Tesla Sweden has opened a new Supercharger station in Arlandastad using on-site Megapack batteries, circumventing a blockade by Swedish unions on grid connections. The move allows the station to operate without direct access to the national electricity network amid ongoing labor disputes. This workaround highlights Tesla's adaptability in expanding its charging infrastructure despite challenges.
Tesla has faced significant hurdles in Sweden due to industrial action by the trade union Seko, which has blocked new electrical connections for Supercharger stations. This blockade, aimed at pressuring Tesla over labor issues, has made opening new sites nearly impossible through traditional means.
Despite these obstacles, Tesla has persisted. Earlier incidents in Malmö and Södertälje saw grid operators E.ON and Telge Nät activate connections, only to later claim they were errors. More innovatively, just before Christmas, Tesla launched eight charging stalls at a new Supercharger in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, powered entirely by a Tesla Megapack battery system. This approach avoids the need for a permanent grid connection, bypassing the union's blocked application process, as reported by Dagens Arbete and noted by Swedish automotive journalist Peter Esse.
The Arlandastad site is currently operational with eight stalls, a portion of the planned 40 chargers. Esse explained that the setup relies on nearby companies recharging the batteries through private arrangements, leveraging the area's unique access to grid power via neighbors. He emphasized that while the blockade severely impacts Tesla's role as a charging provider—especially since Superchargers serve non-Tesla electric vehicles—it has not significantly dented car sales.
"Many want Tesla to lose sales due to the union blockades. But you have to remember that sales are falling from 2024, when Tesla sold a record number of cars in Sweden. That year, the unions also had blockades against Tesla. So for Tesla as a charging operator, it is devastating. But for Tesla as a car company, it does not matter in terms of sales volumes. People charge their cars where there is an opportunity, usually at home," Esse said.
Esse also cautioned that this Megapack strategy may not be easily replicated elsewhere, given Arlandastad's specific circumstances. The development underscores ongoing tensions between Tesla and Swedish unions, yet demonstrates the company's resourcefulness in maintaining service expansion.
