Lifestyle

Review: Tesla Model S J1772 Charger Lock

Published

11 years ago

August 7, 2014

Driving a Model S is a terrific experience but it does come with new territory from time to time. Things that you never had to deal with as a gas car owner. Charging for example. An overwhelming majority of the time I charge my Model S inside my own garage with a 240v 40amp outlet. But there are times when I need to charge away from home and don’t have access to a Supercharger oasis from Tesla. It also means that there are extended periods of time where I’m away from my car while a charging cable is attached to it. You never leave your gas car with a running fuel pump inserted in the tank intake.

Image source: wikimedia.org

Here in the Chicagoland area we have a pretty healthy number of ChargePoint stations. A couple of years ago you would see most of these spaces empty, but now it’s unusual to see one not in use. On occasion I work in our downtown office and although I could take the train, I prefer to drive. Yeah, you know why. Parking garages in Chicago are very expensive but are also abundant, and so savvy owners have installed free ChargePoint stations and reserved spaces for EV’s. Sweet.

Also see: Using public EV charging stations with your Tesla Model S

Are you comfortable leaving your car parked in a public lot all day with a charge cable attached to it? Well, Power 12 has developed a simple product, the CapturePro CP1, designed to provide a greater peace of mind while you’re away from your charging Model S. It’s a hard plastic ring designed to sit between your Model S J1772 adapter and the charge handle. It’s singular purpose is to help protect from unwanted charging disconnections.

CapturePro CP1

I tested one yesterday. I drove into the city and wheeled into a rock star EV reserved spot in a Chicago River North parking garage. The CapturePro was easy to use. I simply slipped it onto my Tesla Model S J1772 adapter and connected the ChargePoint handle to the adapter.

The handle snaps onto the adapter to make a solid connection. But anyone can remove it. Here is where the CapturePro CP1 comes in. It slides over the connection, preventing purposeful or accidental disconnection.

Functionality

The ring has six different size notches so you can find just the right one to secure the handle to the adapter. Once you return to your Model S you simply disconnect the adapter from your charge port and slide off the ring. Once in place I applied some pretty serious pressure to try and dislodge it. I could not do so.

It would likely require significant force or a cutting tool to completely compromise the structure.

In other words someone would have to have strong purpose to break the connection. The CP1 requires no assembly and has a label for recording contact information, like a cell phone number, you can attach to the ring.

I plugged into ChargePoint at 8:00 and at 10:00 am my Model S was fully charged. I knew because ChargePoint has an excellent alert system that texted me when it was charged.

They also text you when the plug has been removed. Had removal occurred during the day I would have simply walked the two blocks to my car and assessed the situation. My Tesla iPhone app would tell me that my car is still parked, locked and in the same place I parked it.

Conclusion

Should you have one in your Model S at all times? That depends entirely on your level of risk acceptance. Do you buy insurance or extended warranties for your electronics? Do these types of things reduce stress? If so, then the CapturePro might be for you.

At $39.99 it’s not an impulse buy. It worked exactly as advertised, but in my opinion if you’re going to do this I think it should be made out of something significantly stronger. I know it adds to the cost, but it also increases security. Do you opt for the cheap bicycle helmet that will shatter or is your brain worth top shelf protection?

Related Topics:Battery / Charging Lifestyle Products

Steve Furman

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Lifestyle

Tesla owner highlights underrated benefit of FSD Supervised

Published

1 month ago

January 31, 2025

Simon Alvarez

Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.

If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.

FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:

But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States.

This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.

The convenience of…
— JC Christopher (@JohnChr08117285) January 29, 2025

FSD user’s tale:

As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous.
“This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
“The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Lifestyle

Tesla Optimus “stars” in incredible fanmade action short film

Published

2 months ago

January 14, 2025

Simon Alvarez

Credit: @SoKrispyMedia/YouTube

There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products.

The video:

Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver.
The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.

Future Robo-cop @Tesla_Optimus

full video: https://t.co/TXpSRhcP5K pic.twitter.com/YFHZ7siAP7
— SOKRISPYMEDIA (@sokrispymedia) January 12, 2025

Cool inside jokes:

The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it.
From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.

Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Lifestyle

Tesla releases Cybertruck metal key card—because why not?

Published

2 months ago

December 31, 2024

Simon Alvarez

Credit: Tesla Shop

Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?

Cybertruck keys:

The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card.
The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key.
As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.

The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:

Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
As per Tesla’s description of the item:
“Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.

Tesla Cybertruck merch push:

Being the company’s most eye-catching vehicle, it is no surprise that that Tesla has been releasing quite a lot of merchandise inspired by the all-electric pickup truck.
These include a $250 levitating Cybertruck model, as well as a $35 Cybertruck wind-up racer, both of which are out of stock.
Tesla also sells the $35 “CyberMug,” a $40 “CyberStein,” and a $50 “CyberVessel.”
Other Cybertruck-inspired merchandise are the $60 Cyberwhistle Stealth, and the $50 CyberOpener.