For 20 years, Tesla has managed to change the vision of the transport industry by integrating a new fueling method to make cars efficient and sustainable. Cars no longer rely on gas market prices, and car owners are now only in need of an electrical source to drive miles away.
Indeed, a brand as young as Tesla Inc., which started in Austin, Texas, is now the undisputed king of the electric vehicle jungle. Many essential and top-of-the-world automotive brands are producing electric cars.
However, the technology that Tesla is incorporating in every upgrade of its models is still unmatched compared to various models in the same price brackets.
The business model that Tesla currently works on is divided into three phases that indirectly aid each other and turn Tesla into a profitable worldwide brand. These include selling, servicing, and charging.
These three phases are money-making steps to ensure that once a person enters the Tesla family, everything related to the car is provided to the customer from the same end.
This is not only a profitable and effective brand marketing strategy by Tesla, but it is a relief to the consumer who is constantly worried about how to manage an electric car when most of the US owns gasoline cars.
Read: Tesla Transport Mode
Tapping Tesla Cars or Chargers
One of the great things about the recent Tesla models is the new car features. They are like jargon that is only understandable to those who own a Tesla car. One of the most popular ones that confuse non-Tesla owners is the issue of tapping cars or chargers.
Questions like “Why do people tap the tesla charger?” “Why do tesla owners tap the charger?” or “Why do tesla owners tap the car before charging?” are piling up on the internet search engine.
There are strange things that Tesla owners do, and tapping is just one of them. A person charging a Tesla would tap the Tesla charger or the car at least three to four times before the charging starts.
There are many reasons for this, and in this post, we will list them all, along with other important information related to charging a Tesla car in the US.
Why Do Tesla Owners Tap The Car Before Charging?
Since the Tesla car is an expensive and fully equipped future feature car, it is without a doubt that tapping the vehicle is not something to do just to pass the time, or perhaps this could accelerate the speed of charging.
The reason why Tesla car owners tap on their cars is that tapping is another one of the methods to activate the charging port by opening up the space where the charger is plugged in.
For non-Tesla users, this must be a shock because the charging port in most cars opens with a lever or a button inside the vehicle or from the central locking system; however, there are many out-of-the-box methods that Tesla has added to the cars to give them a new look and make it convenient for people to charge cars.
The hidden charging port can be opened using various methods, such as using the button on the touch screen at the dashboard or the mobile Tesla app to open the port.
The tapping on the car is usually done before the charge and precisely at the side of the tail light; that area is not only for the light, but it is the area where the charging port is hidden under the panel that is shaped as the tail light. The panel seems to be a part of the light that confuses many people.
The other way specific for only Tesla chargers is using the button on the charging nozzle that opens up the port. These specific chargers could be the Tesla wall connector; or any Tesla-made charging port, especially the ones on the Superfast Charging.
Why Is Tapping the Charger Important?
The next thing that Tesla owners do is that they often tap the charger before charging. This might be the pressing of the button on the nozzle at Tesla-owned charging stations, or the charging did not start because some debris in the port was stopping the car from charging.
So, tapping the charger can make sure that the charging port is clean and the charger is connected.
Read: What Happens if Your Tesla Key Fob Runs out of Battery
The Myth About Why Do People Tap The Tesla charger?
Most of the time, people are doing the tapping ritual due to the social media trend that started from Tiktok, and then there is a myth associated with tapping. It is believed that the tapping would remove the static charge and align the electrons, which will, in turn, make the charging occur.
This is similar to the debris removal from the charging hole, but the reasoning is not sound here, so let’s debunk the myth here on false scientific reasoning.
Below are some additional issues addressed related to the charging of Tesla cars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can charge your Tesla car if you have the correct Type G adapter at home that is between 220-240V. The adapter is a package component that comes as you buy the car.
The Level 1 chargers that are mobile connectors are also sold to customers that can connect to a 120V receptacle with three prongs.
One of the main issues for Tesla or any electric vehicle driver is the issue of charging it. Most Tesla cars can go up to 300 km on one charge, such as Model 3. However, charging of car will be needed, and there are many ways in which you can do it.
There is a wall connector that you can get installed by Tesla technicians. There is a SuperCharger network all across the US that is a subsidiary of Tesla and only is capable of fast charging the Tesla cars. Then there is the adapter you can carry with you, plug into your office parking, and charge the vehicle.
The Tesla Wall Connector can charge a car for about 44 miles with just an hour of charge. In contrast, an adapter plugged into a 10 ampere and 230-volt outlet will only provide 10 km of riding range in an hour.
As you can see, the major difference between the charging times for both cases is that having a Tesla Wall Connector for Tesla car users is necessary. Not only is it a fast charger, but it is easier to manage once installed in the garage.
There are only two ways to install a Tesla Wall Connector, one is to do it yourself, or the other one is to call the electricians certified by Tesla who are well-versed with the technology at hand.
Although there is an exact method available online to understand the instruction and do it yourself, most people opt for electricians since they are more experienced and can install it right away on a single try.
The optimum time frame for charging a Tesla is overnight. The car gets the juice without interruptions for six to seven hours, so this technique must be applied if you have a slow charger.
In terms of saving on electricity bills, this is the ideal time to charge a Tesla car because the night hours are the off-peak hours, and the charges per unit during this time are reduced to the hours during the day.
It is still easily manageable to charge a Tesla if you do not have a proper garage; a standard plug-in and adapter can work fine and can be extended to the driveway to charge the car. There is also the option of installing the Tesla Wall connector on one of the house’s walls.
However, people living in apartments could only charge their cars in the common parking area, so they need the landlord’s permission to install a charging port there or have the landlord do it themselves for the tenants. The apartments’ value rises for buildings with electric vehicle chargers since they provide something that is not readily available.
In case the option for a shared parking space is not available in your building, then an extension could be used to provide electricity from the flat to where your car is parked; however, this seems a bit impractical.
It is better to rent out an electric vehicle spot in one of the shared parking and charging areas nearby, which can offer up to Level 2 charging.
The best way could be to charge the car daily from a charging station.
Read: Does Tesla Have Nonstick Paint?
Which Charging Stations Can Charge A Tesla Car In America?
Three leading electric car charging networks across the US can be potential charging providers for all Tesla models. These networks are listed below, along with the charging they provide to Tesla cars.
SuperCharger By Tesla
The third phase of the business model by Tesla was to facilitate the users by giving them a place to charge their vehicles. Tesla launched its exclusive charging network that gives DC fast charging to only Tesla cars. There are more than 35000 ports all over the globe by Tesla.
The the superfast DC chargers can charge per minute or per kilowatt per hour. This can also be measured from an example where 250kW charging means having a riding range of 200 miles in 15 minutes. It might be expensive, but it is worth it in terms of time-saving.
You can monitor the power levels from the Tesla app on your phone and pay for it. The only thing left is to plug in the charger by tapping the hidden panel by the tail light.
Electrify America By Volkswagon
Electrify America currently ranks number one in the US for bringing fast electric vehicle charging to a platform that has now become an extensive network, a charging station network famous for providing fast DC charging to the electric vehicle of every brand.
To bring out the positive image of the Volkswagon after the diesel emission issue, Electrify America turned out to be a huge success. The only non-tesla charging station network that can also fast charge a Tesla car.
The charging stations can charge up to 30 miles in half an hour approximately, this figure may vary according to the model, but the average is similar to the SuperChargers.
ChargePoint
The third charging station network that is at large is ChargePoint. The ChargePoint stations are level 2 stations and provide relatively slow charging, but there are level 3 ports also available; if the Tesla car owners want to charge at a level 3 port, they need to purchase a CHAdeMo adapter that is needed for level 3 charging.
The California-based company, ChargePoint network, has now expanded into 14 countries and has more than 170,000 charging ports and stations. These include stores and hotels that have collaborated with the company to extend the network of charging points to facilitate electric vehicle users.
Concluding It All
Tapping tesla cars or chargers are common for many reasons, like the smart feature to access the charging port without using the screen from inside the car or the app or to clean the charging hole from any debris that can hinder the movement of electrons or alignment. These are the convenient methods to charge Tesla cars.
There is no doubt that Tesla is providing game-changing technologies to the automotive and making the whole industry reach the epitome of advancements and mind-boggling innovations.
Check more:
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My name is Matthew, staying in Seattle, Washington. Electric Vehicles (Electric Cars & Electric bikes) caught my attention for the last few years and my love for electric cars and bikes is everlasting. I spend many of my weekends traveling to various places all over various cities with my electric vehicle (e-bike and electric car). Here I am sharing my expertise, experience, and invaluable information about electric cars and electric bikes. Check out more.