Buying a used car can sometimes be a bit of a gamble. But for some Tesla drivers, it could also mean being shut out of one of the company’s most important features: its nationwide Supercharger network.
What’s happening?
Daniel Boycott, an Illinois resident, purchased a 2022 Tesla Model 3 in September and was excited to hit the road. But when he tried to use the company’s expansive Supercharger network, the car wouldn’t connect, he told CBS News.
After repeated attempts, Tesla informed him his vehicle was “unsupported for charging” because it had been flagged as a salvage car.
“I was told it was clean. The CARFAX said it was clean, and I trusted that,” Boycott told CBS News. After a closer look, he discovered an earlier accident and repair work a Tesla technician later described as “shoddy.”
“It was bad enough where they flagged it,” Boycott said.
Tesla maintains the restriction is a safety precaution, since high-powered charging stations could pose a risk if a damaged car is connected. The automaker does offer an inspection option to restore access, but industry insider Fred Lambert told CBS News that it could cost around $2,000, not including any additional repairs.
Why is this restriction important?
Without access to Tesla’s 70,000 Superchargers across the country, long-distance travel would become much harder for many drivers.
“It’s insanely frustrating,” Boycott said, noting to the news outlet that the network’s availability was one of the main reasons he chose the vehicle.
Other EV makers told CBS News that they do not ban accident-damaged cars from public charging networks, which could make Tesla’s system uniquely restrictive for secondhand buyers.
Beyond the potential customer frustration, this issue could more widely throw a wrench into the adoption of EVs, which represent an important shift away from the harmful pollution created every day by gas-powered cars.
What’s being done about Tesla’s restrictions?
Tesla has begun offering inspections for flagged vehicles, though Boycott said the cost still feels prohibitive. He’s still in negotiations with the dealership that sold him the car, while Illinois officials confirmed to CBS that the title remains legally clean.
For now, experts urge buyers to check vehicle histories thoroughly and ask direct questions about charging access before purchasing a used EV, per Recurrent.
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