Tesla Charge Port

[JulienW]

Because backing into parking spaces is easier than pulling in forward.

WHAT, pulling forward is WELL straight forward and ONE step. Backing in requires several steps and carful alignment. You must pass the space then shift into reverse and hope you are lined up and the car behind you isn't following too close. How may times do you have to wait on someone to back in, then pull forward and realign and then back in again. Backing in is FAR more complex and time consuming that just pulling in forward and backing out.

 

[CyberShy]

No one has really answered the question, so I will make an educated guess:

It is in the left rear most likely because the first model S was RWD. The charger and battery pack connections were located under the rear seat. To reduce HV wiring, it was placed in the back because that’s where all the HV gear was. This would have been an engineering design decision which made sense at the time.

It’s also on the left rear as opposed to right rear because that’s the side the driver exits and enters the vehicle. No need to go behind or around to get to the port.

 

[JulienW]

No one has really answered the question, so I will make an educated guess:

It is in the left rear most likely because the first model S was RWD. The charger and battery pack connections were located under the rear seat. To reduce HV wiring, it was placed in the back because that’s where all the HV gear was. This would have been an engineering design decision which made sense at the time.

It’s also on the left rear as opposed to right rear because that’s the side the driver exits and enters the vehicle. No need to go behind or around to get to the port.

We may have a winner here.

 

[lmmo]

Now someone going to put on on the front passenger side, just to be “that company.”

Audi e-tron has it on both sides.

 

[ewoodrick]

WHAT, pulling forward is WELL straight forward and ONE step. Backing in requires several steps and carful alignment. You must pass the space then shift into reverse and hope you are lined up and the car behind you isn't following too close. How may times do you have to wait on someone to back in, then pull forward and realign and then back in again. Backing in is FAR more complex and time consuming that just pulling in forward and backing out.

But backing in is significantly safer then pulling in and the backing out. Many years ago, AT&T did studies on the situation and found out that backing in was safer. This is primarily due to vision, when backing out, you can't see the area that well (backup cameras help). When you back in, you get to see the area around you much better.

If you notice the telephone trucks and cars, they will have 2 cones that they put out, one in front and one behind the car. Aside from making the car more visible, the biggest reason is that it makes the driver explicitly look at the front and rear of the vehicle before moving.

In many of the legacy AT&T parking lots for employees, they only allow back in parking. Pull in and you will get a note from security.

 

[JulienW]

But backing in is significantly safer then pulling in and the backing out. Many years ago, AT&T did studies on the situation and found out that backing in was safer. This is primarily due to vision, when backing out, you can't see the area that well (backup cameras help). When you back in, you get to see the area around you much better.

If you notice the telephone trucks and cars, they will have 2 cones that they put out, one in front and one behind the car. Aside from making the car more visible, the biggest reason is that it makes the driver explicitly look at the front and rear of the vehicle before moving....

Don't disagree but the poster said "easer" not safer and easer it is NOT. Also now with backup cameras and blindspot warning (assume the 3 has this, in my ELR I get seat vibration and red arrow on the backup screen pointing towards oncoming cars or pedestrians) backing out is about as safe as pulling out.

 

[srs5694]

But backing in is significantly safer then pulling in and the backing out. Many years ago, AT&T did studies on the situation and found out that backing in was safer. This is primarily due to vision, when backing out, you can't see the area that well (backup cameras help).

I'd say the caveat about backup cameras is significant, and similar caveats apply to proximity-detection sensors. I'm not saying that the results would be different if run today in a modern car, but they might be. It'd be interested to see that study repeated in a modern car with a good backup camera and proximity-detection sensors.

I also wonder whether "safety" refers to things like running over pets and children, or if it would also include running into the car in the next parking spot. Whenever I back into a spot, I feel very nervous about the latter possibility.

 

[Fernand]

Backing up to a supercharger I still have not fully worked out how far to go back enough, i end up getting out and checking because the car needs to go OVER the wheel stops and I'm still not sure - the distance reading is to obstacles at what height? It would be nice if they spelled that out somewhere, why should everyone have to run their own tests?

 

[woodguyatl]

Every spot has issues but the left rear is not ideal.
The debate about parking spots front forward or rear facing will never be resolved. IMO front is faster and that wins out over anything.

But - the undeniable - IMO - most people pull front forward into garage and it is almost always easier to install a plug on the wall opposite the garage door than in the garage door.
Second - street side charging. In the US we park with the right side to the curb on 2 way streets. So if it is sided - it should be on the right. I parked at a curb side 4 days ago - thankfully a super long cord but clunky to have it draped over the car. I am staring at my garage trying to figure the best place to put the plug. We just went from a Leaf to a 3. Right now I just park the 3 in the S's spot once a week. Backed in.
I knew the Leaf was short lived when we built but there is no logical place to put the plug. I will probably move it to the ceiling and come up with a hanging system. Ridiculous. 2 car garage. I back the S in - makes sense with our drive but the other side make sense to pull in forward.

Good point on the street parking issue.

My wife parks on the left side of the garage. The Wall Connector is mounted on the left wall a total of 3 feet from the charge port. Plugging is easy and on the way as she enters and exits the garage through the garage door. YMMV.

 

[Dmagyar]

Audi e-tron has it on both sides.

Curious how many infrastructure charging stations they’ve (Audi) had installed?

 

[lmmo]

Curious how many infrastructure charging stations they’ve (Audi) had installed?

They are investing in IONITY in Europe, which is very far from what Tesla already has with its Superchargers.

Launch of Pan-European High-Power Charging Network IONITY