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Charging architecture has been a bit of an Achilles’ heel for electric vehicle adoption in the United States. For starters, charging stations are simply too far and few between for rural communities nationwide. Fortunately, one step to closing the charger availability gap has been the Tesla Supercharger network opening up to other makes and models. However, some Tesla owners are getting angry with a design issue prompting EV owners to get creative with charging stations.

Some EV drivers are blocking additional spots to access the Tesla Supercharger network due to a design issue

Imagine driving to your favorite Tesla Supercharger to replenish your Model Y’s capacity. However, where you expect to find a few open spots, there’s a Cadillac LYRIQ parked across several spaces to access the short connector on the station. Well, that was a reality for one r/TeslaLounge Reddit user. The Tesla owner discovered a LYRIQ parked across multiple spaces to access the Supercharger.

The Cadillac LYRIQ, unlike Tesla’s vehicles, features a charging port below the mirror on the driver’s side of the EV. Considering the short length of a V3 Supercharger cable (about 6.5 feet), parking the LYRIQ in the spot and accessing the charger is nearly impossible. 

According to The Street, ticked-off Tesla owners are taking to the internet to vent their frustrations with the phenomena. In the case of the Tesla owner and the Cadillac LYRIQ, the Reddit user posted the picture to the group with the caption “F***ing people.”

In other cases, some EV drivers are getting creative enough that they aren’t impacting their fellow electric car owners. For instance, one Rivian R1S owner parked their EV SUV on a median alongside the Tesla Supercharger without spilling over into the next stall. Courteous, yes. Legal? Maybe not.

However, V4 Superchargers feature 10-foot cables. That should make it significantly easier for various types of vehicles to hook up to Tesla Superchargers and get back on the road quickly. Furthermore, Tesla says some issues can be solved by “cable sharing” across adjacent stalls. By all means, get creative. Just don’t be a jerk.

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).