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CHAdeMO adapter wait frustration

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My wife and I got our Model S about 6 weeks ago. It's a beautiful car. However, while we live in Seattle, we frequently travel to several destinations in eastern Washington state, where the charging infrastructure is not nearly as developed as it is west of the Cascades (or Sierras). On a recent trip with our gas-powered car, we made a point of checking out all the charging locations on several highways we travel frequently. To our pleasant surprise, there were many more than we expected. Unfortunately, the standard configuration at each these sites was one or more J1772 chargers, plus one fast DC charger with a CHAdeMO connector. Since Tesla does not offer a CHAdeMO adapter for the Model S, we will only be able to use the much slower J1772 chargers.

I contacted Tesla to ask when a CHAdeMO adapter would be available. I was told that whether or not one would be developed depended on how well the Model S penetrated the Japanese market, where CHAdeMO chargers apparently are standard. This seemingly reflects ignorance on Tesla's part, that there is already an extensive CHAdeMO network in the US (at least in Washington State), presumably because most electric cars including the Nissan Leaf can use that type of connection. The person on the phone also gave the standard pitch about Tesla planning to build a nationwide network of superchargers, but this ignores the fact that they haven't done so yet and have even defaulted on their previously promised time for installing superchargers on I-5 as far as the Canadian border. In addition, superchargers will likely be located only on Interstate Highways and perhaps other primary roads, and at least in the western US, recreational travel can take one a great distance from Interstates.

I don't understand the reluctance of Tesla to provide such an adapter. In the first place, access to a much larger network of fast DC charging stations than Tesla does (or probably will) provide should be a strong selling point for the Model S, since it will eliminate much of potential buyers' concern over range. Second, if Tesla owners can travel further from large urban areas, because it's easier to charge, then people living outside urban areas will be much more likely to encounter Tesla cars in person and see for themselves how superior they are - again, boosting sales for Tesla.

If you are also frustrated about the lack of a CHAdeMO adapter for the Model S, please add a comment to this thread - I'm told Tesla pays attention to these blogs and that public opinion can make a difference to their priorities.

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Mod note: Adding link to adapter to first post in this thread:
Shop Tesla Gear CHAdeMO Adapter
 
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Mitsubishi Canada located just of Hwy 401 near Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) has a free CHAdeMO charge station available.

A44CF49A-8430-43CA-A763-78D962D490B1.JPG

B1762B71-B4F4-4C83-900F-8AFDC641A478.JPG
 
I agree with most, if not all, of the OPs points. This has been lamented and discussed in several other Chademo threads here in the forum. Understand that WA's Chademo infrastructure isnt representative of the rest of the country, but it is growing. here in PHx we actually have a number of stations around town too. I can't understand why Tesla wouldn't want to offer an adapter. To me the benefits as stated by the OP far outweigh the possible cons of supporting a 'competing' standard.
 
Since the Pennsylvania Turnpike Authority has announced Level-3 DC charging stations at seventeen of its turnpike rest areas this summer, I absolutely hope Tesla will announce a CHAdeMO adapter for the Model S. These stations would allow me to drive from my house in Pittsburgh to Philly or NYC...something the Supercharger network might still not do after two years, according to where the dots lie on the proposed map.

If they want to sell cars, they need a CHAdeMO adapter. Certainly I would prefer Superchargers, which are free, but why not have the capability to do both? PA Turnpike plans to charge money for this, but have not named the price/rate.

Please Tesla, either give us a CHAdeMO adapter, or roll out 200 Supercharger stations in the next few months. But since you are already making the CHAdeMO adapter for Japan, I really hope the availability of this adapter in the US (for purchase) will be part of the "Part 4" Supercharger announcement.
 
I respectfully disagree. it's time to ratchet it up a bit, a more pointed title as this one more accurately describes the steadily increasing tension around this subject. Tesla needs to address this, it's really getting nutty for so many owners in key markets on the west coast to be sitting for hours waiting for a charge parked right next to a DC fast charger they have no adapter for. I was told last year this was just weeks/months away, I bought the car with the virtual guarantee from sales people that it was on it's way. It is clear that at least in the short run, CHAdeMO is the standard that is getting adopted in large enough numbers that it needs to be adapted to... There are already more CHAdeMO DC fast chargers in WA/OR/CA than Tesla plans to put in the entire country.

better yet, I would be ecstatic if that thing "under our nose" was a CHAdeMO plug somewhere on the car already, I can dream...

We already have a rather big topic about this, I'd suggest we continue there: Likelihood of a CHAdeMO adapter for the Model S

Keeps it all central and thus in one place for Tesla to read! :)
 
Of course, being in WA, I too would love to see a CHAdeMO adapter, but be prepared - it's gonna cost you. The Roadster to Model S adapter appears to be not much more than two connectors and a piece of cable, and it goes for $650*. I suspect the CHAdeMO adapter will require some sort of interface, and the hardware ain't cheap. For example, the CHAdeMO socket kit for the Zero electric motorcycle goes for $1,800.

As an aside, although the CHAdeMO system is spreading, to the best of my knowledge, only two production cars available in the US can use it - the Nissan LEAF and Mitsubishi iMEV. Not BMW, Ford, GM, or Toyota RAV4 (uses Tesla supplied battery and drive system).

I am seriously considering the Roadster to S adapter now that it is on the store web site.

Edit -*And, when you add sales tax and Tesla's ridiculously high shipping, it is well over $700.

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If the Leaf isn't a big hit, I'm not sure you'll see more widespread placement of the charge stations but hope they make it available.
How do you figure that? Nissan
had record high sales of Leafs in the month of March and the second highest sales month ever last month. There are several dealers on the west coast in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle who sold more Leafs than any other Nissan model. This includes my local dealer here who sold almost 2:1 Leafs to the next most popular Nissan model. http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/02/nissan-leaf-best-sales-month-2236-chevy-volt-1478/ http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/01/nissan-leaf-chevy-volt-april-2013-sales/ http://insideevs.com/nissan-dealers...-unbelievable-rate-request-additional-supply/
 
How do you figure that? Nissan had record high sales of Leafs in the month of March and the second highest sales month ever last month. There are several dealers on the west coast in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle who sold more Leafs than any other Nissan model. This includes my local dealer here who sold almost 2:1 Leafs to the next most popular Nissan model. http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/02/nissan-leaf-best-sales-month-2236-chevy-volt-1478/ http://green.autoblog.com/2013/05/01/nissan-leaf-chevy-volt-april-2013-sales/ http://insideevs.com/nissan-dealers...-unbelievable-rate-request-additional-supply/
In very limited locations.
Nissan sold 21,991 Altimas in April. Correct - 20K more of them than LEAFs.
And 11,904 Rogues. So like 10K more of them than LEAFs.
Above from: http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2013/05/usa-30-best-selling-vehicles-april-2013.html
And 7,155 Versas.
 
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with Jay Inslee in office, the west coast green highway is surely going to get more funding. Once an adapter is available, the economical thing to do is what happened at Bergerville, a bunch of us pitched in for an roadster to S adapter and a lock box with combo, making it so not everyone has to own one. the same thing could happen at prime CHAdeMO DCQC's. Ideally Tesla would, if they are smart, provide states with CHAdeMO, some adapters... much cheaper way to expand access than building even more superchargers. Who knows the WCGH folks at the DOT might just spring for some adapters with state funding or partner with Tesla, certainly they want to expand access, these are what, like $1/4 million a pop, whats another $1,500? Inslee is super hard core pro EV, i'm guessing all sorts of creative things are possible, but we need the adapter first!

Of course, being in WA, I too would love to see a CHAdeMO adapter, but be prepared - it's gonna cost you. The Roadster to Model S adapter appears to be not much more than two connectors and a piece of cable, and it goes for $650*. I suspect the CHAdeMO adapter will require some sort of interface, and the hardware ain't cheap. For example, the CHAdeMO socket kit for the Zero electric motorcycle goes for $1,800.

As an aside, although the CHAdeMO system is spreading, to the best of my knowledge, only two production cars available in the US can use it - the Nissan LEAF and Mitsubishi iMEV. Not BMW, Ford, GM, or Toyota RAV4 (uses Tesla supplied battery and drive system).

I am seriously considering the Roadster to S adapter now that it is on the store web site.

Edit -*And, when you add sales tax and Tesla's ridiculously high shipping, it is well over $700.

-
 
70,000+ Leafs/Zoe world wide, we are just passing 10,000 VINs for the Model S. I am trying to figure out how someone could state the Leaf hasn't been popular. Hasn't been popular compared to the F150/Camry sheeple but not compared to other plug-ins. In April only 163 more Model S was sold than Leafs. http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/08/carlos-ghosn-for-renault-and-nissan-70-000-evs-sold-is-just-th/

April 2013 Plug-in Electric Car Sales Numbers


Plug-in Electrics sold in the U.S. (April 2013):
7,138
Plug-in Electric Take-Rate: 0.56%


U.S. Plug-in Electric sales for April 2013


MfgrModel4-13 Sales vs. 3-13vs. 4-12CY 2013 CY 13 vs 12CY 12 US Plug-In Share
TeslaModel S*2,100 7.7%N/A6,850 N/A- 29.42%
NissanLeaf1,937 -13.4%423.5%5,476 160.4%2,103 27.14%
ChevroletVolt1,306 -11.6%-10.7%5,550 3.2%5,377 18.30%
ToyotaPrius Plug In599 -23.8%-63.8%2,952 15.0%2,566 8.39%
FordC-Max
Energi
411 -16.8%N/A1,577 N/A- 5.76%
FordFusion Energi364 23.4%N/A778 N/A- 5.10%
FordFocus EV147 -18.3%N/A566 28200.0%2 2.06%
Mitsubishii127 309.7%60.8%752 249.8%215 1.78%
ToyotaRAV4
EV
70 -47.4%N/A280 N/A- 0.98%
HondaAccord Plug In55 111.5%N/A100 N/A- 0.77%
HondaFit EV22 -4.3%N/A68 N/A- 0.31%
BMWActiveE- N/A-100.0%- -100.0%583 0.00%
SmartforTwo EV- N/AN/A2 0.0%2 0.00%
Total Plug-In7,138 -6.5%98.5%24,951 130.0%10,848 OK
Total Auto Sales1,280,776 -11.5%-8.5%4,956,253 6.9%4,637,367
Overall Plug-In Take Rate0.56%0.50%0.23%
 
Tesla may be waiting to see what moves SAE DC makes in the US (as the first public chargers with that standard will roll out this fall). Tesla's Model S connector is extremely similar to the SAE DC standard (makes sense since the Model S connector is so similar to the J1772 AC connector). I anticipate a SAE DC adapter will be around the same as the J1772 adapter (size/usage/price).

The EU already threw down the gauntlet and said they will only support IEC standards (which CHAdeMO isn't, but the Combo plug is), which means Tesla effectively no longer has to worry about making adapters for Europe (three phase support is a much bigger issue).

Washington/Oregon as can be seen in this thread, decided to go ahead with a huge investment in CHAdeMO, although page 15 of a recent presentation by the Washington DOT talking about DC chargers in both states says there will be bonus points for chargers that support both CHAdeMO and SAE for forwards compatibility:
http://www.georgetownclimate.org/sites/default/files/EV Panel-Buell-final.pdf
So I think some of the chargers along the west coast highway will be SAE capable.

In the US, only California/CARB has concrete support for SAE DC. There have not been much movement in other states, but I have look at some DC charging guidelines for various states and they do seem to be holding back on heavy investment in DC infrastructure until SAE DC is ready.
 
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Note: This post can be ignored.

--- Updated: Erroneous content has been corrected.

But if anyone is wondering; Here’s why:

Based on this quote:

[...] I contacted Tesla to ask when a CHAdeMO adapter would be available. I was told that whether or not one would be developed depended on how well the Model S penetrated the Japanese market, where CHAdeMO chargers apparently are standard. [...]

…and due to my rather limited technical knowledge I originally wrote that: ”As I understand it, Elon has said there will be a CHAdeMO adapter for the EU...”

...and pointed to the following previous posts from another thread on the forum:

Tweets from Norway (@gronnbilnorge): (translated from Norwegian):

# Tesla Model S will be able to use CHAdeMO. That's official! Elon Musk

I'm at the US ambassadors villa, Elon is speaking, CONFIRMS Chademo adapter for EU.

But as jkirkebo points out in post #21 below:

No he didn't. He said the Model S would be able to use CHAdeMO. So it might just as well be a separate CHAdeMO port instead of an unwieldy adapter.

So... Sorry. My bad...
 
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It's my understanding that CHAdeMO is not free - if you build an adapter, you have to pay a licensing fee to the Japanese consortium that controls the standard.

Since it's all Japanese cars that use CHAdeMO (the consortium is made up of Nissan, Mitsubishi, Fuji Heavy Industries (the manufacturer of Subaru vehicles), and Toyota), they get to use it for free. All others have to pay for both the charger-side and the car-side.

When Tesla does come up with an adapter, it'll be expensive.

Personally, looking at the Tesla plug design compared to CHAdeMO, CHAdeMO looks like something designed by, well, a committee.
 
Open != royalty free (a fact that has been a big deal in the smart phone wars). J1772 is royalty free (you pay $68 for a copy of the spec and you can do whatever you want with it).

CHAdeMO involves technology patented by TEPCO so there are licensing fees attached for non-founding members:
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/01/akerwade-20100115.html

And I don't think there's much movement in Open CHAdeMO (haven't been updated since last year). What's more significant is the move to get it adopted as a JIS standard (with the main goal for it to become an official IEC standard, esp. important after EU's IEC-only policy).