ChargePoint on Tesla: start a session through Android Auto
Tesla owners who charge beyond the Supercharger network often end up on ChargePoint, one of the largest charging networks across North America and Europe. Its app does more than find stations: with an account linked, it can start a charging session for you. But on a Tesla there is no native ChargePoint on Tesla, because Tesla curates its own built-in apps. With TaaDa, ChargePoint runs as an Android Auto charging app on the Tesla screen, session control included.
Why ChargePoint is more than a map
Tesla’s built-in map is Supercharger-first and does not touch other networks. ChargePoint operates one of the biggest networks outside Tesla’s, with hundreds of thousands of stations, and its app is network-native: find a charger, navigate to it, and once you are there, start the session from the app rather than fumbling with the station’s own screen or card reader. For a driver loyal to ChargePoint, that end-to-end flow is the appeal.
The obstacle is access, since Tesla ships no ChargePoint app and offers no way to install one.
How TaaDa puts ChargePoint on the dashboard
TaaDa connects the two without any adapter. It lives on your Android phone, uses your shared phone connection, and opens in the Tesla browser to show Android Auto on the screen, with ChargePoint running as a charging app.
On the car screen you get the driving version of ChargePoint:
- A station map across the ChargePoint network, filtered by speed and connector.
- Navigation to your chosen charger from the Android Auto interface.
- Session control, so with your account linked you start charging from the car.
Because ChargePoint runs on your phone and the Tesla mirrors Android Auto, your account and payment card carry over.
Start charging without leaving your seat
The standout on a Tesla is starting a session from the screen. Pull up to a ChargePoint station, and instead of tapping a card on the machine or opening the phone in the cold, you begin the session from the Android Auto app. In bad weather that is a genuine comfort, and it is faster than dealing with the station hardware. This is where a network-native app beats a generic map: it does not just point you to the plug, it operates it. Tesla’s map does none of this for third-party networks.
Best if you use the network
Be clear about the fit. ChargePoint shines if you actually charge on the ChargePoint network, since the session control and account features are network-specific. If you hop between many operators, a broad aggregator map may suit you better for discovery, and you can run both. But for a ChargePoint regular, having find, navigate and start-session on the Tesla screen is the most complete charging flow available through Android Auto.
Hands-free and safe
Managing charging while driving must be safe. Running ChargePoint through Android Auto on TaaDa, Google Assistant takes voice requests and the steering wheel handles selection and navigation, so your hands stay on the wheel. Routing to the nearest ChargePoint station is a spoken command, and the session starts once you arrive.
Tesla is not going to add ChargePoint natively, and there is nothing to wait for. With TaaDa, ChargePoint on Tesla works today, through the browser and screen the car already has, bringing find, navigate and start-session to a car whose own map stops at Superchargers. Explore the rest of this silo for more app guides and take control of charging beyond the Tesla network.