As of today, Rivian EV owners can charge at Tesla superchargers…with an adapter.

[DonTom]

"Rivian owners now have access to Tesla Superchargers"​

See here.


-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Tom]

"Rivian owners now have access to Tesla Superchargers"​

See here.


-Don- Auburn, CA

Don't know much about them, but saw several Rivians plugged into charge stations at Oakland airport yesterday, as we walked to the BART connector. We were just surprised to see so many. Didn't stop, and couldn't tell you if they were Tesla chargers.

 

[DonTom]

Didn't stop, and couldn't tell you if they were Tesla charger

A quick check on Plugshare shows many charge stations at the Oakland airport but no chargers (AC charge stations are often incorrectly called chargers).

They are J-1772 charge stations. Use them on anything regardless of make, as they use the charger inside the vehicle which will normally accept any AC voltage from 90 to 250 VAC in. EV cars usually have 12KW AC chargers (both of mine), so it will take hours to go from a low charge to a high charge on an 80 KWH battery, even with 240 VAC. Days with 120 VAC--which will work at the airport for those travelling.

But the Oakland Airport uses 3.3 KW, 240 VAC charge stations. Very slow. Only double of what a 120 VAC outlet will do. But this will work great for those travelling for a few days or longer. No fines when fully charged up, which makes sense at an airport. Free to use no matter what after paying for the $24.00 per day parking.

In this case, Tesla needs the adapter. My Chevy Bolt does NOT. But it's a cheap adapter just so it fits, doesn't change anything.

In 2018, when I purchased my Tesla. it came with this adapter and many more for various AC outlets. AFAIK, Tesla no longer does, they now try too hard to keep the price of the car down.

At the Oakland Airport, you pay for expensive parking. The charge comes with the deal.

BTW, I have even seen Class B RV ICE vehicles using a J-1772 for house power. They have an adapter for 14-50R which you can use with a 30-amp adapter for whatever needed.

So you can even power up your RVs with J-1772 if you can find the room. But you will probably want more than 3.3 KW. Some go as high as 18KW, even higher than 12KW. Such as the 70-amps here (17 KW).

The capacity of these J-1772 charge stations very like crazy. But plug in a 12KW EV into a 3KW charger, no problem. A "Control Pilot" from the charge stations forces the EV charger to go down to whatever the charge station can handle. So my 12KW charger than becomes a 3.3 KW charger even at 240 VAC.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Tom]

A quick check on Plugshare shows many charge stations at the Oakland airport but no chargers (AC charge stations are often incorrectly called chargers).

They are J-1772 charge stations. Use them on anything regardless of make, as they use the charger inside the vehicle which will normally accept any AC voltage from 90 to 250 VAC in. EV cars usually have 12KW AC chargers (both of mine), so it will take hours to go from a low charge to a high charge on an 80 KWH battery, even with 240 VAC. Days with 120 VAC--which will work at the airport for those travelling.

But the Oakland Airport uses 3.3 KW, 240 VAC charge stations. Very slow. Only double of what a 120 VAC outlet will do. But this will work great for those travelling for a few days or longer. No fines when fully charged up, which makes sense at an airport. Free to use no matter what after paying for the $24.00 per day parking.

In this case, Tesla needs the adapter. My Chevy Bolt does NOT. But it's a cheap adapter just so it fits, doesn't change anything.

In 2018, when I purchased my Tesla. it came with this adapter and many more for various AC outlets. AFAIK, Tesla no longer does, they now try too hard to keep the price of the car down.

At the Oakland Airport, you pay for expensive parking. The charge comes with the deal.

BTW, I have even seen Class B RV ICE vehicles using a J-1772 for house power. They have an adapter for 14-50R which you can use with a 30-amp adapter for whatever needed.

So you can even power up your RVs with J-1772 if you can find the room. But you will probably want more than 3.3 KW. Some go as high as 18KW, even higher than 12KW. Such as the 70-amps here (17 KW).

The capacity of these J-1772 charge stations very like crazy. But plug in a 12KW EV into a 3KW charger, no problem. A "Control Pilot" from the charge stations forces the EV charger to go down to whatever the charge station can handle. So my 12KW charger than becomes a 3.3 KW charger even at 240 VAC.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Charge stations or chargers, who gives a hoot if I want to charge my EV?

 

[DonTom]

Charge stations or chargers, who gives a hoot if I want to charge my EV?

It depends if you want to charge up in 15 minutes instead of 15 hours.

No such thing as a fast AC charge. DCFCs go direct to the battery, bypassing the charger inside the vehicle and perhaps a 250KW charge instead of (as at the Oakland Airport) 3.3 KW.

So many will "give a hoot".

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Tom]

It depends if you want to charge up in 15 minutes instead of 15 hours.

No such thing as a fast AC charge. DCFCs go direct to the battery, bypassing the charger inside the vehicle and perhaps a 250KW charge instead of (as at the Oakland Airport) 3.3 KW.

So many will "give a hoot".

-Don- Auburn, CA

Why not call them slow charge or fast charge? I'm a EE, so understand the difference, but will the average Joe know or care?

 

[DonTom]

Why not call them slow charge or fast charge? I'm a EE, so understand the difference, but will the average Joe know or care?

I knew you would know the difference, that why I was a bit more technical in that message.

I guess it's just my hangup that I like to use the correct names. . . .but Confucious would agree with me:

"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.” ― Confucius

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Viajeros]

Why not call them slow charge or fast charge? I'm a EE, so understand the difference, but will the average Joe know or care?

With AC chargers the onboard charger is used. AC charging is L1 (120 volt) and L2 (240 volt).

With DC fast chargers (or superchargers) the onboard charger is bypassed and the DC fast charger charges the battery directly.

That’s why AC chargers are commonly called charge units and DC chargers are called…well…chargers.

Heads up. L2 charge units are also called (in a technical setting) EVSE’s or Electric vehicle supply equipment. This is an EVSE or charge unit commonly found in millions of home garages and driveways across North America. This is ours. All it really is is an extension cord with a smart safety relay controlled by the data feed from the car. And they come free with most (not all ) EV’s. Otherwise they cost anywhere from 200 to 1000 bucks depending on options. Ours is plugged into a stove plug but they can be hardwired as well.

Hope that helps.

 

[DonTom]

Why not call them slow charge or fast charge?

What would you call it when the J-1772 is NOT being used to charge anything at all?

IYO, the guy I saw at Grass Valley, CA in a Class B van, perhaps parked for overnight, using a J-1772 for HOUSE power, would you call that a "charger" ?

Well, perhaps he did have a converter in there.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Tom]

... I like to use the correct names. . . .but Confucious would agree with me:

"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.” ― Confucius

Are those two different guys, or the same guy with two different names?

 

[DonTom]

EVSE’s or Electric vehicle supply equipment.

That's really the accepted correct name for such stuff, but I don't like calling it such because it doesn't exactly specify what the equipment is, such as a "charge station".

I wonder where the term "EVSE" first came from. I have heard it many years ago and thought it was a rather stupid term to use since then.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Tom]

At the Oakland Airport, you pay for expensive parking. The charge comes with the deal.

I was curious about the cost, and read this on Chargepoint's site:

"Bay Area EV owners now have another reason to choose OAK for their air travel needs. ChargePoint stations are located in OAK’s Premier Lot, located directly opposite the terminals. There is no additional fee for EV charging. Parking rates are priced competitively at $3.00 per 30 minutes for up to 5 hours, and $36.00 for 5 to 24 hours."

Ouch on the price of parking. Based on the location, these were the ones we walked by en route to the BART connector. I wondered about the folks who wanted/needed a charge, but couldn't because available stations were being hogged by folks who'd flown out of town for a few days and who's EV had already fully charged.

We used our Senior Clipper cards and paid $5 for the ride from the Coliseum to Antioch. Even when I flew for a living and occasionally used OAK, I'd usually park offsite and take the shuttle to the terminal; My better half found the latter option when she used to fly out of OAK.

 

[DonTom]

I wondered about the folks who wanted/needed a charge, but couldn't because available stations were being hogged by folks who'd flown out of town for a few days and who's EV had already fully charged.

Were they all being used when you went by them?

Some places installed their EV charge stations when there was a lot less EVs on the road than today. Back then, they were rarely used. Some of these places never added any and now are often all busy all day and sometimes all night long (some Reno casinos on a Friday night for an example).

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Tom]

Were they all being used when you went by them?

Some places installed there EV charge stations when there was a lot less EVs on the road than today. Back then, they were rarely used. Some of these places never added any and now are often all busy all day and sometimes all night long (some Reno casinos on a Friday night for an example).

-Don- Auburn, CA

I wasn't paying a lot of attention, more concerned about making it to the BART connector with my still-healing stiff and painful knee; Chris kept having to stop and wait for me.

I sensed that only some vehicles in that row were 'plugged in', but couldn't tell you if or how many vehicles were parked unplugged in slots having charging stations. Only paid attention to the Rivians because Chris commented on their unusual shape/design and asked what brand they were; I could only tell because they had 'Rivian' decals in/on their headlights. Then I noticed the charging cables and it registered that these were EVs.

 

[Viajeros]

That's really the accepted correct name for such stuff, but I don't like calling it such because it doesn't exactly specify what the equipment is, such as a "charge station".

I wonder where the term "EVSE" first came from. I have heard it many years ago and thought it was a rather stupid term to use since then.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Agreed.

 

[Skookum]

It needs to be simplified further. This is aimed at a public that has extreme difficulty parking between painted lines most days.

 

[DonTom]

This is aimed at a public that has extreme difficulty parking between painted lines most days.

My Chevy Bolt makes parking very easy. The backup camera automatically switches from front to rear as I am parking. Back in or head in park perfectly every time.

I don't know why Tesla cannot do that as it as the front cameras also, just no way that I know of to view them.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

Are those two different guys, or the same guy with two different names?

Sometimes I think this forum adds or removes letters to my words in my posts. They are perfect until posted and then they change. Usually after they can no longer be edited.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Skookum]

I think the headline is misleading in this case again. Rivians could charge at Tesla stations before this was announced. Just like Fords could. And BMW's. The difference, I think you described, Don, was now all of the "approved" outsiders can just plug in without any additional rigamarole? The payment is already handled?

 

[Tom]

Sometimes I think this forum adds or removes letters to my words in my posts. They are perfect until posted and then they change. Usually after they can no longer be edited.

-Don- Reno, NV

There's no way the forum software does that. If it's any consolation, I'm a poor typist, and what's worse is that I can't catch my own errors (other folks' typos jump off the screen at me, but not my own). It doesn't matter which site I'm on, or if I'm typing a document for printing. I always have to come back later and review what I typed and correct my errors.