Garage to small to reach charging port

[kevla]

Hey!

I test drove a Model 3 yesterday and loved it. We drove it home to put in the garage as part of the test because we weren't sure it would fit. It does. Just.

However, I had a sudden realisation today that we will have trouble plugging the thing in. Our garage is also the entrance to our house (there's a separate gate beside the garage door and path up the side) and the car is tight to the front back and one side. This means we need to reverse in so that we can actually get out the driver's door but that puts the charging port against the other wall (I'm in the UK so it's a RHD)

Now, of course, I have no car to test with so I was wondering if anyone had experience with solving this problem.
The questions I have are:

• If I drive it in front first, this would mean clambering over to the passenger side to get out. How difficult is that?
• If I reversed it in, would it possible to reach the port and plug it in from the rear window if I hand the cable somewhere within reach?
• I know the car isn't supposed to move when plugged in but is there a way to override this so I could leave space to walk round the back, plug it in and then reverse it the last couple feet?
• Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[fholbert]

• I can’t imagine climbing over the center console twice a day. A M3 is small.
• Reaching the charge port from the back window is impossible.
• Never heard of being able to move the car when it’s plugged in. If you found a way to override that feature it would be an accident waiting to happen, especially with RHD.
• Sounds like you’d have to charge it in the driveway or use a commercial charging station.

 

[Sophias_dad]

I think this is a prime use of smart summon! Get out of the car and have the car pull itself in.

 

[rwiegand]

1) get a longer wire, or
2) move the charger outlet

 

[Cosmacelf]

How often do you drive and when do you think you’ll be charging? You could do something like park it partially in the garage when you need to charge.

 

[kevla]

I think this is a prime use of smart summon! Get out of the car and have the car pull itself in.

That would be perfect... except it won't plug itself in

 

[fholbert]

Thinking out of the box.

Could you cut an access hole in the wall so you could plug in from outside the garage? These access hole doors are commonly used for plumbing access.

 

[kevla]

How often do you drive and when do you think you’ll be charging? You could do something like park it partially in the garage when you need to charge.

Yeah. I did think about this. The only issue is the other things in the garage I don't want to get nicked

 

[kevla]

Thinking out of the box.

Could you cut an access hole in the wall so you could plug in from outside the garage? These access hole doors are commonly used for plumbing access.

View attachment 984631

Nice idea. Unfortunately there's no parking outside the garage.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Nice idea. Unfortunately there's no parking outside the garage.

No, the idea is you park in the garage, then access the port via the hole in the garage while standing outside it.

 

[davewill]

That would be perfect... except it won't plug itself in

But you could have it park nose in, which would give you access to the charging port while the door was open.

Another idea, WAYYY outside the box, would be to open the boot, crawl into that area by folding the rear seats down, and plug from there. If it were a Model Y, that might even be reasonable, but then it wouldn't fit in the garage, would it?

I can't really imagine relying on either method on a daily basis. Can you explain better why you can't park nose in against the other wall so you could still get out? Maybe a picture or two would spark some ideas.

 

[Rocky_H]

Can you explain better why you can't park nose in against the other wall so you could still get out?

The problem is that this is a right hand drive car. So it would need space on the right side of the car to open the driver's door, and ALSO need space on the left side of the car because that's where the charging port is. The problem in this scenario is that the car can be pulled in various ways to give space on only one side or the other, but not both.

 

[Lance From Jax]

That would be perfect... except it won't plug itself in

Someday kevla, someday ​

 

[RayK]

Sounds like that the only way to solve this problem, and still keep the Tesla, is to move to a place that has a bigger garage....

 

[Lance From Jax]

Nice idea. Unfortunately there's no parking outside the garage.

This is a great idea! Can you create an access window or small door that is on the side of the garage right outside the charging port? Pull in, get out walk around to the outside of the garage, open the small door, plug in. You would want to mount your wall charge on the outside of your garage but that's ok.

 

[Lance From Jax]

Like so

 

[brkaus]

Sounds like this is a case for wireless charging. I don’t think any are commercially available yet though.

 

[davewill]

The problem is that this is a right hand drive car. So it would need space on the right side of the car to open the driver's door, and ALSO need space on the left side of the car because that's where the charging port is. The problem in this scenario is that the car can be pulled in various ways to give space on only one side or the other, but not both.

If that was all it was, he could park nose in against the left hand wall, get out and plug it in while standing behind the car with the garage door open. There seems to be some reason he can't park against that side of the garage.

 

[Rocky_H]

If that was all it was, he could park nose in against the left hand wall, get out and plug it in

If it is against the left hand wall, the charging port is against the wall, and can't fit the plug sticking out. I think you're not picturing how tight this is.

 

[dcfas]

If it is against the left hand wall, the charging port is against the wall, and can't fit the plug sticking out. I think you're not picturing how tight this is.

Charger can be installed on other side. Cable is long enough on the wall connector.