Photo: Out of Spec Reviews via YouTube | Edited
Tesla started retrofitting select Supercharger stations in the U.S. with Magic Dock adapters in preparation for supporting non-Tesla EVs. The pilot program has officially gone live in California and New York. Tesla has also launched the Supercharger membership packages for Non-Tesla EV owners, with two plans available.
It's been over a year since Tesla launched the non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot in Europe. Since then, the EV maker has gradually expanded the program with new countries and locations. The U.S. was more complicated because of Tesla's proprietary connector, but the EV maker has finally found a solution. Thanks to the Magic Dock, a CCS-compatible adapter is dispensed with the cable when a non-Tesla EV initiates a charging session.
After testing the new adapter in the last week of February, the non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot has finally launched in the U.S. The first CCS-enabled charging stations are located in New York and California, with more to come online soon. They were already stormed by EV enthusiasts who wanted to test the new service, so you can find many videos on social media describing the experience.
EV drivers who want to charge their non-Tesla car at a Supercharger station must first install the Tesla app and create an account. QR-code signs leading to an instruction webpage have been installed at Supercharger stations opened to non-Tesla EVs, so this should be straightforward. Once logged in, you need to indicate the station and the number on the charging stall, and you can then detach the cable with the CCS adapter from the Magic Dock. Plug the cord into the car, and the charging session starts.
Non-Tesla EV owners are offered two Supercharger membership plans to access the Tesla charging network. The Pay per Use plan is a simple, pay-as-you-go membership, and the fees vary from station to station and with the time of day. As a rule of thumb, Pay-per-Use prices are $0.10-$0.12/kWh higher than what Tesla owners pay at the same station. Tesla also offers a $12,99/month subscription to access the Supercharger network, which makes the prices drop to match what Tesla owners pay.
The first plan is probably good for those who only occasionally charge their cars at a Supercharger. However, Tesla bets most EV owners would opt for the paid subscription thanks to its advantages. Tesla Supercharger is the country's most reliable charging network, and unfettered access to its chargers is a major benefit, encouraging non-Tesla owners to ditch third-party networks and become Tesla customers.
The first videos posted on Twitter show that the charge rate is pretty decent, at more than 150 kW of power in the case of a Rivian R1T pickup. Based on how easy it is to hook a Ford F-150 Lightning to the charger, we'd say the cord length is just right to reach charge ports further away from the vehicle's corner. There's one problem, though, as we've already said before: charging most non-Tesla EVs means occupying the wrong parking spot. This makes the adjacent charging stall to become unusable for Tesla EVs.
Based on this, we assume some fracas is possible between Tesla and non-Tesla owners, especially when the stations are busy. For now, though, most Tesla fans seem eager to see non-Tesla owners at the Supercharger, talk to them, and exchange experiences. This might change when slow-charging EVs, like the Chevy Bolt, block more stalls. What do you think, is it a good thing that Tesla decided to open the Supercharger network to other electric vehicles?
After testing the new adapter in the last week of February, the non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot has finally launched in the U.S. The first CCS-enabled charging stations are located in New York and California, with more to come online soon. They were already stormed by EV enthusiasts who wanted to test the new service, so you can find many videos on social media describing the experience.
EV drivers who want to charge their non-Tesla car at a Supercharger station must first install the Tesla app and create an account. QR-code signs leading to an instruction webpage have been installed at Supercharger stations opened to non-Tesla EVs, so this should be straightforward. Once logged in, you need to indicate the station and the number on the charging stall, and you can then detach the cable with the CCS adapter from the Magic Dock. Plug the cord into the car, and the charging session starts.
Non-Tesla EV owners are offered two Supercharger membership plans to access the Tesla charging network. The Pay per Use plan is a simple, pay-as-you-go membership, and the fees vary from station to station and with the time of day. As a rule of thumb, Pay-per-Use prices are $0.10-$0.12/kWh higher than what Tesla owners pay at the same station. Tesla also offers a $12,99/month subscription to access the Supercharger network, which makes the prices drop to match what Tesla owners pay.
The first plan is probably good for those who only occasionally charge their cars at a Supercharger. However, Tesla bets most EV owners would opt for the paid subscription thanks to its advantages. Tesla Supercharger is the country's most reliable charging network, and unfettered access to its chargers is a major benefit, encouraging non-Tesla owners to ditch third-party networks and become Tesla customers.
The first videos posted on Twitter show that the charge rate is pretty decent, at more than 150 kW of power in the case of a Rivian R1T pickup. Based on how easy it is to hook a Ford F-150 Lightning to the charger, we'd say the cord length is just right to reach charge ports further away from the vehicle's corner. There's one problem, though, as we've already said before: charging most non-Tesla EVs means occupying the wrong parking spot. This makes the adjacent charging stall to become unusable for Tesla EVs.
Based on this, we assume some fracas is possible between Tesla and non-Tesla owners, especially when the stations are busy. For now, though, most Tesla fans seem eager to see non-Tesla owners at the Supercharger, talk to them, and exchange experiences. This might change when slow-charging EVs, like the Chevy Bolt, block more stalls. What do you think, is it a good thing that Tesla decided to open the Supercharger network to other electric vehicles?
Select Superchargers in the US are now open to other EVs → https://t.co/zObpFM4li1 pic.twitter.com/wQW0KGvlpw
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) February 28, 2023
Google News