Background
Tesla, who has the world's largest network of Superchargers, owns and operates more than 35,000 (this figure is still growing) Superchargers worldwide. To accelerate global transition to sustainable energy, Tesla announced to open its Supercharger network to non-Tesla electric vehicles in November 2021, which has been the really good news for non-Tesla drivers.
1. European pilot scheme
Unfortunately, however, only a handful of non-Tesla drivers in European countries have been able to use Superchargers, which has included France, the Netherlands, Norway, UK, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Iceland and Italy. With the exception of the Netherlands, only a small percentage of Superchargers in these nations have been open to non-Tesla vehicles. All Tesla charging stations in the Netherlands have been open to non-Tesla drivers. But it's worth expecting that Tesla has been gradually expanding its fast-charging network to encourage more drivers to go electric. The more customers use the Supercharger network, the faster it scales; and the faster the network expands, the handier it is for more customers, which is a very good virtuous circle. If capacity is available, we can look forward to future charging stations which will only be open to non-Tesla vehicles.
2. Tesla APP for charging
I am sure that you are curious about how to charge your EVs. If you are a Tesla driver, you simply plug it in and the charging session will automatically begin as the charger can recognize the car. If you have a non-Tesla vehicle, however, it will be a little complex. Follow these three steps and it will be no problem.
- Firstly, in order to access and pay for non-Tesla charging, you need to download Tesla mobile APP(version 4.2.3 or higher) and create a Tesla account. Then, you can click the button “Charge Your Non-Tesla” and find the one nearest you. In addition, it is also easy for you to select the way of your payment and gain the information about what facilities there are at the site, the charging fee and how many “stalls” there are available on this APP. Don’t worry that your cars will get hungry because Tesla Superchargers are available all day and all night.
- Pluggingis the next step when you arrive the station, which can be harder than you think. There is a sole identifier on a label in every Supercharger post’s base. For example, you simply select post 1C in the Tesla mobile app to start charging if you take the cable from post Moreover, it is common for Tesla cars with a charging port at the back on the passenger side while other cars’ poets are not in the same or similar location. So now is the time to compare who is more ingenious! I sincerely suggest you prepare a smile and apology in advance as Tesla owners maybe unhappy that you straddle the next bay to connect for charging.
- Finally, just press “Stop Charge’ button on the app when you havefinished a charge. Put the connector back on the bracket and you're done.
Note: ①These Supercharger are only work with CCS-equipped cars, which basically gets rid of Nissan Leafs, some Lexus models and early Zoes.
②As a non-Tesla drivers, if it is not convenient for you to obtain a Supercharger station, a variety of Tesla-to-J1772 adapter on sale are available for you such as Lectron and Chargerman.
3. Charging fee
Charging prices are certainly another focus for consumers. Cost of the charging session is different between Tesla and non-Tesla as well as varying from one station to the next. It is estimated that the charging fee for Tesla is an average of €0.46 per kWh, which has always been cheaper than non-Tesla vehicles (60p per kWh is the average in the UK). However, it should be noted that the charging fee is also becoming more and more expensive as the electricity tariffs increase.
Do you know why charging fees for non-Tesla cars are more expensive? Higher pricing for non-Tesla drivers is generally understandable and acceptable due to the extra costs of supporting charging multiple vehicles as well as adjustments to the network to adapt these cars.
Luckily, it is a good choice for you to select a charging station which offers the lowest price on the APP and you can get the most cost-effective charging service. What’s more, if you are a long-time user of the Superchargers in the future, it might be a better idea to join its charging membership by paying, which will allow you to enjoy lower charging deals.
There is another potential cost-- “idle fees”, which should be to bear in mind too. You will have to pay “idle fees” if you sit around beside a Supercharger rather than leaving quickly after your car has been fed, which can be up to £1 per minute. Charging a relatively high “idle fee” to make the most efficient use of resources is a rule that improves the efficiency of Supercharger network.
4. Home Charging Station
As mentioned above, Tesla Superchargers have only opened to selected European pilot nations, which means that there has been still a large proportion of car owners who cannot enjoy the convenience. You can purchase a home charging station instead of waiting for the popularization of Superchargers, because it is uncertain when you residential community will be covered by the Supercharger network.
There are some factors affecting the price of building a home charging station including the construction of your house, the age of the residence being used for charging and the situation of the wires lying under the walls. Obviously, the older the house, the more expensive the home charging station will be.
It is wide considered that using a Level 2 charger is the optimum option for charging an EV for non-Tesla drivers. But Level 1 charging is accessible when the residence is new enough and can handle the additional equipment that comes with the charger. Though upgrading electrician may be a necessity for higher charging levels, you need to take electrician costs (just the costs of labor and parts are more than $2,000) into account. Therefore, you ought to weigh the pros and cons of expense and convenience