I charged a Chevy at Tesla Superchargers for every week. It was a breeze however got here with one large disadvantage.

• GM’s electrical autos acquired entry to Tesla Superchargers final month.

• The expertise of charging a non-Tesla at a Supercharger was just a little awkward.

• For the primary time driving an electrical Chevy, I did not expertise any vary nervousness.

For the higher a part of every week, I used to be the lone Chevy at my native Tesla Superchargers.

GM autos had solely just gained access to the sprawling network days earlier than, and the corporate had supplied me with a NACS adapter without cost (Chevrolet homeowners must organize them for $225), so I wasn’t anticipating it when one other Chevrolet Equinox EV pulled up throughout from me.

I watched an older man get out and tinker with the charging twine, strolling backwards and forwards from his automotive to the stall. Earlier than I may provide to assist, a flock of Tesla homeowners amassed to troubleshoot with him.

In the end, he did not have the adapter he wanted, however I used to be pleasantly shocked to see the Tesla homeowners welcome him and encourage him to return as soon as he had the adapter.

After spending the week worrying that the Tesla homeowners had been judging me and questioning what a Chevy was doing on their turf — or worse, assuming I used to be crowding up their area — I used to be relieved to see the standard camaraderie extended to us outsiders.

Entry to Elon Musk’s charging community is the newest enchancment GM has made to charging entry for electrical car homeowners. GM additionally just lately introduced an growth of its public charging community with EVgo, teasing new GM Energy-branded charging hubs that appear to be fuel stations.

For a very long time, the Supercharger network was a selling point for EV buyers apprehensive about vary nervousness. Tesla’s Supercharger community is the biggest fast-charging community in North America, with about 20,000 DC quick chargers that beforehand solely related to Teslas — and simply one of the crucial dependable.

I’ve pushed loads of non-Tesla EVs, and I do know the intense disappointment of driving previous a big financial institution of empty Superchargers whereas attempting to find a spot to plug in.

Story continues

So when GM provided to hook me up with the Equinox EV and an NACS adapter for the week, I made a decision to cost completely at Superchargers to see if it improved the expertise.

Getting arrange on the Supercharger was the toughest half.

Becoming the Equniox in at a Tesla stall was extra difficult than I anticipated.

I’ve used Superchargers plenty of occasions with Teslas, and getting connected was by no means a difficulty. Nonetheless, pulling up with one other model for the primary time, it grew to become instantly clear that Superchargers are made particularly for Teslas.

First, having the charging port on the entrance left (versus Tesla ports on the again left) meant I must use the charger usually meant for the parking spot subsequent to me, rendering that spot successfully charger-less.

Fortunately, the station wasn’t particularly busy on a weekday afternoon, and I did not block anybody from charging.

The orientation of the charging port additionally required me to rearrange the automotive a number of occasions to verify the charging twine may attain all the best way to the port.

The Tesla adapter labored properly, however it was laborious to latch.

The NACS adapter labored nice and did not seem to decelerate the cost price. However getting it arrange was by no means simple.

The primary time I used the adapter, it took me a number of tries and fairly a little bit of elbow grease to lastly join it securely. I needed to jiggle and press laborious to get a plastic latch on the prime of the adapter to click on into place.

This course of acquired just a little shorter with every go to to a Supercharger, however I by no means did get it latched on the primary strive.

I felt just a little self-conscious as the one one parked nose-first

Tesla Superchargers are oriented for backing in — in the event you’re driving a Tesla.

The Equinox already stands out like a sore thumb as the one non-Tesla. You’ll be able to really feel the opposite Tesla homeowners watching you and questioning what you are doing there.

Pulling in nostril first — and taking on two stalls — solely provides to the outsider feeling.

Ultimately, nobody bothered me about occupying a number of stalls, and there was solely one time when the stalls were at capacity. I attempted to get out of the best way when a Tesla proprietor wanted the charger I used to be blocking, however she smiled and waved me off, saying she’d come again later.

The pace and accessibility of Superchargers made up for lots of the opposite quirks

After I ensured the twine may attain and maneuvered the adapter into place, the remainder of my expertise on the Supercharger was all the time clean crusing.

The MyChevrolet app guided me seamlessly by way of the Supercharger setup, with prompts at each step of the best way. Charging speeds had been quick in any respect the stalls I visited within the Metro Detroit space, averaging round 45 minutes to realize 200 miles of cost.

I’ve pushed loads of non-Tesla EVs prior to now, and entry to quick and dependable charging has all the time been my predominant problem.

For the primary time with an electrical Chevrolet, I did not fear as soon as about vary. For the seven days I had the automotive, the battery by no means dipped under 40%, and I by no means spent greater than an hour at a charger. That peace of thoughts made up for a clunky expertise on the Supercharger itself.

Learn the unique article on Business Insider