Sales of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y continue to thrive. The pricier Model S and Model X are also doing extremely well. All in all, Tesla remains the EV automaker standard-bearer; it's what rivals continue to benchmark. Of those competitors, the Volkswagen Group could pose the most significant threat. It hopes to become the world's best-selling pure EV automaker by 2025. There's a good chance it will but Tesla's shadow will still loom. Remember, the name of the game is more than just the sheer number of EVs sold but also the necessary infrastructure.

That said, Tesla revealed plans earlier this week during its Q3 earnings call to triple the size of its Supercharger network. Preventing congestion at these chargers is crucial and Tesla is fully aware of issues currently faced in some locations.

"We are executing on accelerating expansion plans globally. The network has doubled in the last 18 months, and we are planning to triple it over the next two years," said Tesla senior vice president Drew Baglino. "And even so on an individual-site basis to combat existing congestion more quickly where it is isolated and problematic, we expedite local relief sites, deploy mobile Superchargers, and we try to introduce pricing strategies that encourage more off-peak usage to avoid the waiting."

As of the end of last quarter, there were 29,281 Superchargers at 3,254 global locations. Here in the US, there are 1,146 Supercharger locations. VW's subsidiary, Electrify America, aims to have about 800 charging stations and 3,500 individual chargers in the US by the end of the year.

Tesla continues to dominate this vital field. It's not about to slow down or lose influence. Not long ago it confirmed EVs from rival brands will soon be able to use the network. Why? Because opening its network will give Tesla access to more funds from the new $7.5 billion federal EV infrastructure program. One requirement is for charging stations to be open to EVs from multiple carmakers.

Globally speaking, Tesla's network expansion plans clearly means competitors need to stay alert. The energy sector alone is worth billions annually. No one can afford to miss out.