The news this week that Elon Musk laid off Tesla’s entire Supercharger team sent shockwaves of uncertainty through the industry tasked with building America’s new network of EV chargers. A fast and reliable charging network is an essential ingredient in getting more people to switch from gas-powered vehicles to electric, and some early types of chargers proved less than dependable. Tesla had a superior charging network long before President Joe Biden set an ambitious goal to install half a million stations around the US by the end of the decade. Until recently, Tesla played a central role in that plan. Many EV experts and drivers think Tesla’s chargers are fast and reliable, so much so that other car companies are adapting their charging plugs to fit Tesla’s system. Tesla has been awarded more federal contracts for charging stations than any other company – $28 million-worth – which comprises about 14%…
