Tesla fanatic? 3D print your own smartphone Supercharger

By Lulu Chang Published July 14, 2016

Harboring an intense Tesla obsession? We’re here to feed it. Or rather, Martin Hansen is here to feed it. A Tesla super enthusiast himself, Hansen’s first exposure to the so-called car of the future came in 2014 when he was introduced to his friend’s Model S. And now, he’s decided to pay homage to Elon Musk’s company and its highly popular cars in a decidedly Tesla-esque way — with a 3D-printed smartphone Supercharger.

Designed to look just like the supercharger stations that Tesla cars depend upon for their own power, the mini version is described as a “smartphone desk supercharger.” Inspired by how “Tesla solved the long charging time problem of electric vehicles” with the company’s stations, Hansen noted, “I spent almost all of my free time researching Tesla Motors and the Model S. Visiting the Supercharger station again, the idea came into my mind: the Supercharger network is the key to success for Tesla, so every Tesla owner would love to have their own Supercharger at home.”

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And your home version is a 3D-printed mini station that consists of six components. Because sharing is caring, the creative has made all the .stl files publicly available.

Requiring minimal amounts of glue and assembly, the desktop charger doesn’t boast the same supercharging technical abilities as the real deal (it won’t juice up your phone any faster), but it will certainly make a statement. You’ll need a micro USB or lightning cable to actually get it to charge your phone, and if you don’t have easy access to a 3D printer (or would just rather buy the finished product), Hansen is selling his creations for $109.

Branded as a “must-have for every Tesla enthusiast,” this 3D-printable gadget just might be what you need to tide you over during the excruciatingly long wait for the Model 3.

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Cars

Nissan launches charging network, gives Ariya access to Tesla SuperChargers

nissan charging ariya superchargers at station

Nissan just launched a charging network that gives owners of its EVs access to 90,000 charging stations on the Electrify America, Shell Recharge, ChargePoint and EVgo networks, all via the MyNissan app.It doesn’t stop there: Later this year, Nissan Ariya vehicles will be getting a North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapter, also known as the Tesla plug. And in 2025, Nissan will be offering electric vehicles (EVs) with a NACS port, giving access to Tesla’s SuperCharger network in the U.S. and Canada.Starting in November, Nissan EV drivers can use their MyNissan app to find charging stations, see charger availability in real time, and pay for charging with a payment method set up in the app.The Nissan Leaf, however, won’t have access to the functionality since the EV’s charging connector is not compatible. Leaf owners can still find charging stations through the NissanConnectEV and Services app.Meanwhile, the Nissan Ariya, and most EVs sold in the U.S., have a Combined Charging System Combo 1 (CCS1) port, which allows access to the Tesla SuperCharger network via an adapter.Nissan is joining the ever-growing list of automakers to adopt NACS. With adapters, EVs made by General Motors, Ford, Rivian, Honda and Volvo can already access the SuperCharger network. Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, BMW, Volkswagen, and Jaguar have also signed agreements to allow access in 2025.
Nissan has not revealed whether the adapter for the Ariya will be free or come at a cost. Some companies, such as Ford, Rivian and Kia, have provided adapters for free.
With its new Nissan Energy Charge Network and access to NACS, Nissan is pretty much covering all the bases for its EV drivers in need of charging up. ChargePoint has the largest EV charging network in the U.S., with over 38,500 stations and 70,000 charging ports at the end of July. Tesla's charging network is the second largest, though not all of its charging stations are part of the SuperCharger network.

Cars

The Tesla Supercharger network is expanding again

Teslas parked using the Tesla Superchargers.

EV owners worried about getting stranded before their next charge may breathe a bit easier now: The Tesla Supercharger network has resumed its expansion over the last three months, after massive layoffs at Tesla had led to a slide in new stalls earlier this year.Tesla opened 2,800 new Supercharger stalls globally during the three-month period ending September 30, an increase of 23% from the year earlier, according to the company’s official Tesla Charging account on X (formerly Twitter).Tesla also delivered 1.4 terawatt hours (TWh) of energy during the third quarter, which translates to 27% year-over-year growth. The Tesla Charging account said the amount of energy delivered enabled Tesla owners to save over 150 million gallons of gasoline, offsetting more than 3 billion pounds of CO2.According to the website Supercharge.info, which relies on user contributions to track the opening of new stalls, there were 2,677 Supercharger stations in North America at the end of September, 125 more than at the end of the third quarter.The additions of new stalls, however, comes in the wake of a 31% slide in the second quarter, after a massive round of firings at the company removed 500 employees from the Supercharger team in April.The third-quarter expansion should still go some ways to appease the concerns of Tesla and non-Tesla electric vehicle (EV) owners, as EV manufacturers are lining up in droves to be able to use the Supercharger network.In September, General Motors electric vehicles made by Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac joined the growing list of vehicles to have adopted Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS). The network already allows access, via adapters, to EVs made by Ford, Rivian, Honda and Volvo. The likes of Nissan, Hyundai, Toyota, BMW, Volkswagen, Volvo and Jaguar have also signed agreements to start allowing access in 2025.
The Tesla map of Superchargers across the U.S. reveals they are concentrated in major cities and across East-West transit corridors.According to Tesla, a Supercharger can add up to 200 miles of range in 15 minutes.

Cars

You can now charge your General Motors EV at a Tesla Supercharger

GM opens up access to more than 17,800 Tesla Superchargers

Taking a road trip in a General Motors-built electric car just got a lot more convenient. EVs made by Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac are now compatible with Tesla's Supercharger charging stations, though drivers will need to purchase an adapter before they can start plugging in.

Opening the Supercharger network to General Motors-built EVs adds over 17,800 charging stations to the list of places where drivers can stop and charge. This should take some of the stress out of taking an EV on a long trip, as Tesla's Supercharger stations are scattered across the nation and built in strategic locations. Tesla notes that a Supercharger is capable of adding up to 200 miles of range in about 15 minutes.