Tesla has quickly opened 36 new Superchargers in Södertälje despite unions blocking the brand in Sweden. The people behind it are now apologizing.
Tesla has installed power to 36 new charging stations in Södertälje, Sweden. This is despite an ongoing blockade by several unions in the country. The new Superchargers were installed in just 3 days.
The installation came as a surprise to many, however. Tesla's operations in Sweden have been hit by conflict with a number of unions. Both the Swedish Electricians' Association and the Seko union have launched blockades against the car brand.
On Monday, 16 new charging stations were inaugurated in Södertälje. This took place in the Moraberg shopping area.
Just two days later, on Wednesday, Tesla opened another 20 Superchargers. They are located at Vaasa Handelsplats in the same city.
Carup writes.
The local network company Telge Nät was responsible for the connection. This was done despite Seko's installation blockade.
Union responds to installation
Seko is angry that Tesla has been able to get the charging stations up and running. The union has demanded an explanation from the grid company Telge.
Jonas Pettersson is the head of information at Seko. He says that they have been in dialogue with Telge Nät.
"The company has responded that it is a mistake, and we have had a good dialogue with them," says Jonas Pettersson.
According to Seko, Telge Nät has regretted the incident.
– They have said this will never happen again.
"It is of course unfortunate that this has happened. We feel confident that Telge is now taking the necessary measures to ensure that this never happens again," he adds.
Tesla Superchargers and electric car charging
Erik Elowsson, press manager at Telge Group, which owns Telge Nät, confirms that they regret that the new charging stations were installed at all.
– We would like to make it clear that we had no intention of overriding Seko's conflict measures, says Erik Elowsson.
Tesla itself highlights the importance of the new charging options. They point to Södertälje's location as important for electric car drivers.
"Södertälje is a long-awaited destination for fast charging," Tesla writes in a press release.
– Tesla's two new stations enable comfortable, fossil-free and economical trips between the east and west coasts and to southern Sweden, says the car brand.
Many electric car drivers are welcoming the new charging stations. Tesla's Superchargers are known for being user-friendly.
They are also often considered to be an economically advantageous way to charge your electric car.
The expansion of the charging network is central to the spread of electric cars. However, the current case in Södertälje highlights the complexity when large companies and unions face each other.
The conflict between Tesla and the Swedish unions stems from a disagreement over collective agreements. Tesla has so far refused to sign collective agreements in Sweden.
You can read much more about Tesla and the conflict in Sweden right here on Boosted. Including how Tesla still gets new license plates on cars, even though it should actually be impossible. Read more here .
