Tesla destination charger guide: What to know about the network, how it compares to Superchargers

• A Tesla Destination Charger lets users charge their cars at hotels, malls, restaurants, and more. 
• There are over 40,000 Wall Connectors at Destination Charger sites. 
• Here's how they are different than Tesla's Supercharger network. 

A Tesla destination charger lets users charge their cars at locations like hotels, malls, restaurants, and parking garages. Unlike Supercharging, destination charging is designed more for overnight stopovers or to stay topped up while running errands, as opposed to short breaks in a road trip. 

How fast does a Tesla destination charger charge?

Destination charging is free for Tesla owners and can add up to 44 miles of range in an hour, but there may be other parking fees involved depending on the host business. 

While using a Destination Charger, your car will alert you through the Tesla app when it's fully charged, and you can check on its charge status at any time. 

Charging partners are expected to install six or more Wall Connectors at a single location. These Wall Connectors are the same Level 2 products that can be installed by a private owner at home. Each Wall Connector costs $475. Once a business purchases and installs a set of connectors, they can register to be added to Tesla's map and Trip Planner for destination chargers. To qualify as a charging destination, a business must maintain regular hours, accommodate the public with goods and services, and have full-time employees on site during those hours.

Destination chargers vs Superchargers

Tesla destination charging differs from Supercharging primarily in charging speed. Supercharging uses DC fast charging to add up to 200 miles of driving range in as little as 15 minutes. 

Level 2 charging is similar to how you might charge your Tesla at home, depending on the setup. 

Tesla says there are over 40,000 Destination Chargers across North America. Tesla will make at least 7,500 charging stations available to all electric vehicles by the end of 2024, the White House said in February 2023. At least 3,500 of the 7,500 chargers will include Tesla's 250-kilowatt Superchargers on highway corridors, as well as slower Level 2 destination chargers installed at restaurants and hotels, per the statement.

Both Superchargers and destination chargers are included in Tesla's Trip Planner feature, which allows drivers to find a route that includes a charger if needed. Your app will indicate how much mileage you have left in your Tesla battery, and direct you to a route with a charger if needed.

Using Tesla's Supercharger network with a non-Tesla EV

In 2022, Tesla announced they would open up their charging standard to third-party automakers. By 2024, Ford became the first third-party automaker to gain Tesla charger compatibility and access to 15,000 Tesla chargers (this figure does not include all chargers in the Tesla network, with older Tesla charging stations and some newer ones reserved for Tesla only).

Tesla's Supercharger network soon opened to other EV makers, including General Motors and Rivian. Nearly every other major automaker in the North American market has pledged to follow suit in adopting the same standard, called NACS.

As a result of this, Tesla Superchargers and some Destination chargers can be used by non-Tesla electric vehicle owners. To make use of either charger, non-Tesla EV owners need to have the Tesla smartphone app installed, and a compatible charging connector or relevant adapter.