Charging your Tesla isn’t the most exciting experience — especially if you’re not paying for the cellular internet plan that comes with a Premium Connectivity subscription — but that could be about to change, according to a new report from Electrek. A user on Reddit saw a Starlink dish, which goes by the official name Dishy McFlatface, at a Supercharger station in Lake City, Florida, according to the report. So yet, it’s unknown where else Tesla has installed (or wants to install) Starlink satellite dishes or what they’ll be used for.
Customers without Tesla’s Premium Connectivity package may be able to use the dish for free Wi-Fi, but those who pay $10 a month can use Tesla’s buil t-in entertainment apps, such as Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, YouTube, and others, with cellular data access. If the satellite dishes are present to provide Wi-Fi while charging your car, even drivers with Standard Connectivity will be able to enjoy in-car entertainment while charging their electric vehicles. MUSK’S PLAN TO MAKE THE SUPERCHARGER NETWORK AVAILABLE TO OTHER TYPES OF EVS COULD BE THE CAUSE.
It could possibly be related to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s ambition to open up the Supercharger network to other types of electric vehicles. According to Goldman Sachs, if Tesla offers up charging stations to other EVs, annual revenue from charging may increase from $1 billion to $25 billion. Charging at a Supercharger station costs vary during the day, and drivers are either charged in kilowatts per hour or by the minute. Free internet access via Starlink may entice drivers outside of the Tesla community, potentially helping Tesla outperform Goldman Sachs’ forecast.
Tesla has already begun allowing non-Tesla EVs to use Supercharger stations at ten locations in the Netherlands, and the trial was likely started there since Europe requires standardized charging cable connectors. Non-Tesla EVs will need adapters to utilize Supercharger stations in the United States, further complicating matters. If and when Superchargers become widely available, adding free Wi-Fi to the mix of fast charging periods may persuade other EV drivers to select Superchargers over competitors like as ChargePoint and EVgo.
Since 2018, SpaceX, which is controlled by Elon Musk, has launched a total of 1,844 Starlink satellites into space, with the goal of delivering internet connectivity to even the most remote parts of the globe. Although this does not appear to be the model placed at the Florida Supercharger station, Starlink has released a more lightweight, rectangular version of Dishy McFlatface.
