Tesla has always been popular among EV lovers for its constant upgrades and innovations. Tesla Superchargers are one of the fastest Electrical Vehicle battery chargers providing seamless charging functionalities and minimal charging time.
With these advancements in the EV chargers, Tesla has also been able to crack one of the largest charging locations around the United States and other sub-continents.
Along with the USA and Canada, Tesla has a wide network of Tesla Superchargers in the European sub-continent, In countries like Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, and Luxembourg, and also in the Asian Pacific region, in countries like Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong and South Korea.
Tesla Superchargers Map
Tesla has been extensively working to expand its charger locations across all the regions in which Teslas are serviceable. This map shows the regions where Tesla Superchargers are available.
You can locate the nearest charging station using this link: https://www.tesla.com/findus
Tesla Supercharger Connectors And Specifications
In the American sub-continent, Tesla uses a special proprietary EV connector. This helps to strengthen the connection between the Tesla model and the charging unit and makes it compatible with fast charging. Compared to the normal Tesla EV chargers, the Superchargers cost a bit more. But for long-distance or long road trips, Superchargers are a better solution than slow and cheap chargers.
A full charge on the Tesla Supercharger may cost around $15. It adds a range of up to 200 miles in just 15 minutes of charge. It provides up to 250kW of maximum charging rate, more than some of the advanced charging units of various car makers.
The three versions V1, V2 and the latest V3 were made by the Tesla Supercharger team with the V3 being the most active charging unit version as of now. The V3 draws a power of around 250 Kw which is enough to take any Tesla model from 0% to 100% in less than 80 minutes.
The Tesla superchargers used traditional Type – 2, 7-pin connectors while the newer versions feature a CCS2 (Combined Charging System) connector. The CCS2 is the most preferred and ideal connector for all electric vehicles and the European regions have mandated all the electric vehicle manufacturers to use the CCS2 type connector in the upcoming models.
Ford EV Chargers Vs. Tesla Superchargers
Ford charging network is known for its Level 1 Chargers, Level 2 Chargers and the DC Fast Chargers.
Level 1 chargers are the slowest. This are meant for household connections and draw around 120 volts.
Level 2 Chargers are majorly available at public locations like warehouses, grocery stores, office parking lots. They draw around 240 volts and the charging speeds are more than that of Level 1 chargers.
The DC Fast Chargers are Ford’s answer for rapid growth of the Tesla Superchargers. Just like the Superchargers, Ford’s DC Fast Chargers are ideal for long distance journeys and quick charging support.
Tesla Supercharger Network has V2 Superchargers, and V3 Superchargers running actively throught the locations.
V2 Superchargers are capable of drawing around 150 kW power while the V3 Superchargers are capable of providing up to 250 kW of power. This are the most advanced and latest chargers offered by Tesla and they reduce the charging time periods significantly. The lower versions of both the Ford chargers and the Tesla Superchargers used their own proprietary connections like the J1772 Connector for Ford and the Type – 2, 7 – Pin connectors for the Tesla.
Cost of Charging
The personal charging kit typically bought with the EVs and meant for personal use at home typically cost less and make up for the initial costs incurred while installing the setup at home.
As per Tesla’s official website data, “The Tesla Electric Home Charging Plan is an energy plan exclusively for Tesla vehicle owners to charge their vehicles overnight at home for $25 per month (just $0.83/day for a 30-day month, billed monthly). Pricing subject to change.”
The Ford Level 1 Chargers may be free or very low cost when the basic charging unit is installed a t local premises and meant for personal use. For DC Fast Chargers, The rate may vary around $47 and $65 for a full charge.
The pricing, locations and other vital information about both these brands can be found on their official FordPass App and Tesla App.
Can Tesla Superchargers Charge Other Cars
The latest V3 Versions of the Tesla Superchargers use a CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2) connectors for rapid charging of the vehicles. This can be found easily along the European countries due to the mandate for using a single connector for all kinds of electric vehicles.
In the United States, majority of Tesla Superchargers have been upgraded with the CCS2 connectors making it easy for other car brands to charge at the Tesla Supercharger locations. Any car with a valid CCS2 connector port and software compatibility for Tesla Supercharger can be charged using these chargers efficiently. Various brands like the BMW signed a deal with Tesla to allow its consumers to charge at any of the Tesla EV charging docks.
This sums up the question whether non-Tesla EVs can charge using the Tesla Superchargers or not. Any electric car with a working CCS2 port and software compatibility with the Tesla Charging module can be charged at the Tesla Charging stations throught the country.