Audi Exec: Tesla 'Did Everything Right'

Stefan Niemand, director of battery electric vehicles at Audi, praised electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc TSLA for developing a supercharger network across the US in a short time.

"I hate to admit it, but Tesla did everything right," Niemand said at the recent annual Technical Congress of the German Association of the Automotive Industry, according to a report on Teslarati.

The report said Niemand marveled at how Tesla created a system of 611 Supercharger locations with more than 3,600 individual chargers in such a short period of time.

Related Link: Tesla's Recovery Not Supported By The Facts, UBS Warns

Niemand lamented that Europe does not yet have a comprehensive infrastructure of fast charging stations. He told his colleagues that they must commit to building a system that features charging stations with at least 350 kW of power.

"We need awesome cars and a seamless infrastructure," he concluded. The provision of these two things would allow EV adoption to surge," Niemand said.

The executive also pointed out that German automakers were falling far behind the competition with regard to electric vehicles, according to the report.

"These cars are slower than those with conventional drive and they have a much lower range — and in compensation they are more expensive," Niemand said. "Without a change in approach, electric vehicles (EVs) won't make any real inroads into the marketplace."

Posted In: NewsTravelTechGeneralAudiStefan NiemandTeslarati
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