A lot of people wonder when researching home electric car charger options which is the best option for their household. If you have a Tesla, you’ll have to get a Tesla car charger that’s specific to Tesla. But what if you have other electric vehicles in your household? You might wonder if the Tesla car charger will work for those other electric cars.
The short answer… Some Tesla car chargers will charge some non-Tesla vehicles
AC chargers
Until a few years ago, Type 1 plugs were the main type of charger used by electric vehicles. Nowadays, Type 2 is usually the standard. Tesla Model S and X are equipped with the Type 2 socket and can be charged with any Type 2 electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), not just the Tesla branded ones.
That being said, older electric vehicles can’t use a Tesla AC EVSE without an adaptor.
Tesla AC EVSEs are all Type 2 plugs but they’re often set to charge only Teslas. They can be changed out of that mode and are capable of charging most* electric vehicles from other manufacturers. If you’re thinking about installing a Tesla charger at home, make sure to speak with your electrician about ensuring your Tesla car charger is set to “legacy” mode. In this setting, it should be able to charge any electric car in your household.
*Some older electric vehicles aren’t compliant with the modern Type 2 plug so they won’t work.
DC chargers
You might have heard of Tesla “Superchargers”. These are simply a fast charging DC EVSE system.
They’re equipped with a similar Type 2 plug but unlike the AC EVSE, they can’t be used with other electric vehicles, only Tesla.
A Tesla Supercharger (DC EVSE) isn’t the option you should consider if you have non-Tesla electric vehicles in your household. It is a great option if you only have Tesla models and are looking for a charger that can provide you with a fast, efficient charge.
Installing a Tesla car charger
If you’re ready to install a Tesla car charger in your home, give A-Abel electric a call. Our experienced electricians can help point you in the direction of what EVSE is right for you and your individual needs. Avoid the hassle of having to drive to a gas station every time you need a little juice. Learn more about having your own in-home Tesla car charger, today!
