Tesla is already a big car company. They have been selling cars for years, and now the technology has advanced to the point where they can produce their own batteries, engines, and drivetrains. Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) is working with several other companies to create a fast charging network called "Superchargers," which can deliver up to 135 kW of electricity up to four miles from your home or office. This is good news for those who live in apartment buildings and have not yet been able to charge their cars, even if there is a Supercharger nearby. There are currently 882 Supercharger installations worldwide, 510 of which are in North America. According to Tesla, about 30 Supercharger stations can cover 99% of the needs of California drivers. There are currently 1,734 Tesla vehicles sold in North America (about 60% of global sales).

Tesla charging stations can also charge other manufacturers' electric cars, but you'll need a converter to do so. In this blog, we've explained what you need, what to look for, and what equipment alternatives are available on the market.

So what happens if you have an electric car other than a Tesla? If you have such a charger nearby, you can use it for free, right? Not necessarily: there are two networks, Blink and ChargePoint, designed to allow chargers to communicate with each other. However, both networks charge for their use.

Local Market

This time we'll focus on the North American market. Charging standards are different in Europe, and Tesla has different connectors. Tesla's own connectors are not used on all Tesla vehicles sold in Europe, so the charging experience will be very different from North America.

The exception to the J1772 rule

We're not talking about using Tesla's fast charging station, the Supercharger. Only Tesla vehicles can use the Supercharger, and there are no adapters for using the Supercharger on non-Tesla EVs. Tesla has been accused in the past of trying to open up its Supercharger network to other electric vehicles, but no such announcement has been made. Source: udel.edu

Possible Applications for J1772 adapter

Tesla's J1772 connector can be used to charge a Tesla vehicle on a less powerful Tesla charging station, which is especially useful for EV owners of other models who can't use Supercharger charging stations.

Consider a scenario where you already own a Tesla car and have previously installed a wall charger in your garage. By purchasing a J1772 Tesla adapter, you will be able to charge your Chevy Bolt from an outlet. If you only charge your Tesla at home, you can still charge it normally from a mobile outlet.

 

With the Tesla-J1772 adapter, you can also use the existing J1772 adapter with your Tesla. Thousands of Tesla Destination charging stations can also be used with this adapter. Tesla Destination chargers are Tesla wall outlets installed in hotels, parks, resorts, restaurants and supermarkets around the world.

Not all locations have Tesla WallJack or J1772 charging stations, but some do. Tesla Destination Charging Stations are usually located on private property, and you should always get permission from the administration before plugging in. Source: energy.gov

J1772 adapter options

There are currently several options for Tesla to J1772 adapters. We will look at two well-known brands, TeslaTap and Lectron and to see which one is better. Both brands offer adapters of the type that connect the Tesla side to the J1772 side. The new line of TeslaTap J1772 adapters includes the MINI model, which has no cable and is smaller than the previous model.

The adapters can deliver up to 40 amps, are available in white and black and cost from $150.

The TeslaTap MINI is also available in 40, 80 and 50 amp versions, priced from $200 respectively, and is available on the company's website. The appeal of the MINI is that it has no extra features compared to the standard model and is easy to store. It's small and compact. The adapter ranks near the top of the comparison chart. Source: Mike Becker, evadept.com.

Write in the comments what you think. Are you currently using any of these adapters? Do you use them now and would you recommend them to others?

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This Article Penned by Ben