Can Tesla Vehicles Charge at Electrify America? Straight Answers

Much like a gas station chain, Electrify America is an electric vehicle (EV) charging station chain in the US. The question is, can it charge Tesla vehicles? In this article, we’ll go over what you need to charge at Electrify America charging stations, their charging speed, and charging costs.

Can You Charge Your Tesla at Electrify America?

Yes you can. It isn’t really a question of Electrify America vs. Tesla. Electrify America uses standardized charging plugs called CCS1 and CHAdeMO plugs. Most EVs and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) use this plug type for DC fast charging. However, Tesla vehicles are equipped with their own proprietary charging port, so you need to use an adapter. Electrify America currently offers EV charging with CCS1 and CHAdeMO plugs and Tesla offers both types of adapters. However, we recommend you opt for the CCS1 adapter because it has a maximum charge rate of 300kW, compared to the CHAdeMO adapter which can only charge at a rate of 50kW.

How Much Is Electrify America’s EV Charging?

Charging can have cost differences between states because of varying electricity prices, among other factors. In some situations, users can save around 25% on charging stations by getting an Electrify America membership. In California, the current standard EV charging rate is $0.43 per kWh, but having a membership will lower the price to $0.31 per kWh.

To fully charge a standard Tesla Model 3 that has a 50kW battery without a membership, you’re probably going to spend around $21.50. However, you can save an extra $6.00 for a full charge if you get a $15.00 membership.

How about Electrify America vs. the Tesla Supercharger? Unlike Electrify America’s charging stations, Tesla’s Superchargers can bill you based on how much time you spend connected to the charger. If you charge for less than an hour, the rate is $0.13 per minute. If you exceed that, it turns into $0.26 per minute. These per-minute chargers are typically only found in states where there are regulations in place that prevent non-utility companies from selling electricity by the kWh. But most Superchargers still charge per kWh at a rate of $0.25 per kWh. To fully charge the same Model 3 at this rate, you’ll spend $12.50.

With these calculations, Tesla’s supercharging stations are 17% cheaper than Electrify America’s charging stations. When it comes to price, Tesla comes out ahead in the Tesla Supercharger vs. Electrify America debate.

Which Charging Network Is For You?

Many Americans prefer Tesla’s Supercharger system over Electrify America because of the higher quantity of charger available, the higher number of charging locations, and the fact that a Tesla in car sat nav mode will conveniently inform drivers of charger speed and wait times, the location of nearby chargers, and how many stalls are available. Keep this in mind: The best charging network for you is the one that offers the best convenience, but this can be affected by the charging station’s price, reliability and proximity.