What will Tesla do if...

[LevelHeaded]

It eventually becomes mandated in the US (like other geos) that all EVs use standard charging connectors? Seems like upgrading the supercharger network would be quite difficult, even at its current size.

Using this proprietary charging connector is one of many plays I wish they hadn’t ripped straight from Apple’s book!

 

[Monkey]

Tesla's connector is no more proprietary than any of the other connectors out there. In fact it's less proprietary as they openly and freely license their standard. As they have by far the largest and most capable charge network in the US (as well as most everywhere else), it really would make little sense for the US government to mandate any other connector standard. IMO, the only connector that makes just as much sense, would be the same connector already adopted by the EU. In an attempt for a global standard. If they pick any other connector, it means corporate interests played too big a role in dictating the newly decided standard.

So if it does happen and it becomes a plug other than what Tesla is currently using, I would assume new cars would simply come with the new plug. Existing vehicles would use an adapter. For vehicles that are currently in production where they can offer correct parts, we'd have the option to retrofit the new charge port. We may see a time where new cars include both ports to help ease the transition.

 

[user212_nr]

The U.S. already has a de-facto standards which is the J1772 connector. Tesla provides an adapter for J1172 with the car.

The J1772 is an unsightly connector and it does not have the ability to handle supercharging. It will probably be replaced by some other standard and this will result in a fragmented charging situation. It has to be paired with CCS/Chadmo for L3 charging, and neither of those is yet a standard.

Seems like upgrading the supercharger network would be quite difficult, even at its current size.

Tesla has the resources to build this network, and it is still necessary at this point. The proprietary networks are too expensive and the government is not helping.

 

[MXLRplus]

We are a country of people who only have enough government to insure our freedom. The government would not think of limiting our freedom of choice or what we can do with our cars.

Opps! I had dozed off and was dreaming. Sorry.

 

[CyberGus]

Using this proprietary charging connector is one of many plays I wish they hadn’t ripped straight from Apple’s book!

Hey, don’t hate on Apple. They used the same connector for a decade from the original iPod to the iPhone and iPad. Every other portable device and phone at the time used a unique and proprietary cable.

 

[mycroftxxx]

Hey, don’t hate on Apple. They used the same connector for a decade from the original iPod to the iPhone and iPad. Every other portable device and phone at the time used a unique and proprietary cable.

And they've been using the Lightning connector for about as long. It will likely get replaced by USB-C in the next couple of years, but it's a very capable connector and continues to be light-years better than Micro USB.

If I need to use an charging adapter in the future for my MY, so be it; not particularly worried. More likely that public charging stations will support the Tesla connector too.

 

[MXLRplus]

Hey, don’t hate on Apple. They used the same connector for a decade from the original iPod to the iPhone and iPad. Every other portable device and phone at the time used a unique and proprietary cable.

My Dell Streak (2010) had µUSB charging, µSD card expansion memory, directory structure, quick swap batteries, and a large screen (twice the area of the iPhone 3). The 2010 i3 used a strange arse connector that defied all common logic. I had one of each.

The Streak failed in the marketplace. You can only sell innovation to people if you can convince them to buy it.

 

[CyberGus]

Hey, I just figured out I could charge my phone quickly with a Supercharger! The extra wattage really mak:”-‘dkk^ >~~‘no€,%+^%
‘’’’’>>>>
~
~

 

[LevelHeaded]

Tesla's connector is no more proprietary than any of the other connectors out there.

So you’re saying Chevrolet and Ford are free to build their EVs with the Tesla charging connector? Without licensing anything from Tesla? Methinks not.

 

[CyberGus]

So you’re saying Chevrolet and Ford are free to build their EVs with the Tesla charging connector? Without licensing anything from Tesla? Methinks not.

Why the Auto Industry Should Consider Tesla’s Supercharger Network

 

[MP3Mike]

Using this proprietary charging connector is one of many plays I wish they hadn’t ripped straight from Apple’s book!

They didn't have a choice. At the time they started making cars there wasn't a standard that met there needs. There was only CHAdeMO which is a horrible connector and was limited to ~62 kW, and there wasn't much of an installed base. CCS wasn't ratified yet. So they made their own sleek connector that could charge much faster than CHAdeMO.

Note: They were able to retrofit CCS connectors on all of their EU Superchargers in a reasonable amount of time, so they could do that if necessary. But I don't see the US government mandating a required connector. (Like Europe and China have done. Which of course are different standards.)

 

[Monkey]

So you’re saying Chevrolet and Ford are free to build their EVs with the Tesla charging connector? Without licensing anything from Tesla? Methinks not.

No. I said that Tesla's connector is no more proprietary than any of the others out there. In retrospect that is actually a poorly conveyed statement. With the possible exception of the IEC Type 2 connector (EU Standard), Tesla probably has the least proprietary connector out there as they have openly and freely licensed it. So yes, Ford, Chevy, or whomever wants to can use it. They do have to license it, free of cost, as part of Tesla's base tech licensing pack. To put it bluntly, adopting Tesla's charge port and connector interface is easier than adopting a license to integrate USB ports. Yet no one else wants to use it because they all want their own.

I should add to that the connectors themselves are open without specific license. The package license includes the charge port and DC converter (onboard charger) tech.

 

[rxlawdude]

The government would not think of limiting our freedom of choice ...

Your right to freedom ends when you become the COVID-19 equivalent of Typhoid Mary. (I'm inferring from your posts that you don't want to wear a mask in public.)

 

[MXLRplus]

Your right to freedom ends when you become the COVID-19 equivalent of Typhoid Mary. (I'm inferring from your posts that you don't want to wear a mask in public.)

You are full of carp when you state I don't wear wear a mask in public. I provide masks for everyone, my staff, my customers, and my family and friends. At any given time, there is box of surgical masks in each of our 6 cars/trucks, our lobby and our shipping area. Even though our lobby is still closed, masks are stored there if anyone needs to grab some.

I'm surprised you don't know that, because from my reading, you know everything.

But to the real point: A gang of 200 people can seize your property (~Seattle), but people can't attend church. Covid is political germ warfare. Whatever damage it does in real life is only a subset of the damage it causes for political purposes.

 

[CyberGus]

You are full of carp

Mmmmmm carp

 

[rxlawdude]

Covid is political germ warfare. Whatever damage it does in real life is only a subset of the damage it causes for political purposes.

Got Paranoia?

 

[Matsayz]

This thread went to “carp” quick but one point to add about Tesla giving out their patents for stuff.... the way they did that was if any company, say Ford, wanted to use them then they could for free.99 but by doing so, Ford would never be allowed to sue Tesla for anything down the road. So sure go ahead and use it for free but you can’t ever sue us for something from here on out. So of course no company or board of exec’s would ever agree to using those free patents because they always want the option to sue in case Tesla copied them or whatever.

^this was my layman’s interpretation from reading about the free patents Tesla offered up to everyone