Tesla is making various improvements to its third-gen Wall Connector
@ChrisTesla/Twitter
Tesla operates two charging networks; the Supercharger and the Destination Charger. The Supercharger network consists of direct current, fast-charging stations for long-distance driving.
The Destination Charger network consists of slower-speed chargers, specifically the Tesla Wall Connector, installed at restaurants and hotels for Tesla owners to charge at their destination.
Destination Charging has typically been free up until now. Tesla announced that they are enabling paid charging at Destination Chargers. In order to set pricing at a Destination Charger location, restaurants and hotels will need at least six Tesla Wall Connectors.
In 2020, Tesla upgraded Destination Chargers with third-generation Wall Connectors, and the EV automaker told property managers that it would enable paid charging with this new generation charger.
Tesla’s Destination Charging locations have usually been complimentary. In most cases, the only requirement was that the Tesla owner was also a customer of the business.
The chargers would help bring more customers to the business, who would cover the cost of electricity from the Destination Chargers.
A great example of Destination Chargers that increase business is hotels. A Tesla owner may be more likely to choose a hotel with Destination Chargers if it means they could easily charge when needed while on vacation.
With the new 3rd generation Wi-Fi-connected Wall Connector, Tesla is enabling businesses to set their own price for charging. However, a business must have at least six Wall Connectors to activate the feature:
Tesla Commercial Services can be enabled on Gen3 Tesla Wall Connectors that are connected to either Wi-Fi or Cellular and have a signed Services Agreement with Tesla. A minimum of six units are required to be installed to be considered forthis service.
This excludes many Destination Chargers since most locations only have two to four Tesla Wall Connectors.
This upgrade will also encourage some property managers to add more chargers since they can charge customers for the service and cover their electricity costs.
Tesla Owners
Tesla Wall Connectors can add about 44 miles of range per hour of charging. In some circumstances, this is a better solution than a Supercharger, which has idling fees after your vehicle is done charging.
Property Managers
Now that property managers can charge for the service, they can cover the cost of deploying the chargers and the cost of electricity while also attracting Tesla owners to their businesses or apartment complex.
Apartment Complexes
If you live in an apartment complex and haven't bought an EV because of limited access to charging, this could be a turning point.
Up until now, many apartment complex managers have been hesitant to add EV chargers due to the added cost. However, now they'll be able to pass on any costs to their residents, adding value to their apartment complex without accruing any charges.
Destination Chargers can be used by Teslas and any other EV with an adapter.
It'll be interesting to see whether Tesla opens up this feature further by removing the six Destination Charger requirement. That would allow almost anyone to charge for the use of their Wall Connector.
Tesla will soon retrofit some of their Superchargers with a CCS plug, allowing non-Tesla vehicles to charge without the use of an adapter. It's possible that the same feature may also arrive for the Wall Connector in the future.
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Tesla has begun to reach out to customers in the United States and is offering demo drives of the Cybertruck on an invite-only basis. @brandonhd on X shared the first invite image, and it looks like it's going out quite quickly to multiple locations that have Cybertrucks on display.
Up until now, display vehicles have been for just that – looking, but no touching. Some Tesla delivery centers and showrooms have also allowed viewers to take a seat inside and open it up, but most are still locked away behind the velvet rope.
It’s exciting to see that Tesla has begun to demo them – and it can only be so long until demo drives open up to everyone.
Advisor-led Demo
This Demo Drive is led by a Tesla Advisor – while you’re driving, the advisor will be in the passenger seat, walking you through the experience. They’ll explain steer-by-wire, off-road controls, and will introduce new-to-Tesla buyers to all the features that are currently available.
The list of locations so far for demo drives appears to be fairly limited, but we will hopefully see demo drives roll out throughout the United States, and eventually Canada too. Here is the current list of city/state locations that have seen demo drive invites.
Actually Smart Summon, the successor to Tesla’s Smart Summon feature, has been confirmed to be coming as soon as next month as per Elon Musk. Colloquially known as “ASS”, Actually Smart Summon is supposed to improve on the regular Smart Summon capabilities, which have historically used ultrasonic sensors (USS) to navigate parking lots.
We’re looking forward to Actually Smart Summon, and we’re quite excited about what other features will be unlocked once it finally shows up at our doorstep.
Vision-based Improvements
ASS is supposed to bring Smart Summon to vehicles that don’t have USS – using Tesla Vision. Most recently, Tesla has brought Autopark to vehicles without USS, and Vision-based Autopark has been a huge success. It is faster, more reliable, and smoother than the older USS-based solution. It can also park and maneuver in tighter locations.
Today, Smart Summon is sometimes useful at best, usually a party trick, or downright dangerous at worst. It’s excellent and best used in straight lines, where you have a clear line of sight of the vehicle, and can stop it if doesn’t see an obstacle.
I used Smart Summon today, just before writing this article – my 2022 Model Y (with USS) – did manage to show up just fine – in a straight-line location from where I was parked, after exiting the parking spot fairly cleanly. However, I’ve previously used Smart Summon and have had the vehicle turn towards obstacles, such as cart returns or curbs. Overall, it’s a sometimes-useful feature that has a lot of drawbacks right now.
Smart Summon is also restricted to a certain distance – and it's pretty small. The max distance is shorter than most parking lots, being only about 215 ft (65m). If you’re lucky enough to park close, it's very useful to bring your car right to you.
Actually Smart Summon
ASS will bring FSD V12-like capabilities to Smart Summon – the vehicle will primarily use Vision to drive toward you (or the location you’ve indicated). ASS has been supposed to be coming since about September 2022 and has seen many delays – we’re almost at the 2-year point today.
We’re looking forward to Actually Smart Summon being able to bring the vehicle – safely – right to you. ASS is also one of the key steps towards bringing some other cool features that Elon Musk has previously mentioned – Park Seek and Banish Autopark.
We’re also hopeful that Actually Smart Summon will increase the maximum range a vehicle can be summoned, because the current range is fairly small. Alongside Park Seek and Banish Autopark, we’re closing in on a Robotaxi-based future.
Park Seek and Banish Autopark
When the FSD v12.4 showed up, Elon also mentioned that going forward, vehicles would automatically park themselves when arriving in a parking lot – Park Seek – and that if you got out of the car at the entrance to a business, you could get it to automatically park itself in the parking lot – Banish Autopark. These are two features that are needed for Robotaxi to work – which itself is delayed to October 10th of this year. We’re looking quite forward to them – as in combination with Actually Smart Summon, Tesla has reached the cusp of vehicle autonomy.
A vehicle that arrives, driverless, at the location you’re at, then drives somewhere, parks itself there, and waits for you – is the definition of a Robotaxi.
While we’re likely to have to wait for Banish Autopark and Park Seek just a bit longer, Actually Smart Summon being around the corner is exciting! Gone will be the days of having to run out to your car when you forgot your umbrella – your car will just come right to you instead.
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