The Tesla Cybertruck is finally in the hands of customers, and as each day goes by we learn more about it. The latest discovery is that there is a bit of a hiccup when it comes to Tesla’s official Combined Charging System (CCS) adapter.
Kyle Conner from Out of Spec was able to get his hands on a Cybertruck (actually several) this week to test out, and one of those tests involved trying to use a CCS adapter. However, there were two problems. This first is that the charging port on the Cybertruck, integrated into the driver rear wheel arch at an angle, presents a challenge for the bulky CCS adapter. The recessed design of the charge port within the wheel arch makes it impossible for the adapter to fully plug in.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, Conner removed the plastic wheel arches, which allowed the adapter to plug in, but the Cybertruck failed to charge on a high-voltage EVGo charger – the second problem.
CCS adapter doesn’t interface with the Cybertruck due to the plastic wheel arches.
We ripped those suckers off and plugged it in
Wasn’t able to charge at a high voltage charger but it’s possible a low voltage one could work, but then what’s the point?
Still more testing to… pic.twitter.com/ExmFNNO7Ms
— Kyle Conner (@itskyleconner) January 3, 2024
The common reaction to finding out the CCS adapter doesn’t work on the Cybertruck is that it doesn’t matter because the technology is on the way out with the rapid adoption of NACS. However, the inability for the adapter to work on the Cybertruck could be a concern, as there are owners who will have rely on CCS charging infrastructure in areas where Tesla’s Supercharger network has yet to expand to. This is particularly the case in Canada, where the Supercharger network is largely situated along the Trans-Canada Highway, especially in central Canada. There is also an entire province, Newfoundland, without a single Supercharger station, and none planned to be coming soon either.
There is another implication as well, and that is the fact that there are currently CCS charging stations that offer higher charging speeds than Tesla’s Supercharger network. Tesla’s stations currently top out at 250kW, even for their latest V4 Superchargers (that may change once upgraded cabinets are installed), but there are 350kW DC fast chargers on other networks, such as EVGo, Electrify America, and others. In areas where there are only 72kW (Urban) or 150kW (V2) Superchargers, plugging in at a station with faster CCS plugs will no longer be an option for Cybertruck owners.
It is possible that Tesla may solve the connection problem through a future software update, but no software update is going to be able to fix the design of the Cybertruck’s charge port to make it accept the CCS adapter without removing the wheel arches.
Does not having CCS charging with the Cybertruck impact you? Let us know in the comments below.
