Tesla will give free chargers to select Airbnb hosts (update)

Tesla is teaming up with Airbnb to give customers staying for a vacation in the West Coast some peace of mind. The automaker plans to give free chargers to over 100 Airbnb hosts in the region, particularly those renting out premium properties. There are already 12 entries in the list of Tesla-ready houses, but Airbnb's still accepting applications from those who want to install one. Only candidates that are renting out whole properties, have had at least five bookings and a four-star rating are eligible, though, and even then they might not be among the hosts* (see update below the fold) chosen for the project. That said anyone who gets picked will still have to shell out a few hundred bucks: neither Tesla nor Airbnb will cover the $200 to $900 installation fee.

Range anxiety is a real thing, and no doubt it's keeping a lot of people from making the leap to electric vehicles. Tesla's been working to make charging stations available in more locations in an effort to serve present and future customers. In addition to its partnership with Airbnb, the automaker is also installing chargers in Manhattan garages and has updated its software to be able to plot routes along its charger networks.

*Update: An Airbnb spokesperson told us that Tesla committed to a minimum of 100 installations, as the West Coast partnership is just the beginning. The ultimate goal is to "install thousands of charging stations in Airbnbs around the world."