Where's the charging port?

[doug]

Ford says left front fender is "optimal" charge port location Autoblog Green

 

[TEG]

Having the charge port in the nose of both my RangerEV and Leaf works well as my home EVSE is directly in front of the parking space.

 

[vfx]

Ford says left front fender is "optimal" charge port location Autoblog Green

Glad they don't have the power to mandate this. Though when I'm driving any ICE but my own I always have a 50 50 chance on which side is right when I pull in for gasoline. Now extrapolate that to 20 years in the future and renting a new electric. Now the port location has the added perplexity of being in the front as well as back and either side.

 

[strider]

Ford says left front fender is "optimal" charge port location Autoblog Green

Hmm. That is a good point about minor fender benders. Would be a lot more expensive if you crunch your charge port(s). Front won't work for me as I have washer/dryer and shelves in the front of the cars in my garage. Power plugs are down each wall so side is best for me. This is kind of like the early days of cars when nothing was standard - location of pedals, instruments, etc. Eventually the market will standardize and garages and charging stations will converge.

 

[roblab]

More new pictures in the gallery:

Looks somewhat like the mod I photo shopped a few weeks ago, thankyewveramuch.
But to go off topic, is that a **charge port** behind the rear door on the driver's side??
The black paint makes it hard, but I see a push button behind the door, and then something else about 4 inches further back, or maybe I am trying too hard.
I don't think I would go into a high end car dealer, though, and try to tell him I didn't like the chrome here, or the air dam there, nor where they put the gas filler. I betcha I will take it, and it looks wonderful to me!!

[Mod: Please don't go off topic. Moved to a current more relevant thread.]

 

[Todd Burch]

But to go off topic, is that a **charge port** behind the rear door on the driver's side??
The black paint makes it hard, but I see a push button behind the door, and then something else about 4 inches further back, or maybe I am trying too hard.

Good effort, but I think you're trying too hard . I've still got my money (or what will be left of it after I buy this car) on the charge ports being under a panel on the grille, like the leaf.

 

[roblab]

Good effort, but I think you're trying too hard . I've still got my money (or what will be left of it after I buy this car) on the charge ports being under a panel on the grille, like the leaf.

Can you just send me the money??? I can play with the photo with photo shop, and it definitely is a door in the rear fender going from the door back about 5 inches, about 4 inches high. I can see the chrome striker/ hinge plate, and 3 sides of the "door". I may not be able to see that well, but my computer enlarges forever. (wellll, almost). Since this isn't a Leaf, and the cord is long, I like it there. The biggest problem with RAV4EVs breaking the charge paddle / cable was that people got into the car, *thought* they started the car, dropped it out of park, and it rolled backwards. Snap! I almost did that twice. I'd appreciate seeing it as I get in, and as I look in the rearview.

Of course, this is the Alpha. The final edition may be your way.

 

[kgb]

From the TM website... but these look like the pre-alpha prototype.

 

[TEG]

Yes, those are old pictures of the demonstration prototypes. (Actually the top one is the one that drives, and the white/bottom is the 'roller' with no drivetrain.)

 

[doug]

From the TM website... but these look like the pre-alpha prototype.

The above is the same car I photographed below (with an earlier paint job):

 

[doug]

I can play with the photo with photo shop, and it definitely is a door in the rear fender going from the door back about 5 inches, about 4 inches high. I can see the chrome striker/ hinge plate, and 3 sides of the "door". I may not be able to see that well, but my computer enlarges forever....

 

[TEG]

Possibly not so well known: I had heard it had to be repainted because the silver paint got very damaged during air transit bringing it back from an auto show. I guess they figured it was time for a new color since they had to repair it anyways...

 

[tdelta1000]

The Tesla Motors video of the first "Alpha" Model S does not show a charging port that is readily visible. If you go to 1:30-1:35 of the video, there is no port on the driver side near the trunk. Again, where is the charge port?

Tesla Motors "Alpha" Model S video

 

[Todd Burch]

Haha Doug!

 

[mnx]

The consensus (across threads on this forum) is that, in the alpha, the charge port (temporarily) is somewhere inside while, in the beta and production, it's rumored to be somewhere "cool" and "gadgety" (think of the front Tesla badge popping up to reveal it or some such thing)!

Apparently it will be hidden. (kind of like the door handles). It will also be in the rear of the car on the drivers side.
From the latest blog post:

The charge port is located toward the rear of the car, on the driver’s side. The majority of charging happens at home so this is the most functional location. Similar to the door handles, the charge port door hides when not in use. It was important to me to make charging a unique experience. You’ll see on the Beta vehicles, the charge port looks nothing like a traditional fuel door.

 

[vfx]

So maybe it has been there all along. If it's nothing like anything else...

By the way. I was thinking the other day that an EV charge port has to be more robust than a gasoline port. Think about the increased use. An EV port is used ten time more than a nasty liquid fuel filler.

 

[TEG]

By the way. I was thinking the other day that an EV charge port has to be more robust than a gasoline port. Think about the increased use. An EV port is used ten time more than a nasty liquid fuel filler.

Although the EV charge port doesn't have to cope with having gasoline spilled on it frequently. Gasoline is a powerful solvent, so the materials surrounding a gas filler door needs to be fairly robust.

 

[NigelM]

An EV port is used ten time more than a nasty liquid fuel filler.

That depends on your driving habits.

 

[Tommy]

The charge port is located toward the rear of the car, on the driver’s side. The majority of charging happens at home so this is the most functional location. Similar to the door handles, the charge port door hides when not in use. It was important to me to make charging a unique experience. You’ll see on the Beta vehicles, the charge port looks nothing like a traditional fuel door.

Ok, my best guess, based on Tesla's cryptic response, is the charging port is either located behind the "B" post pillar or behind the rear quarter panel glass window. The charging port would be accessed by either part sliding back to expose the connector. I think the rear quarter panel glass would be the better location, it's not needed by the driver or passenger for visibility and the window lends itself to being blacked out. The perfect camouflage for concealing a charging port.

 

[tdelta1000]

The crash models offer even greater detail that the charge is not on the driver in the rear. Here's a shoot of two crash models.

No charging port on the rear.