South Korean company Bright Energy Partners, which operates the electric vehicle (EV) charging brand “Watter,” is set to install fast chargers supporting Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) at 46 locations across the country by the end of 2024.
This is the first time a charging operator in Korea, other than Tesla, has installed chargers at highway rest areas that are compatible with Tesla vehicles.
On December 11, Watter signed an agreement with the Korea Expressway Corporation to establish 209 fast and ultra-fast chargers at 46 highway rest stops nationwide. Each location will include at least one Tesla NACS-compatible charger as part of the plan, reports Bloter (via @Tslachan).
Currently, Tesla Superchargers are not available at most highway rest stops in Korea, except for one at the Moda Outlet in the Seohaean Expressway’s Haengdamdo rest area. Although Tesla Korea has obtained land use approval for a Supercharger at the Jinyeong rest area in Busan, the timeline for its installation remains uncertain.
Watter’s decision aligns with the rising demand for Tesla vehicles in Korea.
According to data from the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association, Tesla’s Model Y emerged as the top-selling imported car in Korea from January to August 2024, with 12,879 units sold. The Model 3 ranked second with 9,002 units sold.
Watter plans to manage and operate the chargers for the next 10 years after installation. The rollout of Tesla-compatible chargers is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
