human-made disaster.” This is also the first time Tesla has opened up the Supercharger network to non-Tesla EVs for free, following its pilot programs in Europe which offer non-Tesla drivers paid access to the charging network.
Although Tesla doesn’t currently operate in Ukraine — at least, not in an official capacity — the country is home to a number of Tesla users who imported the EVs themselves. A few years ago, Tesla fans in Ukraine even made a plea to Elon Musk to have his company enter the market and deploy a service network and charging stations and, since then, Tesla has been rumoured to have plans to enter the Ukrainian market “soon.”
