EVgo Opens Its First Tesla Superchargers: Why a Rival Network Now Sells Tesla Charging
EVgo, one of the largest US fast-charging networks, opened its first station built with Tesla Supercharger hardware under its own brand. What opened, how it works for any EV, and what it means for drivers in Europe.
Not long ago, the logo on a Supercharger told you one thing: this is where Teslas charge. Now, in a grocery store parking lot in Chicago, the same kind of charger carries another company's name. EVgo, one of the largest public fast-charging networks in the United States, has opened its first "EVgo Supercharger" station, built on Tesla hardware but sold under EVgo's own brand. It is a clear signal of who actually won America's charging-standard war.
What opened, exactly
According to EVgo's official release dated November 5, 2026, the first site has 12 stalls and sits close to downtown Chicago, at the Riverside Square & River's Edge retail center on South Ashland Avenue, next to a Mariano's grocery store. The company calls them the first dozen of hundreds of stalls it plans to open in high-demand locations.
The first sites in the program will be on grocery-anchored properties owned by Regency Centers, a long-time EVgo partner. The logic is simple: you charge while you shop instead of waiting in the car at the edge of a highway rest stop.
"Electrek" reports that the Chicago site delivers up to 325 kW, while EVgo's August announcement talked about up to 500 kW for the V4 Superchargers in this program. The gap shows that real-world power depends on how each location is configured.
How a Supercharger ends up with another name
The deal was announced in August 2026. EVgo is buying V4 Superchargers through Tesla's Supercharger for Business program, which lets other companies install Tesla hardware under their own brand. EVgo itself described it as the first time Tesla's newest charging hardware appears on a competing network carrying a different name.
For Tesla, the model is attractive: it sells equipment and software without paying for the land, the grid connection or the construction. For EVgo, the upside is even more direct. CEO Badar Khan says in the release that serving both Tesla and non-Tesla NACS drivers "doubles" the market the company can reach.
Does it work for every EV?
The Chicago site has Magic Dock, Tesla's built-in adapter. That means both NACS cars (Tesla's plug, now adopted by most US automakers) and CCS cars can charge without the driver bringing an adapter. "Electrek" adds that drivers of compatible non-Tesla EVs can start a session through the Tesla app.
For Tesla owners, the most convenient part is integration: EVgo says its Superchargers appear in the Trip Planner and in the car's navigation. On top of that, once third-party charging is enabled in the navigation, Tesla drivers also see regular EVgo stations that already have NACS plugs. Those started showing up in Tesla navigation in early September.
EVgo's bigger plan
Superchargers are only one part of the strategy. EVgo started adding NACS connectors to its own network in 2025 and aims to reach 500 NACS stalls by the end of 2026, counted separately from the Superchargers. Within two years, it wants every site built in 2023 or later to have at least one NACS plug. By the company's own figures, EVgo runs more than 1,200 fast-charging locations across 47 states.
What it means for drivers
If you drive a Tesla in Europe, nothing changes tomorrow: EVgo only operates in the United States. The story matters as a direction of travel, though. Tesla is no longer just a closed network but a hardware supplier that even its competitors buy from. The more operators use the same technology, the more predictable charging becomes.
If you drive another brand, the message is positive. In Europe, many Superchargers are already open to other makes, and the process is explained in our guide to charging a non-Tesla EV at a Supercharger. EVgo's model shows a station can be built by a third-party operator and designed for every car from day one.
If you follow the charging market, the open question is whether Supercharger for Business will reach European operators. There is no official announcement about that yet, so it is one to watch.
For long trips, the lesson is the same everywhere: check a station's real power, not just the headline figure. Even at EVgo, the first site does not reach the maximum power promised for the program.
