EVgo Opens First Tesla Superchargers in Chicago: 12 Stalls, 325 kW, $0.25-$0.35/kWh, Hundreds More Planned

Photo: EVgo

For years, EVgo and Tesla fought over the same drivers. Now Tesla is building chargers for its rival. EVgo has opened its first Tesla Superchargers, a 12-stall site in a Chicago grocery store parking lot, and the company says it is the first of hundreds of Supercharger stalls it plans to open across the country.

The stalls carry EVgo branding, but the hardware, the software and the day-to-day upkeep come from Tesla. Charging runs 25 to 35 cents per kWh, and both Tesla and non-Tesla EVs can plug in without an adapter. Here is how the deal works, who can charge, how you pay, and why it lands in the same week EVgo's largest shareholder offered to buy out the rest of the company.

Where Is the First EVgo Tesla Supercharger?

The site opened November 5 at Riverside Square & River's Edge, 3145 S. Ashland Avenue in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood, next to a Mariano's grocery store. The shopping center belongs to Regency Centers, a longtime EVgo partner. EVgo says its first wave of Supercharger sites will go up at grocery-anchored Regency properties.

That relationship is already large. EVgo runs more than 150 stalls at Regency centers, and in September the two companies announced plans for more than 400 additional stalls. Regency picked Illinois as a starting point in part because EV registrations in the state have grown nearly 60% over the past two years, according to Illinois Secretary of State data cited by EVgo.

How the EVgo and Tesla Deal Works

EVgo first announced the arrangement in August. It runs through Tesla's Supercharger for Business program, which lets other companies buy Supercharger stations. EVgo owns the stalls, chooses the locations and sets the prices. Tesla builds the stations and operates and maintains them.

In August, EVgo said the rollout would use Tesla's V4 Supercharger hardware, rated at up to 500 kW and 1,000 volts, and good for up to 200 miles of range in about 15 minutes in vehicles that can accept that much power. The Chicago site is listed at 325 kW, so the 500 kW figure should be read as the hardware's ceiling, not a promise for every location.

Which Cars Can Use EVgo's Superchargers?

Nearly any modern EV sold in the U.S. can charge here. The stalls use Tesla's Magic Dock, which has a built-in adapter, so drivers do not need to bring their own.

• Teslas: plug in directly with the NACS connector.
• Non-Tesla EVs with a NACS port: plug in directly, the same as a Tesla. EVgo expects more than 35 NACS-equipped models on sale by the end of 2026.
• EVs with a CCS port: the Magic Dock releases its CCS adapter, so older Fords, GMs, Hyundais, Kias and others can charge without carrying their own adapter.

Keep in mind that 325 kW is what the stall can deliver. Your car's own charging limit and battery temperature decide how fast it actually charges.

How Do You Pay: EVgo App or Tesla App?

Right now, the Tesla app is the way in. According to Electrek, compatible non-Tesla EVs start a session through the Tesla app, just as they would at any Supercharger open to other brands. Tesla drivers will see the station in their car's navigation and Trip Planner.

EVgo has not said whether its own app will be able to start or pay for sessions at its Supercharger stalls. If you are an EVgo member counting on your plan's discounts, do not assume they apply here until EVgo says so.

What It Means for EV Drivers

For Tesla owners, it means more places to charge that show up in the car without extra steps. For everyone else, it means getting Tesla's hardware and network reliability without driving to a Tesla-owned site. In a recent survey of EV drivers cited by InsideEVs, EVgo ranked second for reliability, behind Tesla.

The Superchargers are only part of EVgo's plan. Since 2025 the company has also been adding NACS plugs to its regular fast chargers. It expects to have 500 of those NACS stalls by the end of 2026, counted separately from the Superchargers, and wants at least one NACS connector at every EVgo site built in 2023 or later within two years. Since early September, EVgo's NACS stalls have also appeared in Tesla navigation for drivers who switch on third-party charging. EVgo says it runs more than 1,200 fast-charging locations in 47 states.

The LS Power $2 Take-Private Offer

The Chicago opening comes three days after EVgo disclosed an unsolicited, non-binding proposal from its controlling shareholder. On November 2, LS Power, which holds about 56% of EVgo's voting power, offered $2.00 per share in cash for the Class A shares it does not already own.

• The offer is a 59% premium to EVgo's October 30 closing price and a 62% premium to its 30-day average.
• EVgo's board formed a special committee of independent directors to review it. LS Power says it will not move forward unless that committee recommends the deal.
• LS Power plans a long-form merger, which requires board approval and a shareholder vote. It says it has no interest in selling its own stake.
• EVgo shares jumped about 47% on the day of the announcement.

For drivers, nothing changes in the near term. A take-private deal would remove EVgo from the Nasdaq. It would not, by itself, change how the stations work. What the Supercharger launch shows is the growth story EVgo is pitching: Tesla hardware, Tesla reliability and a bigger pool of drivers. Investors will hear more when EVgo reports third-quarter results, expected November 9. We break down the offer in detail in our EVgo LS Power explainer.

Related: What LS Power's $2 EVgo offer means · How much does it cost to charge an electric car? · Level 1 vs Level 2 vs DC fast charging