Will US Tesla work in Europe?

[Galve2000]

As for people say, it would be a good idea to get the long type 2 charging cables for the DC and non-tesla charging stations, if Supercharger is not available, and some people said they have used regular charger more than Chademo, but Chademo can come in handy.

What kind of charging speeds are you getting on a NA-spec Tesla from a type 2 charger? is it limited to 3.68 kW (230 V x 16 Amps) because its single phase? or can you get 7.36 kW (230 V x 32 Amps) out of these chargers. this is something i'm always confused about.

in Greece most modern homes are 3 phase and provide max 16 amps (at a large fraction of 480 V) . since a NA spec car cannot "utilize" more than 1 phase, I fear I might be limited to 16 Amps instead of 32 at 230 V, which is roughly 12 miles/hr of range rather than 25.

 

[Candleflame]

- No service from Tesla (US parts don't ship to the EU, they don't service out-of-region cars)
- No Supercharging (uses different plug)
- No 3-phase AC charging (US Tesla's have a single phase plug, mainland Europe uses 3-phase power. Charging will be mostly limited to ~ 4 kW).
- No navigation, as US maps are loaded onto the car.
- Autopilot will most likely be wonky, due to different road regulations. eg. speed limits will not be available.
- Stuff like Homelink won't work, as US uses a different frequency than the EU
- EU CHAdeMO chargers are hard to find and limited to ~ 43 kW with the Tesla adapter. CCS is rapidly becoming the standard here. So your DCFC options are very limited.

All in all, bad idea. Just sell the US car and buy a (used) EU car.

US Model 3s can supercharge in europe with an adapter. There are few imports which get driven -i .e. nextmoves model 3.
You just need a type 1 to type 2 adapter for normal charging and a CSS adapter which apparently some guy in Austria makes.

Navigation can be patched in by Tesla if you ask them nicely. They have a US FORCES software which gives you european maps.

 

[Paulteamblue]

Sorry to jump on this thread. I own a Model 3 which I love. I am planning to retire to Portugal in six months, and I would like to take my car with me. It's primarily financial, my car cost be about $30k, and a Model 3 in Portugal cost US $60k. My question is: is there any service in Europe who can convert my car to EU standard so it will charge easily?

 

[Candleflame]

Sorry to jump on this thread. I own a Model 3 which I love. I am planning to retire to Portugal in six months, and I would like to take my car with me. It's primarily financial, my car cost be about $30k, and a Model 3 in Portugal cost US $60k. My question is: is there any service in Europe who can convert my car to EU standard so it will charge easily?

Sell your car and buy yourself a second hand Model 3 in Europe. It's not worth it and remember that ownership is also a lot more expensive in Europe. you may also have to pay important tax etc.

Bare in mind that you will have to tear your tint off (maybe portugal does allow some tint but it wont be as low as the usa one) and you have to get your tail lights converted and the car needs to be inspected before it can be used - all which costs money.

For charging you just need a type 1 to type 2 adapter and as far as I know theres somewhere you can buy a custom adapter to charge via CCS. Maybe ask the guys from the nextmove youtube channel, they have an american model 3.

You won't get any maps. Tesla used to provide a temporary EU software for military but afaik more recently they have refused and I dont know if they offer this service at all to normal people - bit weird but it is how it is.

 

[Paulteamblue]

my car is worth $30,000 in the US. I don't mind paying for some tail lights and a CCS port. A new Model 3 in Portugal will cost €48,000. So seriously, if I can get the charge port and tail lights converted for $10,000 I will be happy. I plan to keep this car for five years. I think the map thing taken care of.

 

[Candleflame]

my car is worth $30,000 in the US. I don't mind paying for some tail lights and a CCS port. A new Model 3 in Portugal will cost €48,000. So seriously, if I can get the charge port and tail lights converted for $10,000 I will be happy. I plan to keep this car for five years. I think the map thing taken care of.

Jesus Portugal IS quite pricey.... I think I payed like 54k for my stealth performance in australia and that includes the much hated luxury car tax and NO incentives here.

That said,
Keep in mind that the 48k is driveaway (sales tax etc is all included in euroe) but does not include any grants (portugal is a bit meh but you get like 3k from the EU so its 45k)
And if your car is worth 25k euros then you will also have to pay around 3k euros to ship it over to europe and if tesla is happy to convert the car you then have to spend another i.e. 5k euros at least.

Your car will basically be worthless when you sell it in 4 years but the new SR+ european model 3 will still sell for like 30-35k depending on how well you look after it.

This is all assuming that Tesla is happy to do a conversion for you with european maps and taillights.

It just doesnt quite make economical sense, in particular because you get a NEW SR+, not a second hand one which will be considerably cheaper. Moreover, given that you are american and probably travel a bit you could buy a second hand SR+ i.e. in Germany where they are cheaper and drive it over to portugal and re-register it there which is reasonably straight forward.

 

[Paulteamblue]

I was also thinking after a couple of years I could either A) spend $3,000 to ship my car to NY and trade it in to Tesla, or B) sell it for a reasonable price gray market to a nice guy from Eastern Europe for unmarked bills....

 

[Candleflame]

I was also thinking after a couple of years I could either A) spend $3,000 to ship my car to NY and trade it in to Tesla, or B) sell it for a reasonable price gray market to a nice guy from Eastern Europe for unmarked bills....

thats not that easy.

 

[Candleflame]

What kind of charging speeds are you getting on a NA-spec Tesla from a type 2 charger? is it limited to 3.68 kW (230 V x 16 Amps) because its single phase? or can you get 7.36 kW (230 V x 32 Amps) out of these chargers. this is something i'm always confused about.

in Greece most modern homes are 3 phase and provide max 16 amps (at a large fraction of 480 V) . since a NA spec car cannot "utilize" more than 1 phase, I fear I might be limited to 16 Amps instead of 32 at 230 V, which is roughly 12 miles/hr of range rather than 25.

you are not getting 480V from 3 phase. The 480V just describes the voltage between phases which is irrelevant for (i think) anything but rotational work i.e. motor.. what matters is the speed at which the electrons get pumped into your car and thats 230V in europe. 3 phase just saves copper because you can make the individual cables thinner and only need 1 neutral and ground for however many cables you want at the cost of the phases having to be balanced.

European spec teslas can charge either 1 phase 230V x 32A or 3 phase 230V x 16A.
USA spec teslas can charge at 1 phase 110V x 64A. But remember that the charger can handle anything up to 260V so USA pseudo 2 phase 220V x 48A is also possible.

In the australian outback I have seen up to 252V. So thats pretty sick because at 16A three phase the car will charge at 12.5kw.

 

[Galve2000]

European spec teslas can charge either 1 phase 230V x 32A or 3 phase 230V x 16A.

Yes but what about North American Spec Teslas in Europe. it sounds like they would be limited to 230 V x 16 amps b/c if it is pulling 1 phase of 480 V at 16 Amps, it would be limited to 16 amps.. which is super slow and very prohibitive. like I said in my post above, most homes are wired for 3-phase at 16 amps, which sounds like it would be limiting for a North-America speced Tesla.

 

[Candleflame]

Yes but what about North American Spec Teslas in Europe. it sounds like they would be limited to 230 V x 16 amps b/c if it is pulling 1 phase of 480 V at 16 Amps, it would be limited to 16 amps.. which is super slow and very prohibitive. like I said in my post above, most homes are wired for 3-phase at 16 amps, which sounds like it would be limiting for a North-America speced Tesla.

most homes are not wired for 3 phase in europe.
An American spec tesla would charge at 230V single phase 32A in europe. Which is what most domestic ppl charge at as many people dont have three phase at home (usually the only reason a house has 3 phase is solar).

thats really just a limitation of the european tesla charger which does not go up to 48A. You could technically bring an american one with you and then you get 64A (or 48A on the model 3) but not sure if the typical fuse in european household circuit brakers is set up for 48A as you usually go 3 phase if you need that much power.

 

[Galve2000]

most homes are not wired for 3 phase in europe.

I misspoke.. both my homes in Greece are wired for 3-phase power. I had originally thought that my summer home (constructed in the early-90s) was single-only, but it turns out that it too is wired for 400 V 3-phase at 16 amps.

 

[Candleflame]

I misspoke.. both my homes in Greece are wired for 3-phase power. I had originally thought that my summer home (constructed in the early-90s) was single-only, but it turns out that it too is wired for 400 V 3-phase at 16 amps.

strange. Maybe a bit of overkill from the greek builders? Or maybe solar panels are popular and 3 phase saves quite a bit of copper? The 400V only applies when connected to a magnetic device i.e. an induction motor. For electricity you just have 230V.

 

[Szczur333]

usa model 3 internal charger is single phase 11kW and you can charge with 240x 48a, but you need proper evse and also breaker (in poland usually be have 3x25 or 3x 32a breakers, simetimes 3x40, rarely its 3x63a, so 7,2kw will be max in most cases, still you charge overnight easily

 

[Szczur333]

usa model 3 internal charger is single phase 11kW and you can charge with 240x 48a, but you need proper evse and also breaker (in poland usually be have 3x25 or 3x 32a breakers, simetimes 3x40, rarely its 3x63a, so 7,2kw will be max in most cases, still you charge overnight easily

Main advantage of eu specs car is 3phase internal charger so for 11kw charging 3x20-25A breaker will be Enough


ps about november 2020 all model 3s from usa has disabled supercharing, i hear hack cost about 1200euro but its no warranty if tesla not disabling it again over time

 

[ArielRein]

- No service from Tesla (US parts don't ship to the EU, they don't service out-of-region cars)
- No Supercharging (uses different plug)
- No 3-phase AC charging (US Tesla's have a single phase plug, mainland Europe uses 3-phase power. Charging will be mostly limited to ~ 4 kW).
- No navigation, as US maps are loaded onto the car.
- Autopilot will most likely be wonky, due to different road regulations. eg. speed limits will not be available.
- Stuff like Homelink won't work, as US uses a different frequency than the EU
- EU CHAdeMO chargers are hard to find and limited to ~ 43 kW with the Tesla adapter. CCS is rapidly becoming the standard here. So your DCFC options are very limited.

All in all, bad idea. Just sell the US car and buy a (used) EU car.

Most realistic answer here. Thanks!

 

[Galve2000]

Main advantage of eu specs car is 3phase internal charger so for 11kw charging 3x20-25A breaker will be Enough


ps about november 2020 all model 3s from usa has disabled supercharing, i hear hack cost about 1200euro but its no warranty if tesla not disabling it again over time

Are you sure this is not simply the cost of the adapter?

 

[MovedOn121]

Most realistic answer here. Thanks!

Going on almost 3 years now with my model 3 here.

Service depends on the service center. I have had them service my car, and install hw3 (given a loaner too.)
Supercharging IS possible with a 3rd party adapter. I have traveled all over Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Italy without issue.
He is correct on 3 phase and Nav. I use Google maps on my phone and haven't had any issues.
Autopilot works great, I have had 0 issues. 90% of my road trips on the autobahn are done on autopilot.
I have seen plenty of Chademo plugs, a lot of public chargers use them. I have hit 46kw on them, but for a few mins max.

My supercharging still works as of yesterday, so that's a big no on them disabling supercharging for cars. No one else in this area has had their US Spec cars supercharging disabled either.

 

[Candleflame]

Going on almost 3 years now with my model 3 here.

Service depends on the service center. I have had them service my car, and install hw3 (given a loaner too.)
Supercharging IS possible with a 3rd party adapter. I have traveled all over Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Italy without issue.
He is correct on 3 phase and Nav. I use Google maps on my phone and haven't had any issues.
Autopilot works great, I have had 0 issues. 90% of my road trips on the autobahn are done on autopilot.
I have seen plenty of Chademo plugs, a lot of public chargers use them. I have hit 46kw on them, but for a few mins max.

My supercharging still works as of yesterday, so that's a big no on them disabling supercharging for cars. No one else in this area has had their US Spec cars supercharging disabled either.

just out of interest, did you have to have a rear foglight installed and did you have to get the service centre to put orange blinkers/tailights in?

 

[MovedOn121]

just out of interest, did you have to have a rear foglight installed and did you have to get the service centre to put orange blinkers/tailights in?

None of the above. My car was shipped here by the military and thanks to being under SOFA status, none of that was required.