Just How Will Non-Tesla Electric Vehicles Be Able to Use Superchargers?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Elon Musk is famous for making grand promises – usually via  Twitter – but not offering many details about just how those promises will come to fruition. This was the case with non-Tesla using Superchargers, but now we finally have some details of his plans. While Musk had previously said that non-Tesla electric vehicles would be able to use Tesla Superchargers, electric vehicle owners weren’t sure exactly how it would work. Let’s see what Musk is thinking.

Tesla Supercharger | Tesla

Non-Tesla electric vehicles will need an adapter

It sounds so simple – non-Tesla owners will need an adapter to connect their electric vehicles to Tesla Superchargers. This isn’t as simple as just plugging in a lamp to an outlet. When a Tesla connects to a Supercharger, there is an exchange of information between the Supercharger and the Tesla. In order for this information exchange to work on non-Tesla electric vehicles, the software running the Superchargers would have to be modified to allow this to happen. 

According to Electrek, users will add a Supercharger app to assist with charging. The user’s credit card would be linked to the account, and charged for the electricity used. 

However, it isn’t quite as basic as that. Tesla doesn’t make adapters, so it may be up to car manufacturers to make an adapter for their electric vehicles. However, Musk did mention the possibility of having adapters available. 

Tesla opening up the Supercharger network will benefit everybody 

Still, if car manufacturers have to make their own adapters, would this be easy to do? Would car manufacturers want to? These are all questions that need to be answered before the viability of non-electric vehicles using the Supercharger network is truly assessed. It will likely vary depending on which car company makes your electric vehicle. 

On a positive note, Elon Musk has discussed sharing the costs of these adapters with other electric vehicle companies. Of course if you use a Tesla Supercharger, you’d have to agree to their terms, which may be more expensive than a different electric vehicle charger, but the freedom and availability of Tesla Superchargers may make that worth it. 

If Tesla did open up their Supercharger network to other car manufacturers, it wouldn’t benefit just non-Tesla owners. As more and more car manufacturers are producing electric vehicles, the competition will be fierce in coming years. If non-electric vehicles are using Tesla Superchargers, it will expose them more to Tesla in general, like free advertising. 

If you live in Europe or China, you’re already all set

Europe and China have universal connectors for electric vehicles, meaning that a non-Tesla vehicle could already connect to a Supercharger network. To use a Tesla Supercharger in China or Europe, all you’ll need is the app. It would be nice if there was something like that in the United States, which would allow more electric vehicle owners the freedom to travel while making it easier for them to charge their electric vehicles. Unfortunately, right now, it’s a little bit like trying to charge an iPhone with an Android charger.

This move will allow non-Tesla electric vehicles to be able to use the Tesla Superchargers, which will be great for everyone. Hopefully it happens quickly. It will be a bonus if it is easy to use.

RELATED: China’s Silk Road Is About to Be the Longest Supercharger Route

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Jeep Needs to Be on This Best Electric Vehicle List

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Everyone is going electric, including Jeep and Ford. While the Jeep Wrangler 4xe is the only Jeep Hybrid we have at the moment, more electric models are on the way. It’s a little shocking that Jeep didn’t make it on this list of the best EV stocks to buy before the boom. 

Jeep didn’t make this best EV list 

2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe | FCA US LLC.

InvestorPlace released a list of the seven best EV stocks to buy ahead of the incoming electric pickup truck boom. We know Jeep doesn’t technically have an electric pickup truck yet, but it might be on the way. 

Stellantis CEO Christian Meunier announced that Jeep will have a fully electric vehicle in every SUV segment by 2025. He said SUV and not truck, but with the Jeep Gladiator being such a popular option, we don’t think it will be left out of the fun. 

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe is only the tip of the iceberg. Soon we will see the Jeep Cherokee 4xe and possibly the Jeep Magneto. The Magneto could be the first fully electric Wrangler, and it will certainly pave a new path forward. 

But we’ve also seen teasers for the Jeep Gladiator 4xe. This means that the Gladiator 4xe could be the hybrid Jeep truck model that people can enjoy before the totally electric Jeep truck emerges. 

Fans are loving what Jeep is bringing to the table. The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe PHEV is reportedly the top-selling PHEV in the United States. This means that it’s selling more models than the Ford Escape PHEV, Toyota Rav4 Prime, and other rivals. 

It’s impressive for the Wrangler 4xe to be selling at such a high volume when it only made its debut a few months ago. This could mean that a fully electric Jeep truck would take off just as quickly. 

Also, there is a ton of promise outside of the American market. Europe has the Jeep Compass and Jeep renegade 4xe, and these little hybrid SUVs are doing incredibly well. In April, they were the top-selling plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in Italy. 

The Jeep Compass 4xe sold 817 units, while the Renegade 4xe sold 576 units. While these numbers sound small, it’s a massive success as Italy has been reducing Covid restrictions and travel. 

Europe has a stronger push for electrification than America, so if Jeep can conquer both markets, investing in their EV models will provide a massive payoff. We also hope to see the Compass and Renegade 4xe in the U.S. 

What to expect with the Gladiator 4xe 

silver Wrangler 4xe on bridge
2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe | Jeep

The upcoming Jeep Gladiator 4xe will have blue accents and tow hooks to match the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe. They could share the same powertrain as well. The Wrangler 4xe features a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with two electric motors that generate 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. 

It’s unclear if the Gladiator will have more power for towing, but it may have the same 25-mile electric range. Also, the Wrangler 4xe gets an EPA-estimated 49 MPGe, so it provides tons of savings at the fuel pump. 

While we aren’t sure exactly what’s on the way, we do know that more electric Jeep models are coming ahead of the storm. Jeep should definitely have a spot on the top EV stocks to invest in before the boom.

RELATED: Is the Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel on the Chopping Block?

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Videos From China Show Tesla Model 3’s “Boat Mode” in Action

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Videos surfaced recently showcasing the Tesla Model 3 wading through flooded areas in China with minimal effort. Although in the past Elon Musk said Teslas can float for brief periods of time, there is no official “Tesla boat mode”. In fact, videos of Teslas floating in water as deep as a yardstick have circulated the internet since at least 2016. 

How Can A Tesla Float Unharmed?

Tesla Gigafactory in Shanghai | Xinhua/Ding Ting via Getty Images

Internal combustion engines intake air and spew exhaust fumes in order to operate. An electric car has neither of these things. If an internal combustion engine submerges, it will intake water, which could complicate the compression stroke, leading to bent rods. What’s more, Model 3s made in China are apparently tested in high water levels. It’s a worthy development, as Shanghai frequently falls victim to extreme weather, including floods.

According to Musk, owners can drive submerged Teslas if they manage to rotate the wheels back and forth. This technique should inch the car farther through rising water. While off the throttle, the car should automatically creep forward, and if rotating the wheels renews the tires’ contact patch, the car can gain traction for a short period of time thus allowing the car to move.

Can a Tesla Boat Mode Exist?

photographers crowd around a model 3 in Shanghai
Photographers crowd a Tesla Model 3 | STR/AFP via Getty Images

A few years ago Musk mentioned in a tweet that Teslas can float in water for brief periods of time. Despite this statement, he was adamant that it’s not a recommended practice. Although Model 3s are sealed tight, a factory defect could allow water into contact with the lithium-ion battery, setting the car aflame.

Some owners reported their rear bumpers flying off after going through a puddle. A Tesla boat mode could be possible, where the suspension raises the car and activates a specific type of traction control, but don’t expect it anytime soon.

Car and Driver reported in early 2020 that some customers complained about water entering the footwells during a car wash. This was apparently due to a factory defect. Other owners reported water leaking through their Model X windshields, while others claimed their drive units stopped working from water damage. Given these claims, using a Tesla as a boat is not recommended.

Is The Tesla Cybertruck Waterproof?

Elon Musk reacts to smashed glass at the Cybertruck demonstration in Hawthorne, California.
Tesla Cybertruck Demonstration | FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

Musk’s infamous Twitter struck again in April 2020. The billionaire mentioned that the Cybertruck can wade deep enough to catch fish, and can float “for a while”. Given Musk and Tesla’s track record, these Tweets perhaps should be taken with several grains of salt.

What Happens if the Tesla “Boat Mode” fails?

Lithium-ion battery cells in cars are sealed tight enough to stop water from coming in. However, the water can still damage the wiring for the battery. The water can also damage the car’s wiring harness, but that can happen with any car. Just make sure it’s covered by insurance. Allowing the water to sit on the carpeting creates mold, and can lead to breathing problems and sickness.

In short, a “Boat Mode” is suspiciously absent from all Tesla cars’ laundry list of quirks and idiosyncrasies. However, if properly motivated by circumstance, a driver can inch their Tesla through relatively high waters, just like in China. According to Musk, Teslas can float for brief periods of time and have since 2016. He also recommends against testing this deliberately, with no cause other than amusement.

RELATED: Tesla Model 3’s Are Like Gremlins; Don’t Get Them Wet or Else

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The Toyota RAV4 Suffered a Loss to the Honda CR-V in the Best Hybrid Vehicles of 2021

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Toyota RAV4 hybrid can be a great car for some folks, but there are better hybrid options on the market. Unsurprisingly, one of the better ones is the Honda CR-V Hybrid, and it beat the RAV4 on a recent list. Here’s a look at why the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid is a better hybrid SUV than the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is.

The best hybrid cars on the market

2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited | Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

After doing some testing, Good Housekeeping recently compiled a list of the best hybrid cars on the market. Surprisingly, the most famous hybrid car in the world, the Toyota Prius, didn’t crack the list. On top of that, the RAV4 also didn’t get on the list. In fact, no Toyota models made Good Housekeeping’s list of the best hybrids of the year.

However, the winners were cars like the Honda Accord Hybrid, the Kia Niro, and the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Additionally, when it comes to hybrid SUVs, the Honda CR-V Hybrid won in its class. To be clear, Good Housekeeping had other SUV categories, such as one for compact crossovers and another for luxury SUVs. However, for the ‘Best Hybrid SUV’ category, the CR-V Hybrid was the winner.

Why the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid won

Despite this defeat, the Toyota RAV4 has, arguably, a more significant accolade. After all, the RAV4 is the best-selling car that’s not a pickup truck in the U.S. right now. This means that the Toyota RAV4 is more popular than the Honda CR-V when it comes to sales. However, it’s not like Toyota didn’t put up a fight. The standard Toyota RAV4 has a hybrid option, and it also has a PHEV option. Regardless, Honda still beat Toyota as far as Good Housekeeping is concerned.

In any case, the fact that the Honda CR-V Hybrid won this award shouldn’t be too surprising. This isn’t the first award that Honda has taken home, thanks to the CR-V model, and it almost definitely won’t be the last. As such, many of the things that Good Housekeeping loved about the CR-V Hybrid were also things that other car reviewers loved about the regular Honda CR-V model.

For example, Good Housekeeping praised how roomy the Honda CR-V is, especially compared to its peers. On top of that, Good Housekeeping liked how sporty and stylish the CR-V is, and that’s a common compliment that the CR-V gets from car critics. However, the Honda CR-V Hybrid does have a few great aspects that the regular CR-V doesn’t have. For example, the CR-V Hybrid gets all-wheel drive as standard, but that’s only an option on the standard Honda CR-V.

An overview of the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid

Another big difference, of course, is price. One of the great things about the Honda CR-V SUV model is its affordability, as it starts at about $25,000. Meanwhile, according to Good Housekeeping, the CR-V starts at closer to $30,000 with the hybrid engine. That hybrid engine will provide more power than the standard CR-V will, and of course, it’ll also be significantly more fuel-efficient.

The Honda CR-V Hybrid gets about 40 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on highways. That highway fuel economy is about the same as the regular CR-V, but the big difference is in the city, as the Honda CR-V only gets about 28 mpg in the city.

On top of that, the Honda CR-V Hybrid comes with a few standard features that are only options on the Honda CR-V. For example, Good Housekeeping wrote that the CR-V Hybrid gets a moonroof and heated front seats. That said, the CR-V Hybrid has similar standard smart safety features as the standard Honda CR-V does. 

RELATED: You Can’t Really Go Wrong With the 2020 Hyundai Tucson or Honda CR-V

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