(Flickr/Robert Nordqvist)

Perhaps one of Tesla's most underrated contributions to the electric-vehicle space is its network of Superchargers, which is set to double in number by the end of 2017.

As automakers from Tesla to Audi prepare to release long-range electric cars, one of the biggest drawbacks to electric-vehicle adoption remains: slow charging times. Using a traditional wall socket to charge an electric car can take hours.

Electric charging stations that offer a DC faster-charger option can reduce that waiting time to about 30 minutes, but they can be difficult to find. Tesla owners, on the other hand, can easily find a nearby Supercharger on their massive touchscreen console.

A Tesla Supercharger station can restore 170 miles of range in just 30 minutes. As of late February, the company had 373 Supercharger stations in North America. It also had 805 stations worldwide with a total of 5,159 chargers.

Tesla plans to double the number of Superchargers globally to about 10,000. The company plans to add more than 1,000 Supercharger stations in California.

Here's a map of the new stations coming to North America (gray dots are new sites):

(Tesla)

Here's a map of the new stations coming to Asia-Pacific:

(Tesla)

Lastly, here's a map of the new stations coming to Europe:

(Tesla)

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