Which Tesla Chargers Can and Can’t Be Used by All Electric Cars?
The most well-known electric vehicle brand is still Tesla these days. There are numerous Tesla-brand charging stations all across the U.S. Some of these chargers can be used for non-Tesla EVs, while others can’t. How do you know which can and can’t charge your non-Tesla electric car?
We will break down which Tesla chargers and charging stations can be used with non-Tesla electric vehicles. We’ll also cover the ones that are Tesla-only and talk about Tesla’s new pilot program.
Tesla chargers you can use with non-Tesla electric cars
The ability to charge a non-Tesla EV on low-powered Tesla chargers is convenient. The J1772 connector allows you to connect your other brand of electric car to a Tesla charger.
As InsideEVs explains, if you previously owned a Tesla and had a Tesla Wall Connector in your garage, instead of buying a new wall charger, you can use the J1772 connector with the Tesla equipment for Level 1 and Level 2 charging. It also works for use with the Tesla Mobile Connector for daily charging.
The J1772 adapter also allows you to charge your non-Tesla at literally thousands of Tesla Destination locations. These are Tesla Wall Connectors set up by Tesla in B&Bs, hotels, parks, restaurants, supermarkets, and other popular tourist locations.
InsideEVs also notes that some of those locations even have J1772 connectors at the charging stations available along with the Tesla Wall Connectors. At those, you wouldn’t need to have your own adapter. However, these are commonly installed on private property, so you should ask for permission before helping yourself to their charging equipment if that’s the case.
Tesla chargers that can’t be used to charge non-Tesla EVs
It’s possible to use Tesla chargers if your EV isn’t a Tesla. However, as InsideEVs points out, there are limitations.
It’s important to know that only Teslas can use the Tesla high-speed superchargers. No exceptions. There are currently no available adapters that can enable you to use one of these on a non-Tesla vehicle. However, there are rumors that Tesla may eventually open its Supercharger network for other electric cars.
Also, we’re talking about the North American market. Europe has different connectors and charging standards. Not all Teslas sold in Europe even use Tesla’s proprietary connector these days. They have a significantly different charging experience in Europe than we have here in the U.S.
Tesla’s pilot program
Last July, CNBC reported that Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed the Tesla Supercharger Network would be available to other EVs in 2021. Musk didn’t elaborate on where in the world this would take place. It was previously reported that Germany, Norway, and Sweden were potential candidates. Musk did explain that eventually, Tesla intends to make its Supercharger network open to other electric cars around the world.
Tesla owners can use the Tesla charging network without paying a membership fee. Tesla owners are billed for charging by the minute or kilowatt-hour for “supercharging” subject to local law.
While Tesla drivers have the company’s Level 3 and newer Supercharger stations exclusively right now, they can charge at most any EV charging station that utilizes adaptor cables. Tesla’s U.S. competitors have been working for a while now to achieve charging stations that can charge up EVs from a broad array of automakers like ChargePoint, Volta, Sema, and more.
In the future, if Tesla does open up many of its U.S. charging stations, particularly those that can charge cars from renewable energy sources, it could tap into new government funding like grants, green energy credits, rebates, and tax credits. These can be sold to companies who need such to offset their environmental footprint.
