Hilton buys 20,000 universal wall boxes from Tesla
The hotel chain Hilton is expanding its long-standing charging infrastructure cooperation with Tesla. A total of up to 20,000 units of Tesla’s new Universal Wall Connector will be installed at 2,000 Hilton hotels in the US, Canada, and Mexico starting in early 2024.
The collaboration between the hotel chain and the US EV maker dates back to 2015. Now, Hilton wants to create “the largest overnight electric vehicle charging network in the hospitality industry.” Tesla’s designated AC charger can be used with all electric cars via an adapter. Hilton plans to install at least six Tesla chargers at each selected hotel. On average, there will be ten chargers per location.
Tesla released its Universal Wall Connector for the North American market in mid-August. Hilton is now the first known buyer. The wallbox resembles a normal Tesla wallbox, but has an integrated J1772 adapter. Otherwise, all specifications remain the same: The device has a power of 11.5 kW and comes with a cable that is about seven meters long.
Hilton describes its locations, many of which are along highways and in major urban areas, as “uniquely suited to provide charging access at scale for travellers on long-haul trips.” And apparently, demand is on the rise. “Travelers are increasingly looking for EV chargers when they travel, as evidenced by the continued growth of searches at Hilton.com for hotels with charging capability,” the hotel chain states. Moreover, in 2023, the search attribute for charging stations on the site saw its fastest growth to date, climbing from fourth to second place in converting searches to stays. In other words, available AC chargers are increasingly becoming a winning argument.
“At Hilton, we are committed to meeting the changing needs of our guests (…),” affirms Matt Schuyler, chief brand officer at Hilton.” Through this expanded agreement with Tesla, we are significantly changing the landscape of universal EV chargers in North America in an incredibly short amount of time. Across Hilton’s family of award-winning brands, this network of EV chargers will offer our guests even more value with the convenience of much-needed overnight charging access in more locations.”
Rebecca Tinucci, Senior Director of Charging Infrastructure at Tesla, adds: “A key priority for Tesla Charging is installing low-cost, convenient AC charging anywhere electric vehicles are parked for more than an hour or two. (…) We applaud Hilton for their leadership in the space and look forward to continuing to ramp this critical program with other industry leaders.”
The Hilton Group operates close to 7,300 hotels in 123 countries and territories, operating not only under Hilton but also under other hotel brands in the group. Charging ports for electric cars are currently offered at about 1,850 hotels worldwide, according to the group.
0 Comments