Can I use the Tesla chargers?

Is there any way we Spark EV owners can use a Tesla charger out on the road? Any adapter? Or perhaps a ChaDaMo charger adapter? I'm thinking not, but... maybe.

Sadly no. The Tesla cable is unique to Tesla and there is no adapter that goes from Tesla to J1772. Tesla has there own adapter that allows them to use J1772 to Tesla, but it doesn't go both ways. Also their superchargers require authentication and is not compatible with our CCS port at all.

No.

Chaconzies is correct.

This why guides like http://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3643 are helpful along w/pics like http://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5012#p5012.

The connector at the end of their EVSEs (these are NOT chargers): http://shop.teslamotors.com/products/high-power-wall-connector and http://shop.teslamotors.com/collections/model-s-charging-adapters/products/model-s-mobile-connector-bundle is proprietary to Tesla.

In North America, that same connector is used for Supercharging (and yes, the external units for this use case ARE chargers).

Spark EV has J1772-2009 for L1 and L2 AC charging and pins for optional DC FCing, Combo1 version of SAE Combo aka CCS.

There are currently no known adapters that allow SAE Combo equipped vehicles to use a CHAdeMO DC FC.

We will have a Tesla to J1772 adaptor this fall.

TonyWilliams said:

We will have a Tesla to J1772 adaptor this fall.

Click to expand...

Thought I had read this at some point here over the last few months. Would this be a fast charge? As I understand it, Tesla basically uses two 240v outlets, or something.

Tony, with CCS charger installs in Europe storming ahead at Supercharger pace, is Tesla planning more DC-FC adapters? They could probably wait a few years for the CCS-Type1 adapter, but the CCS-Type-2 adapter would already be as easily marketable as the CHAdeMO adapter. At some point, China will need their own adapter too. Adapters for all standards seems like a Tesla thing to do, but I haven't heard any comments about follow up adapters. I can't imagine why one standard would be more difficult to implement as an adapter than another.

Obviously, with the CHAdeMO adapter being marketable on 3 continents already they had their priorities.

ezryder said:

TonyWilliams said:

We will have a Tesla to J1772 adaptor this fall.

Click to expand...

Thought I had read this at some point here over the last few months. Would this be a fast charge? As I understand it, Tesla basically uses two 240v outlets, or something.

Click to expand...

It will be an adaptor for the Tesla AC chargers (typically at Tesla service centers and hotels).

Tesla Supercharger (DC) will not be offered, unless Tesla agrees to sell licenses for use (not likely, except for auto manufacturer level).

FutureFolly said:

Tony, with CCS charger installs in Europe storming ahead at Supercharger pace, is Tesla planning more DC-FC adapters? They could probably wait a few years for the CCS-Type1 adapter, but the CCS-Type-2 adapter would already be as easily marketable as the CHAdeMO adapter. At some point, China will need their own adapter too. Adapters for all standards seems like a Tesla thing to do, but I haven't heard any comments about follow up adapters. I can't imagine why one standard would be more difficult to implement as an adapter than another.

Obviously, with the CHAdeMO adapter being marketable on 3 continents already they had their priorities.

Click to expand...

I seriously doubt that Tesla is working on other DC adaptors in the near term. The CHAdeMO one was a real challenge for them, and frankly, no other standard comes close to CHAdeMO for worldwide deployment.

TonyWilliams said:

ezryder said:

TonyWilliams said:

We will have a Tesla to J1772 adaptor this fall.

Click to expand...

Thought I had read this at some point here over the last few months. Would this be a fast charge? As I understand it, Tesla basically uses two 240v outlets, or something.

Click to expand...

It will be an adaptor for the Tesla AC chargers (typically at Tesla service centers and hotels).

Tesla Supercharger (DC) will not be offered, unless Tesla agrees to sell licenses for use (not likely, except for auto manufacturer level).

Click to expand...

Thanks. For anyone who doesn't understand this, this doesn't mean the charging will happen any quicker than a normal Level 2 charger. Bummer. But, better than nothing when you need a charge and there's only a Tesla station nearby.

TonyWilliams said:

We will have a Tesla to J1772 adaptor this fall.

Click to expand...

This will allow Tesla cars to charge at DCFC stations, correct? But will not allow the Spark EV to charge at Tesla supercharger stations, right?
Thanks,

DarrenDonovan said:

This will allow Tesla cars to charge at DCFC stations, correct? But will not allow the Spark EV to charge at Tesla supercharger stations, right?
Thanks,

Click to expand...

No I don't think so. Tony said only AC, meaning that this will connect to the Tesla Mobile connector and HPWC EVSE, not the superchargers. It will allow a non-tesla (J1772) car to use Tesla MC and HPWC to charge. So in our case if we went to someone's house that had a tesla we could plug the adapter in and charge using their evse, though it would be limited to 3.3kw since the spark charges much slower than the tesla.

DarrenDonovan said:

TonyWilliams said:

We will have a Tesla to J1772 adaptor this fall.

Click to expand...

This will allow Tesla cars to charge at DCFC stations, correct?,

Click to expand...

Huh? Tesla Model S cars can charge at http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger if equipped w/Supercharger access. The 85 kWh models include that for "free".

http://shop.teslamotors.com/collections/model-s/products/chademo-adapter (shipping now in the US, has been shipping for months in Japan) allows Model S to use CHAdeMO DC FCs.

ezryder said:

TonyWilliams said:

We will have a Tesla to J1772 adaptor this fall.

Click to expand...

Thought I had read this at some point here over the last few months. Would this be a fast charge? As I understand it, Tesla basically uses two 240v outlets, or something.

Click to expand...

Re: bolded part, NO!!!

Tesla Model S comes with a single 10 kW on-board charger, as do the Tesla-based Rav4 EV and Mercedes B-Class ED.

The Model S can be equipped with a 2nd 10 kW OBC, which enables them to charge at up to 19.2 kW on 80 amp 240 volt EVSEs (e.g. http://shop.teslamotors.com/products/high-power-wall-connector on a 100 amp circuit or http://www.clippercreek.com/store/product/charging-station-cs-100-high-power/ on a 100 amp circuit)

Tesla Superchargers per http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger can deliver up to 120 kW.

Most CHAdeMO DC FCs deployed in the US tend to be 44 or 50 kW units.

DarrenDonovan said:

TonyWilliams said:

We will have a Tesla to J1772 adaptor this fall.

Click to expand...

This will allow Tesla cars to charge at DCFC stations, correct? But will not allow the Spark EV to charge at Tesla supercharger stations, right?
Thanks,

Click to expand...

This is strictly AC charging, via any car's J1772 port.

Nothing to do with DC (CHAdeMO, SAE-CCS-Combo1, Supercharger, etc)

Chaconzies said:

DarrenDonovan said:

This will allow Tesla cars to charge at DCFC stations, correct? But will not allow the Spark EV to charge at Tesla supercharger stations, right?
Thanks,

Click to expand...

No I don't think so. Tony said only AC, meaning that this will connect to the Tesla Mobile connector and HPWC EVSE, not the superchargers. It will allow a non-tesla (J1772) car to use Tesla MC and HPWC to charge. So in our case if we went to someone's house that had a tesla we could plug the adapter in and charge using their evse, though it would be limited to 3.3kw since the spark charges much slower than the tesla.

Click to expand...

We turn that ^^^^ above into something that operates like this:

DarrenDonovan said:

TonyWilliams said:

We will have a Tesla to J1772 adaptor this fall.

Click to expand...

This will allow Tesla cars to charge at DCFC stations, correct? But will not allow the Spark EV to charge at Tesla supercharger stations, right?
Thanks,

Click to expand...

I "think" it means you can charge your Spark at a Tesla Level 2 station.

Tony, this new adapter will be compatible with my new Jesla?

I have it on some fairly good authority that one doesn't actually even NEED all the electronics in an EVSE. Technically, you could just use a plug and a J1772 connector. Anyone want to refute this?

ezryder said:

I have it on some fairly good authority that one doesn't actually even NEED all the electronics in an EVSE. Technically, you could just use a plug and a J1772 connector. Anyone want to refute this?

Click to expand...

Is this a test, like the question, "When did you stop beating your wife?"

brunoylupe said:

Tony, this new adapter will be compatible with my new Jesla?

Click to expand...

If you're a JESLA owner, congrats! If you want to use your JESLA to charge something besides your Spark EV (or any other J1772 car), you will need the current Tesla supplied adaptor ($95 from Tesla) to charge a Tesla Model S/3/X.

Our new adaptor is the reverse. It will allow a Tesla AC charge station to charge a Spark EV or other J1772 equipped car.

ezryder said:

I have it on some fairly good authority that one doesn't actually even NEED all the electronics in an EVSE. Technically, you could just use a plug and a J1772 connector. Anyone want to refute this?

Click to expand...

Nope, not if the vehicle wanted to be J1772 compliant.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4898
http://code.google.com/p/open-evse/wiki/J1772Basics - the pilot w/a certain duty cycle is emitted by the EVSE and the car's OBC must comply by drawing no more than the corresponding amperage
http://www.sae.org/smartgrid/chargingprimer.pdf - slides 10 and 11 are key here. The J1772 handle and the cable between it and the EVSE are not live unless commanded by the vehicle and not interrupted (e.g. by the vehicle or by pulling the trigger).

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4056

BTW, if you care... see http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=11474 along with Ingineer's responses like http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=264924#p264924 and http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=265220#p265220. Ingineer (aka pEEf on Priuschat) is EXTREMELY knowledgeable and is the guy behind evseupgrade.com.