Now that Superchargers are being opened to other car manufacturers, do you think those companies will (eventually) start putting their cars' charge ports on the front right or rear left so that they don't take up two spaces?
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Will Other Car Companies Standardize Charge Port Location?
- Thread starter PianoAl
- Start date
davewill
Active Member
Possibly, although I think we will also see longer cables to help with the situation. The other makers are VERY unlikely to make those kinds of changes until they do a major model refresh. It's just too expensive to make those kinds of body panel and wiring changes.
I was on a road trip over the weekend and ran into a Mach-e owner charging at a Supercharger. He had one of the Ford adapters. He said he was part of a test group that had been testing it over the last several weeks. I had pulled in next to him, not noticing that he was using "my" plug. We had a nice chat. He explained that he was only going to be a few minutes as he was only "testing", so I just waited for him to finish.
He was parked in the last charging space, but the way the spaces were laid out, parking in the normal space next to it didn't allow him to get close enough plug in. He explained that at the V4 superchargers, he has a little more lattitude, but the cables still aren't long enough to let him park in the correct space.
I was on a road trip over the weekend and ran into a Mach-e owner charging at a Supercharger. He had one of the Ford adapters. He said he was part of a test group that had been testing it over the last several weeks. I had pulled in next to him, not noticing that he was using "my" plug. We had a nice chat. He explained that he was only going to be a few minutes as he was only "testing", so I just waited for him to finish.
He was parked in the last charging space, but the way the spaces were laid out, parking in the normal space next to it didn't allow him to get close enough plug in. He explained that at the V4 superchargers, he has a little more lattitude, but the cables still aren't long enough to let him park in the correct space.
We can only hope they do what you suggest in a fairly timely manner. When a Chevy bolt pulls in and parks two spaces to the right of the pictured Mustang (for convenience and to minimize the chance of door bashing), that is when the fun starts. The Bolt will take about the same time to charge as a Chicago Cold Gated Tesla.
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I agree with Dave above in that it would take a long time before other manufacturers got around to that major of a refresh to change the port location. By that time there should be enough other ( hopefully working) L3 chargers that the traffic at Tesla will be less. Plus unless Tesla changes their pricing for non-Tesla which currently is $0.10 - $0.15 more per kWh than what Tesla owners pay then there wouldn't be the usage level to make them change the location.
Just thinking out loud, I realize this is impractical and there's no incentive for it's production, but I'll just say it:
Extension cord.
Extension cord.
Ask and you shall receive (not yet shipping): https://a2zevshop.com/collections/u...cts/tesla-nacs-dc-supercharger-extension-cord
The newer superchargers (with the skinnier cords) have liquid cooling built in as part of the dispenser hardware. So if an extension cord were to be used, for safety's sake, the dispenser would have to detect it and de-rate the charging session appropriately to prevent overloading/overheating of the original Tesla skinnier cord connection...
Why? Presumably the extension cord is much thicker since it won’t be liquid cooled. Each cord would be able to handle the rated current.
Hard to see from the photo in the link you posted (I've been watching that product for a while myself), but I have concerns that what is pictured would be able to handle 600-700 amps for any length of time (250kW at 350 to 400 volts)...Would love to get my hands on one to see what the limitations are, though...
If the site is semi full, then you won’t be able to charge without it.
Ah, yes. I've been thinking in terms of them blocking us, but if course we block them as well.
$300 for the cord now. I wonder how much it could come down.
E90alex
Active Member
There’s no standard gas filler location so I don’t think there needs to be a standard charge port location. It’s should be the responsibility of the charge point operator to make the posts compatible with the most number of EVs (eg Tesla needs to install V4 dispensers with longer cords).
A charge port on the left side is also not ideal for potential future street parking with charging posts in LHD countries. And most people suck at backing up.
Ideally there would be one on each side. Or at least an L2 AC port on the passenger side for street side charging.
A charge port on the left side is also not ideal for potential future street parking with charging posts in LHD countries. And most people suck at backing up.
Ideally there would be one on each side. Or at least an L2 AC port on the passenger side for street side charging.
As you point out, the difference is that the gas hoses can reach to either side. I've assumed that the short cables on Tesla chargers result in a substantial savings to Tesla. True?
IIRC gas hoses were not always that long, hence cars with random left or right side inlets. In any case, since fill ups don't take more than a few minutes, it's a different paradigm.
The street-side charging is an angle I hadn't thought of. However, I'm assuming that longer cables in that situation, as in destination charging, aren't a prohibitive expense. That is, street charging equipment could have cables that reach to the other side of the car.
bradtem
Robocar consultant
The car would not take up 2 spaces if it parked on the right hand side of the bank, and in particular, Tesla could force that by refusing to let it activate charging in anything but the right most stall available. (If that stall is broken the user could say they need another.)
E90alex
Active Member
It’s not so much the cable length issue. In Europe people have to bring around their own cables. The EVSE is just a post without a built in cable.
But with charge ports on the drivers side and cars parallel parked on the street, the charge handle would be sticking out into traffic thereby reducing room for traffic and cyclists and increasing chance of damage if someone in traffic hits the charge handle or cable.
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