Tesla, BYD, hybrid cars... can the charger near your home charge your car?

Today, let's talk about a practical topic: What kind of cars can electric car chargers charge. It may seem simple, but when it comes to finding a charger, it's easy to get confused.

First, let's talk about most of the situations. The new energy vehicles currently on the market, whether they are domestically produced Tesla, BYD, NIO, Xiaopeng, Ideal, or joint venture Volkswagen ID, BMW i series, Mercedes Benz EQ, basically use national standard charging ports. Public chargers built in China after 2015, including State Grid, Southern Power Grid, and Hongjiali, can theoretically be plugged in. Yes, it's the nine hole DC fast charging port or the seven hole AC slow charging port.

But don't get too excited, it can be troublesome to actually use it. For example, when Tesla uses third-party chargers, sometimes there is a "handshake failure" - that is, there is no response when plugged in. Some old European standard modified Teslas have to bring their own adapters. There is also the Porsche Taycan with an 800V high-voltage platform, which may not reach its nominal charging speed when charged with a regular fast charger. It's not that the charger is broken, it's because the protocol doesn't match.

Another easily overlooked factor: hybrid cars. Like the Ideal ONE and BYD DM-i, they can use both AC slow charging and refueling. But some hybrid cars don't even have a fast charging port. If you drive into a parking lot with only DC fast charging, you'll be stunned. So it's best to take a look at the charging port on your car before charging. There are several holes, and the difference between round and square ones is very obvious.

Hongjiali(HG Power) electric vehicle chargers project

Then what should we do? A few stupid methods but effective.

Firstly, before going out, use the map app to search for chargers near your destination and check for recent reviews from others, such as "Can Tesla charge?" and "Can I plug in a jump gun.

Second, if you often use a charger of a certain brand, it is certainly the most stable, but if it is cross brand, you can try WeChat or Alipay code scanning first. Some chargers have a "compatibility mode".

Thirdly, prepare a dual head gun (AC slow charging) and a national standard to European/American standard adapter, which won't cost much and can save lives in critical situations.

Finally, to be honest. There is no electric car charger that can guarantee charging all cars, even Tesla's own supercharging station is only used for its own brand. If you want to drive a niche electric car, such as the Nissan Leaf imported a few years ago, or a niche car like the Moto, it's best to add a group of car owners. The old guys in the group know which chargers "recognize" this car.

In summary, 99% of cars can use 99% of chargers, but there will always be one or two times when they will hit a wall. Don't worry, changing the charger, station, or contacting customer service can generally solve the problem. It's really not possible, there is always a built-in charger in the car, and finding a socket can also be a quick solution. Just remember the general meaning, there's no need to be too serious.