The Problems with Tesla’s New Supercharging Strategy

Editor’s note: EV Car Answers CEO and Co-Founder, Jason Fox, had to wait for a Rivian R1T to finish charging because it occupied two stalls, due to location of its charging port and Tesla’s short cables. This added an extra 15 minutes to his charging experience.

Tesla’s decision to open its Supercharger network to non-Tesla electric vehicles (EVs) has created a big problem. For Tesla owners, their vehicles have charge ports located at the rear left of the car. The Supercharger network is optimized for this design. But many non-Tesla EVs have their charging ports in different locations. The Rivian R1T (pictured above), for example, shows why this creates turmoil at charging stations. Awkward parking configurations can block adjacent stalls leaving owners frustrated and waiting. Tesla is addressing this by introducing longer cables at Supercharger stations, but this process will take time.

Meanwhile, non-Tesla owners have their complaints, too:

1. Slow Rollout: Upgrading the infrastructure to accommodate other EVs has been slower than anticipated. This includes adding features like Magic Dock adapters and deploying new Supercharger V4 stations with extended capabilities. Delays have been attributed to logistical and staffing challenges.
   
   
2. Availability and Stall Usage: Integrating non-Tesla EVs has complicated stall availability at Superchargers. Tesla is refining its navigation systems to provide accurate stall availability by considering whether a non-Tesla EV might block additional spaces​.
   
   
3. Standardization: While some automakers are adopting Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), many still use CCS ports, requiring adapters for compatibility. Over time, this may change as more manufacturers shift to NACS.
   
   

THE TAKEAWAY

While these issues present hurdles, Tesla is actively working to improve the experience with software updates, hardware enhancements, and site redesigns. However, a seamless experience will likely take several years.

Sources: EV Car Answers Editors, ChatGPT