Can I use a Tesla charger if I don’t drive a Tesla? Your questions answered

I’m buying an electric car but I worry about running out of battery on long journeys. I’ve heard Tesla has opened up its charging network to other types of EV. If that’s right, how much does it cost?TM, London
Yes, the good news is that even if your EV isn’t a Tesla you can still use nearly half of all Tesla’s charging points, provided your vehicle has CCS charging (the most popular type, as distinct from CHAdeMO). This represents a big step forward in charging convenience for electric car owners.
With its first-mover advantage, Tesla snapped up some of the best spots and invested heavily in infrastructure. It has more than 150 sites across the UK and Ireland with more than 1,500 charging bays. Of those, 65 sites with 650 bays are open to non-Tesla EVs.
The cost for charging per kW is 32p-63p for non-Tesla EVs, which compares favourably with 85p/kW for Instavolt and 79p/kW for BP Pulse. For regular users, it may be worth paying a monthly £8.99 “membership” fee through the Tesla app to match the price most Tesla owners pay, which is 24p-£47p/kW.Among the locations where non-Tesla EVs can charge are Reading M4 Moto Services (westbound), Heathrow Terminals 2&3, Birmingham St Andrews and North Greenwich, London.
For a full list, download the Tesla app and create an account. You can see all the available charging locations, tell which bays are free, book one and start charging when you arrive, as long as you’ve added a payment method. There’s also an online map to view all Tesla chargers and toggle between Tesla and non-Tesla EV charging. Nick Rufford, Driving editor, The Sunday Times
My battery is measured in kWh but the Gridserve chargers I use are rated in kW. What’s the difference?GR, Woodbridge, Suffolk
The kWh is the capacity of the battery, whereas kW is the rate at which the charger can charge it. Think of kWh as the fuel tank size, and kW is the speed the pump can deliver the fuel. To get a rough charging time, simply divide the kWh of the battery by the kW rating of the charger. Greg Carter, technical specialist, the AA
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