Help Requested: Review of Draft Table on Current Tesla-Charging Ports/Plugs--Use in Mainland China

[tps5352]

I have prepared a comparative table of the current types of Tesla vehicle charge connectors (ports and plugs) used in three key market areas of the Tesla car world—mainland China, North America, and Europe. I believe the primary charge port standards used there are, respectively, (a) Guobiao/Tuijian (GB/T), (b) Tesla Proprietary Connector (TPC), and (c) Type 1 (Mennekes) and Combined Charging System (CCS) Combo Type 2 equipment.

As promised, the soon-to-be-completed table has been placed in the Tesla: Company, Tech, & Related: Supercharging & Charging Infrastructure area, here: Tesla Charge Ports & Plugs of the World Compared.

 

[miimura]

Older S&X had the European Type-2 port behind the tail light cover. There were adapters to GB/T AC and GB/T DC available for those cars. The North American TPC port was never used in China.

Your note about NEMA AC Adapters makes no sense because those sockets don't exist there. However, I don't know what is/was actually supplied with the cars in PRC.

 

[tps5352]

Older S&X had the European Type-2 port behind the tail light cover. There were adapters to GB/T AC and GB/T DC available for those cars. The North American TPC port was never used in China.

Very helpful information. So for Model S (& X?) in China I guess there have been three versions?

1. Single ♂ Type 2 (European) port (earliest version; under rear-corner lens)? Tesla GB/T A/C and D/C adapters available.
2. Single ♀ Type 2 GB/T port (under rear-corner lens)?
3. Dual ♀ D/C & A/C GB/T ports (farther forward, under a painted door, on rear side of car)

For Model 3 in China there have been two version, I believe: Single Type 2 GB/T and (now) dual GB/T A/C & D/C ports.

In comparison, European Models S & X and 3 have also undergone charging-port changes involving Type 2 (Mennekes) and CCS Combo 2 ports and adapters, as Tesla confronts increasing numbers of non-Tesla electric cars and charging stations (using the CCS Combo 2 standard) in Europe.

Your note about NEMA AC Adapters makes no sense because those sockets don't exist there. However, I don't know what is/was actually supplied with the cars in PRC.

Good observation. My error. I must have been looking at the Taiwan Tesla webpage (which is the kind of mistake that could easily result in an international incident ).

I will re-assess whether to even mention adapters meant for use in (A/C) wall outlets. Instead, perhaps I should limit my focus only to adapters which allow charging cables to attach to car ports.

 

[miimura]

My understanding of what happened in China is that S&X went straight from only Type-2 at the tail light, so a sheet metal cutout door with both GB/T AC + DC. I don't think there was ever a GB/T at the tail light.

I also believe that Model 3 and Model Y had the GB/T AC + DC ports under the big flap from their first sales in the China market.

You mentioned Europe also. My understanding is that S&X have only ever had the Type-2 socket at the tail light, with CCS Combo2 adapter introduced later, with ECU upgrade required for older vehicles. Model 3 and Model Y have had CCS Combo2 natively since their European market introduction.

 

[tps5352]

My understanding of what happened in China is that S&X went straight from only Type-2 at the tail light, so a sheet metal cutout door with both GB/T AC + DC. I don't think there was ever a GB/T at the tail light.

I also believe that Model 3 and Model Y had the GB/T AC + DC ports under the big flap from their first sales in the China market.

You mentioned Europe also. My understanding is that S&X have only ever had the Type-2 socket at the tail light, with CCS Combo2 adapter introduced later, with ECU upgrade required for older vehicles. Model 3 and Model Y have had CCS Combo2 natively since their European market introduction.

Thanks for this help.

Tracing development of connectivity in China and Europe has been somewhat challenging. Best for the table to focus primarily on current conditions (with history just in footnotes?).

 

[miimura]

I think dual cables would be a better solution for North American universal Supercharger access, but Tesla said that they will provide adapters at Superchargers for other North American cars to charge.

 

[tps5352]

I think dual cables would be a better solution for North American universal Supercharger access, but Tesla said that they will provide adapters at Superchargers for other North American cars to charge.

OK.

TeslaTap sells TPC (Tesla Proprietary Connector)-to-J1772 adapters (so you can charge a non-Tesla car using a Tesla wall or mobile connector), but those do not work at superchargers. I guess Tesla will supply a (new) TPC-to-CCS Combo1 adapter? Interesting.

 

[miimura]

OK.

TeslaTap sells TPC (Tesla Proprietary Connector)-to-J1772 adapters (so you can charge a non-Tesla car using a Tesla wall or mobile connector), but those do not work at superchargers. I guess Tesla will supply a (new) TPC-to-CCS Combo1 adapter? Interesting.

The TeslaTap adapters have the correct TPC socket, but don't have the DC CCS pins. A passive CCS adapter for this purpose is necessarily wired differently than a TeslaTap because CCS uses dedicated AC pins and DC pins while TPC uses common AC/DC pins.

 

[tps5352]

I have placed the full table in the Supercharging & Charging Infrastructure forum area, as per Post #1 above.

 

[tps5352]

Older S&X had the European Type-2 port behind the tail light cover. There were adapters to GB/T AC and GB/T DC available for those cars. The North American TPC port was never used in China.

Your note about NEMA AC Adapters makes no sense because those sockets don't exist there. However, I don't know what is/was actually supplied with the cars in PRC.

I found what I think is another discrepancy: Were CHAdeMO adapters ever offered by Tesla in mainland China?

They are (or were) sold in Taiwan, and Alibaba lists a (European version) CHAdeMO adapter. But I cannot find a reference for Tesla selling them for mainland China. There is no CHAdeMO adapter listed on the Tesla-China site right now. (But in North America there used to be one but now it is removed.)

 

[miimura]

I don't believe there were ever CHAdeMO chargers installed in mainland China.