• Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network is what sets the company apart from the electric-vehicle competition.
• Other automakers have partnered with charging operations and have explored their own solutions, but only Tesla has a vast network in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia that’s fully integrated with the company’s vehicles.
• Supercharging allows Tesla owners to be one-car EV customers; other charge systems favor EVs with less range that require backup vehicles for longer trips.
• The Supercharger network has come under stress as Tesla has sold more vehicles, and the company has had to begin billing owners to use it.
• Here’s a closer look at how it works.
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

I divide the electric-vehicle market into two camps: cars for people who want to go electric but aren’t relying on a single vehicle; and cars that can do it all, replacing gas-powered vehicles.

Tesla Electric Car model S

The former shaped the early days of the EV era we’re currently in. These were relatively short-range EVs that had to be recharged frequently, usually overnight or at garage close to an owner’s workplace. They weren’t vehicles that needed an extensive “fast” charging infrastructure because so-called Level 1 or Level 2 charging was an option, usually at the owner’s home.

The latter is exemplified by Tesla and the new generation of long-range EVs that all rely of DC fast charging to cover as much territory as gas-powered cars.

Tesla recognized from the get-go that fast charging would be key to building an overall Tesla ecosystem that would enable owners to replace their gas vehicles with electric ones.

In our EV testing at Business Insider, we often find that charging limitations are the biggest issue with electric cars. Tesla’s system isn’t without issues, but the company has invested in a pretty vast network of Supercharger locations that, if properly used, can eliminate the dreaded “range anxiety” that besets the competition.

Here’s a closer look at why Superchargers matter: