Tesla Owners Have Mixed Feelings About Chargers Opening Up to All EVs
“Rising tide lifts all boats” kinda stuff, at least you’d think.
It's finally happened: Non-Tesla EV owners now can charge at select Tesla stations all across the U.S., and the reception of the new development has been mixed.
On one hand, it's a bright day—you know, rising-tide-lifts-all-boats kind of stuff. Folks who want to enjoy the EV life but not deal with the horrors of common, non-Tesla charging (broken chargers, DC fast chargers that aren't always fast, not enough locations, etc.) can finally hook up to a Tesla station, select that they're charging a non-Tesla, and enjoy a reportedly better experience.
However, on the other hand, there are some teething issues to address. In particular, the source of some Tesla owners' annoyance—rightfully so, mind you—is rooted in parking. Some vehicles, big and small, just aren't built for Tesla chargers' cable lengths, and it's rooted in their charge port locations.
Take, for instance, the Ford F-150 Lightning, which due to its size and charging location unfortunately takes up a bit of room. This discussion on Reddit sums it up quite well; in an ideal world charge port location would be standardized, but such is not life, even when it comes to different filler neck locations on ICE vehicles.
The same goes for Rivian owners, which this thread on Reddit highlights. As user Kleinja points out, driver-side rear or passenger-side front would be ideal. Don't forget about the center of the front end, too, like a Nissan Leaf. Though, user im_thatoneguy highlights that any driver-side location is bad for curbside charging.
Other users aren't excited about more EVs showing up at stations, while some wish this new development happened after Tesla charging stations were updated with V4 units with longer cables.
Finally, it's important to point out that some folks are saying that it has less to do with charge port location and is more about gripes for how the EVs park at the chargers.
If you're a non-Tesla owner and are excited to no longer be chained to the CCS (combined charging system) plug—which may or may not be functioning at your local grocery store parking lot—make sure to exercise a little courtesy when taking advantage of this brave new world.
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