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Official Magic Dock Installation Thread

8K views 62 replies 18 participants last post by  ChasingCoral 
#1 ·
Hello all,

The day has come; magic dock is here! Wow, I never thought the day would come, but you just can't understate the importance of this moment. Out of spec already has a YouTube video:



So, as magic docks are installed in your area, please post them here and let us know! Also, post your experiences using them.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I hope that Plugshare will come up with a "Magic Dock" filter, or "Charge Your Non-Tesla" if copyright restricted. This seems to work, although you have to set the filters yourself:
Plugshare –> Filters –> Plugs (1 of 9) –> CCS/SAE –> Networks (Toggle All Off), then –> Networks (1of 25) –> Checkbox Tesla Supercharger

 
#3 ·
I hope that Plugshare will come up with a "Magic Dock" filter, or "Charge Your Non-Tesla" if copyright restricted. This seems to work, although you have to set the filters yourself:
Plugshare –> Filters –> Plugs (1 of 9) –> CCS/SAE –> Networks (Toggle All Off), then –> Networks (1of 25) –> Tesla

I'm not smart enough to figure this out. I don't see Tesla in network, or are they "supercharger?"
 
#11 ·
I'd think we will see regular expansion so folks should post them here as they happen!
There are several more that popped up in New York State today since I set that Plugshare filter. They're probably keeping a fairly close radius around Giga Buffalo (or whatever it's called now).
 
#6 ·
Thanks for sharing. This is a big Tesla supercharger station near me at it at a Target. Store I was wondering of the night when I roll through there. When will it be at times I can plug the Lightning up to this thing! Looks like the time is coming up soon. This is really good news!
 
#14 ·
The ones near Santa Cruz are working:
It was great to meet @everiklevine who had graciously allowed me to charge my Lightning up in the Sierras. I declare we were the first pair of Lightnings to charge at a Supercharger at the same time!
 
#22 ·
I would guess maybe they would throttle just a bit until they get some true testing under their belt. I'm not defending Tesla here, however it seems the vast majority of Lightning owners never report consistent 150 kW charging. I've used DCFC chargers about 6 times, two being EA, and Francis Energy. With low SOC I never got above about 124 kW. My gut really starts to tell me it is Ford that doesn't get a good read on the battery and doesn't ask for more charge during the session. I guess time will tell.

What really makes me believe this is that so many report difference experiences at the same charging stop moving between levels of EA chargers. It should truly be 100% consistent based on SOC and environmentals, etc.
 
#18 ·
Two Lightnings ‘hogging up’ the Tesla Super Chargers. 🤦🏻‍♂️ 🛻🛻


Over my 32 min charge, I averaged 110 kW. Yes $0.52 is more than EA, but it’s a price we’ll have to pay to gain access to their larger network. As has been pointed out by others, as more networks come on line, we’ll be able to shop around for better rates and faster chargers. For now, though, it’s all about more access.
I understand for $13/mo you can get a Tesla charging membership and get a lower rate.
 

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#21 ·
Couple notes from SOC on his Tesla experience worth pointing out:

1. It looks like Corals 120 kw output is about what to expect. The funny part is that is faster than what most 800v architecture cars will get. Kyle from out of specs has a video on that.
2. Charging cable length is an issue as expected. You almost have to run into the charger or any barriers to get it to reach.



 
#29 ·
I’m pretty impressed with Teslas implementation of the Magic dock! I couldn’t quite grasp how it would work prior to using. The CCS adapter only releases from the dock when called for. Business as usual if not needed. It’s pretty trick! I don’t Think Tesla wants to sell a CCS adapter for use on superchargers. They want to control the process of where the non Teslas can charge. They don’t want a run of non teslas on their chargers.
 
#32 ·
Tesla laid out their supercharger control pretty explicitly in the March 1st investor day presentation.

No, third party adapters will never work with their system. No, adapter cables are never going to work with their system. The roll out of the magic dock is meticulously planned to do exactly what they wanted to do, and not anything they don't want it to do. In the presentation they laid out not only how strictly supercharger access control and routing is presently, but ways it is going to be even more controlled in the future (i.e. Tesla vehicles automatically reserving supercharger slots they are in route to).

With Tesla, software is king. Without the software overlay on specific stands (the magic docks), no third party is going to be allowed to tap into their network.

Tesla is not "missing out" on anything, quite the opposite. This technology has been ready to go for a while, but was not rolled out until Tesla got the concessions it felt it needed from the Biden administration on funding. Now, going forward, it is Tesla's intent to build out infrastructure for "all the rest", while rapidly increasing the "Tesla only" sites to make sure that their customers will not be impacted by the magic dock users. Keep in mind, it costs Tesla 20 to 30% of what it costs everybody else to put in a DCFC site. They could be hard to compete with going forward when it comes to installing these sites. Financially, I can't conceive of a way E.A. or anybody else is going to compete with them. Tesla is positioning itself to be able to wreck the competition with just the turn of a dial (price). Elon had an enormous grin on his face when he spoke of proving that hypothesis with the recent dial twists on model Y pricing.

Having just sold their 4 millionth vehicle, Tesla is now the 800lb gorilla in the room, and they just announced their future domination plans: 20 million vehicles a year.

A whole lot of really good information was put out in the presentation, some of it telegraphing major shifts for the automotive industry when their competitors were just starting to maybe catch up to their tail lights. Switching all low voltage systems to 48 volt lithium may not sound like a lot, but for the engineers and designers in the room, you understand what an earth shaking leap forward this is in the automotive industry.

And that was just one of about 100 really cutting edge things that were announced during that forum. Tesla is eliminating nose-to-tail wiring at a time when others, Ford included, are trying to figure out just how to wire an EV.

Every auto maker in the world is trying to get to where Tesla was. Then Tesla goes and moves the pins.

Happily, those plans now include charging infrastructure for all EVs.
 
#33 ·
No, third party adapters will never work with their system. No, adapter cables are never going to work with their system. The roll out of the magic dock is meticulously planned to do exactly what they wanted to do, and not anything they don't want it to do. In the presentation they laid out not only how strictly supercharger access control and routing is presently, but ways it is going to be even more controlled in the future (i.e. Tesla vehicles automatically reserving supercharger slots they are in route to).

With Tesla, software is king. Without the software overlay on specific stands (the magic docks), no third party is going to be allowed to tap into their network.

Tesla is not "missing out" on anything, quite the opposite. This technology has been ready to go for a while, but was not rolled out until Tesla got the concessions it felt it needed from the Biden administration on funding. Now, going forward, it is Tesla's intent to build out infrastructure for "all the rest", while rapidly increasing the "Tesla only" sites to make sure that their customers will not be impacted by the magic dock users. Keep in mind, it costs Tesla 20 to 30% of what it costs everybody else to put in a DCFC site. They could be hard to compete with going forward when it comes to installing these sites. Financially, I can't conceive of a way E.A. or anybody else is going to compete with them. Tesla is positioning itself to be able to wreck the competition with just the turn of a dial (price). Elon had an enormous grin on his face when he spoke of proving that hypothesis with the recent dial twists on model Y pricing.
I guess in my simple mind, at the end of the day the "magic dock" is a software controlled adapter. I don't see a reason why Tesla couldn't manufacture a software controlled adapter to be sold to someone with a CCS1 vehicle. Many of us would buy this for a few/several hundred dollars to bridge the gap, Tesla would be able to charge us a premium for fast charging, and still get Fed money to install the magic docks to bring it up to NEVI requirements, making this adapter pointless at that point. I realize this is chump change to Mr. Twitter, but it sure would help some of us in fast charger deficient areas.
 
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#37 ·
Yes, Sutherlin. Those EA, like many, are very hit & miss. Same price (well, penny difference) & no, EA is not faster than a V3 SC. If you roll a real lucky dice with one of the "350s" it will match a V3, but I have yet to see one do it personally.

On the other hand, I have had one solitary SC fail me in 10 years.

Given the side-by-side option like Sutherlin, choice is easy for me.
😎
 
#45 ·
So it's been a month now and Tesla has not opened any more chargers?!?! :mad:

I'm pretty sure there's one in SoCal that has the magic docks. It was leaked before tesla opened up the network.

LET'S GO TESLA! :p
My personal guess is the ones open were for testing to see how it goes, then they will open up others as they are paid NEVI money to do so.

My guess is we don't see more until July at the earliest based on many states fiscal years.
 
#51 ·
Now for the big questions: Will the MagicDock rollout continue now that Ford owners will be able to buy adapters and use Superchargers in 2024? Will we continue to use the Tesla app? Will the Blue Oval Charge Network will be one of the ways you'll be able to charge at Tesla Superchargers, perhaps providing Plug & Charge?.

So many questions!
Motor vehicle Automotive lighting Telephony Automotive tail & brake light Automotive design
 
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#52 ·
#57 ·
There are operational Magic Docks on the Tesla Superchargers at Lowes on Eastchase Parkway in east Fort Worth TX.... haven't been there yet but saw on Plugshare
 
#58 ·
Yes, that hit the news last week:

Tesla Reportedly Expands Magic Dock Availability To Texas
A Twitter post alleges installers had a rental Ford F-150 Lightning to test the new stalls.
Tesla Magic Dock Supercharger


Aug 02, 2023 at 12:11pm ET
7
By: Iulian Dnistran


Tesla has installed the first Supercharger stalls equipped with the so-called Magic Dock connector which offers both a NACS and a CCS connector in the state of Texas, according to the Twitter user @jaredcs, who posted several photos of the new chargers.

As per the Twitter post, the expansion occurred in Eastchase Fort Worth, Texas, where the installers used a rented Ford F-150 Lightning all-electric pickup to test the CCS functionality. Furthermore, @jaredcs said he spoke with the workers, who explained that the upgraded site is yet to be officially online – something we verified on Tesla’s official website and found to be true.



Currently, the section that reads “Superchargers Open to Non-Tesla” only shows 11 stations country-wide, with nine in the state of New York and two in California – a situation that’s been unchanged for six months.

The American EV brand announced its CCS-compatible public chargers in March but has been very slow to ramp up their availability. However, now it seems that the Elon Musk-led company is finally kicking things into high gear, possibly encouraged by the multitude of car makers that made deals with Tesla to gain access to its 12,000+ network of fast chargers in North America.

The agreements made by Ford, General Motors, Rivian, Volvo, Polestar, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, and others specify that from 2024 they will offer NACS to CCS1 adapters that can be used at Tesla’s Superchargers. Then, from 2025, vehicles made for the North American market will get the NACS connector from the factory, doing away with the adapters.

With this being said, it’s unclear how the Austin-based maker of the Model Y all-electric crossover will manage the shift from an exclusive charging network to a system that’s open to everybody.

In related news, a report from MarcoRP, which tracks the latest charging news, says that Tesla’s upcoming Supercharger V4 stall will be capable of providing 350 kilowattsof power instead of the currently available 250 kW in the V3 version. Furthermore, V4 will reportedly get a built-in CCS1 adapter.

As always, let us know what you think about this, so head over to the comments section below to give us your thoughts.
 
#59 ·
Sorry, I should have bolded the word OPERATIONAL, as in people are actually using them now. They weren't activated for Magic Dock when that story came out.

They show up in Tesla's app now and multiple Mach E, Lightning, Rivian and other owners have successfully charged there.
 
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#61 ·
Officially they showed up the day the testing was reported, then they went back offline - for Tesla and Magic Dock. - the car and the app showed them all down/non-operational, until last night. Looks like they've been steady now for 24 hours.
 
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