Tesla Chargers - Reach issue

[penndavis]

background, I've never had an EV. I'm getting my first one (R1S) next week so I'm understandably excited and researching and trying to learn as much as I can. I've seen people talking about Tesla Charging stations and how the location of the charging port on the R1S prevents you from parking in the right spot at Tesla Charging station because the cord doesn't reach. This again is not based on any experience Ive had, I'm just imagining myself being in the situation these threads discuss. Are NACS extension cables a thing? can they be used in these situations? or is this really not an issue? thanks.

Sponsored

 

[VandalSibs]

Tesla's own "Non-Tesla Supercharging" page tells you what to do if the cable doesn't reach your charging port. If someone gives you gruff, tell them that you are following Tesla's instructions on how to use the site.

Regarding NACS extension cables.... some exist, but Tesla does not recommend them. They don't have the proper cooling that the cables on-site have, and at best that would limit your charge rate.... and at worst could damage your vehicle, the station, or both.

That all being said, in my experience things have never been an issue. No dirty looks and I've never had to take two spots, even with a charging pedestal that is off-center. Heck, even when towing my trailer at one of the sites I didn't have to unhitch. I was blocking normal parking spots, but the lot was pretty much empty so that wasn't an issue.

 

[NeedSumCoffee]

There is no issue. You just take up 2 spots for 20 minutes and then go on about your day.

Extension cables technically don’t exist, but they are a scam. Tesla charger cables are water cooled and monitor temperature. Extension cables don’t have any of those safety features and are more likely to do more harm than good to your vehicle.

 

[beatle]

That all being said, in my experience things have never been an issue. No dirty looks and I've never had to take two spots, even with a charging pedestal that is off-center. Heck, even when towing my trailer at one of the sites I didn't have to unhitch. I was blocking normal parking spots, but the lot was pretty much empty so that wasn't an issue.

It's true that you can avoid taking an additional charging stall if you pull in perpendicular to the parking spots on the far left, or if you park to the spot immediately to the right of the far right charging stall. There is also sometimes a "pull in" charger on the left where you can pull in and just stick out into the lot a bit if you're not blocking traffic. Otherwise you're always going to take up two spots.

 

[VandalSibs]

Weird - I've made it work (used the St. Regis, MT charger twice a few weekends ago - at two different stalls!). Maybe the pedestals were not as un-centered as I thought they were.

 

[schwartz83]

Tesla's own "Non-Tesla Supercharging" page tells you what to do if the cable doesn't reach your charging port. If someone gives you gruff, tell them that you are following Tesla's instructions on how to use the site.

Regarding NACS extension cables.... some exist, but Tesla does not recommend them. They don't have the proper cooling that the cables on-site have, and at best that would limit your charge rate.... and at worst could damage your vehicle, the station, or both.

That all being said, in my experience things have never been an issue. No dirty looks and I've never had to take two spots, even with a charging pedestal that is off-center. Heck, even when towing my trailer at one of the sites I didn't have to unhitch. I was blocking normal parking spots, but the lot was pretty much empty so that wasn't an issue.

I have dozens of charges at Tesla Superchargers. Not once has a Tesla driver said anything or given me the side eye. Most, if anything, just want to chat about the truck. That said, in more cases than I expected,I've been able to use a charger that didn't require me to block another charger.

 

[beatle]

Maybe they've gotten better/longer. I've had to stretch the SC cable just to reach my Model S charge port on the "correct" side.

V4 SCs have extra long cables that should reach the Rivian charge port if parked in the spot in front of the pedestal.

 

[SANZC02]

background, I've never had an EV. I'm getting my first one (R1S) next week so I'm understandably excited and researching and trying to learn as much as I can. I've seen people talking about Tesla Charging stations and how the location of the charging port on the R1S prevents you from parking in the right spot at Tesla Charging station because the cord doesn't reach. This again is not based on any experience Ive had, I'm just imagining myself being in the situation these threads discuss. Are NACS extension cables a thing? can they be used in these situations? or is this really not an issue? thanks.

Not that big of a deal, the new Tesla V4 chargers are plenty long enough to reach. Some chargers are double stacked where you can park on both sides and they reach fine. They have other stations, Destin FL is one where the chargers are centered in the stall and easily reach.

In the middle of the country I rarely pulled into a Supercharger station that was over half utilized. In places like California it can get tough as stations are pretty busy but there are usually other networks nearby that can be used.

 

[BeanEW]

No issue, most of the times. The extension cable is not realized yet and I don't see it coming soon.

At a 40+ SC Tesla site, you can park and charge at any spot, no complaints.
At a 12- site, I usually find the spot on the far right with some space next to the right side, or I would pull into the handicap spot diagonally, Tesla drivers can accept that over taking up two spots. If no luck, then I forced into taking up two spaces.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

background, I've never had an EV. I'm getting my first one (R1S) next week so I'm understandably excited and researching and trying to learn as much as I can. I've seen people talking about Tesla Charging stations and how the location of the charging port on the R1S prevents you from parking in the right spot at Tesla Charging station because the cord doesn't reach. This again is not based on any experience Ive had, I'm just imagining myself being in the situation these threads discuss. Are NACS extension cables a thing? can they be used in these situations? or is this really not an issue? thanks.

A2Z has been working on a NACS DC extension cable for a long time. It has yet to released for sale. State of Charge YouTube channel did a hands-on review of a prototype and interviewed A2Z owner and engineer in that video.

The problem with extension cable:

• Bulky and over $300.
• Once Supercharger sites get updated to longer cables or V4 (which have longer cables), this $300 accessory is obsolete.
• More cable length = more resistance = more heat = compromised charge rate
• Tesla's own guidance to its non-Tesla NACS Partner patrons is this: You may take up no more than 2 spots to charge your non-Tesla EV. https://www.tesla.com/support/charging/supercharging-other-evs#cable

Red lines mean "don't do this", or other patrons will shoot daggers from their eyes:

Repeating what I said today in another thread... If you have to take up two spots to charge, and there is no way to avoid it, don't worry about it. It's not your problem Tesla opened up sites that were never ever designed to support (and take $ from) non-Teslas. It's their problem. Not yours. If you want to be nice and it's possible to legally* park on the opposite side of the charger, or there is room next the charger at first or last of row of chargers, for cable to reach and avoid blocking two chargers, go for it. If you want to be extra nice, you could get a cheap collapsible orange cone to put in the space you've rendered unusable.

*This is defined differently by some

 

[2kwik4u]

It's true that you can avoid taking an additional charging stall if you pull in perpendicular to the parking spots on the far left, or if you park to the spot immediately to the right of the far right charging stall. There is also sometimes a "pull in" charger on the left where you can pull in and just stick out into the lot a bit if you're not blocking traffic. Otherwise you're always going to take up two spots.

Like this:

Also, hopping a curb and pulling into the "back side" of the chargers is possible. I do this on holiday weekends when chargers get busy, or if getting ICE'd.

 

[schwartz83]

Not that big of a deal, the new Tesla V4 chargers are plenty long enough to reach. Some chargers are double stacked where you can park on both sides and they reach fine. They have other stations, Destin FL is one where the chargers are centered in the stall and easily reach.

In the middle of the country I rarely pulled into a Supercharger station that was over half utilized. In places like California it can get tough as stations are pretty busy but there are usually other networks nearby that can be used.

Yeah - the vast majority of.my charges are in middle America and aren't full very often. Usually no more than one or two being used.

 

[ndmiller]

Never had an issue if I just thought about it before I charged. Front side, side side, back side, diagonal are all good ways explained earlier. I've even pulled up a curb once to avoid blocking chargers, an easy feat in an R1T.

 

[Dark-Fx]

A2Z has been working on a NACS DC extension cable for a long time. It has yet to released for sale. State of Charge YouTube channel did a hands-on review of a prototype and interviewed A2Z owner and engineer in that video.

The problem with extension cable:

• Bulky and over $300.
• Once Supercharger sites get updated to longer cables or V4 (which have longer cables), this $300 accessory is obsolete.
• More cable length = more resistance = more heat = compromised charge rate
• Tesla's own guidance to its non-Tesla NACS Partner patrons is this: You may take up no more than 2 spots to charge your non-Tesla EV. https://www.tesla.com/support/charging/supercharging-other-evs#cable

Red lines mean "don't do this", or other patrons will shoot daggers from their eyes:

Repeating what I said today in another thread... If you have to take up two spots to charge, and there is no way to avoid it, don't worry about it. It's not your problem Tesla opened up sites that were never ever designed to support (and take $ from) non-Teslas. It's their problem. Not yours. If you want to be nice and it's possible to legally* park on the opposite side of the charger, or there is room next the charger at first or last of row of chargers, for cable to reach and avoid blocking two chargers, go for it. If you want to be extra nice, you could get a cheap collapsible orange cone to put in the space you've rendered unusable.

*This is defined differently by some

If @A2ZEV is a reputable company, and they claim to be, they will never sell an extension. Every connection increases the resistance, regardless of the quality of the cable or connector.

If it's an active cable, it's going to require an external power source. Could even be a 9V battery or something. It's still going to have to be enormously thick to allow the full current that a Tesla station can provide. The fun part for me? This means losing the "advantage" that Tesla NACS has over CCS, because the cable will have to be stupidly unwieldy to be functional.

Tesla should have just prioritized changing their compatible stations over to V4, like Rivian has been doing for their 1.5 stations. I'm glad RJ didn't decide to just fire the entire RAN team.

 

[VandalSibs]

There was a very brief time where Tesla mentioned an extension cord for supercharging on the Non-Tesla Supercharging page. Think it lasted for a week, then disappeared. Hasn't been mentioned since.

If Tesla isn't gonna make one, I wouldn't trust any third party version.

Sponsored