A Chevrolet Silverado EV owner successfully charged his truck at a Buc-ee's in Smiths Grove, Kentucky, using a provided adapter for Tesla's NACS plug. The viral TikTok video highlights the convenience of the stop during his trip to Alabama. Despite slower-than-expected speeds, the experience proved positive for the driver.
TikTok user Terry Hensley (@tshensley) shared a viral video of his Chevrolet Silverado EV charging experience at a Buc-ee's location in Smiths Grove, Kentucky. Surrounded by Teslas at the station's dedicated NACS charging kiosks, Hensley initially thought he would need an adapter for his non-Tesla vehicle. However, the store provided a "magic dock" that allowed the cable to plug directly into his truck.
In the video, Hensley described the process: “Now, it’s kind of funny ‘cause Buc-ees only had Tesla chargers. But luckily, they had a magic dock. So then I was able to pull the cable and it comes out, and it plugged right into the truck.” Charging began at around 175 kilowatts but slowed to 140 kilowatts, below the system's 325-kilowatt rating. He attributed the dip to multiple vehicles sharing power, noting, “It’s getting kind of slow though. First started out at like 175 kilowatts. Now it’s down to like 140.”
This stop was part of Hensley's journey to Alabama, where he planned to charge at another Buc-ee's equipped with Mercedes-Benz stations. Commenters pointed out that the Kentucky site also has Mercedes-Benz EV chargers, as Buc-ee's outfitted at least 31 stores across 12 states, including Kentucky, with such stations by the end of 2024.
Hensley emphasized the convenience, writing in comments: “I typically spend 45 mins at Buc-ee’s so win-win.” One commenter explained the speed issue: “The power is split across 2 stalls. So if there is a car next to you then you get half of the full rated power.”
The Silverado EV has impressed in tests, with InsideEVs naming it the top performer in 2024 battery charging trials, achieving up to 350 kilowatts with preconditioning and sustaining high speeds.
Some Tesla owners expressed mixed feelings about non-Tesla EVs using the chargers, with one saying, “I don’t know how to feel about this I’m glad more EVs on road. But also, I don’t like Tesla opening these up to GM and Ford. Gross.”
