In general, you cannot charge BMW i3 at Tesla Supercharger. Any vehicle other than a Tesla will not be able to use a Tesla supercharger.
All Tesla Superchargers can only be used to charge Tesla-branded automobiles because they possess a specific proprietary intake connector. On the market, other brands of electric vehicles employ the less prevalent CHAdeMO connector or a Combined Charging System (CCS). This means that you cannot physically plug in a Supercharger inlet to charge a non-Tesla vehicle.
The BMW i3 is a high-roof hatchback in the B-segment featuring an electric powertrain that includes a single-speed transmission, rear-wheel drive, and an underfloor Li-ion battery pack, as well as a range-extending combustion engine.
What is a Tesla Supercharger? A Tesla Supercharger is a fast-charging device of the 480-volt direct current developed by Tesla, Inc. for their all-electric vehicles. It is a fast-charging station for Tesla automobiles. At a supercharger, the automobile and the system communicate digitally so that they can figure out if the car is authorized and if they need to charge them for the electricity. However, I can plug in any Tesla vehicle and charge provided my account information is right.
Any EV may connect to an AC Level 2 Tesla EVSE with the adaptor, but not to a DC Tesla Supercharger. You could use the converter with some hotels’ AC Level 2 Tesla Destination Chargers but only Tesla vehicles may be charged at Tesla Supercharger facilities. Tesla Superchargers employ a proprietary protocol for charging that is not supported by any other EV, thereby it prevents charging even if a physical connection could be created with an adaptor. Other brands are presently not permitted to charge at Tesla’s superchargers. Only CCS fast-charging stations are compatible with the i3.
Additionally, you cannot use Tesla’s Superchargers which are level 3 chargers regardless of adapters because they demand VIN identification. A Supercharger recognizes the VIN of the vehicle being charged and can debit the account of the vehicle’s owner. Except for Tesla, this would not work for any other automaker. Every Tesla can identify itself, that is, it checks in with a unique ID that determines whether or not the car is authorized to charge and at what speed. Although manufacturers can collaborate with Tesla to make their vehicles compatible with Tesla Superchargers, none have done it so far. It is by design that the protocol is incompatible.
Tesla encouraged BMW and other automakers to participate in the creation of the Tesla Supercharger Network, but they instead decided to work on the CCS system with other ICE carmakers, which Tesla does not yet equip its vehicles with. The Supercharger communicates with a Tesla automobile about battery cell temperatures, charging rates, and other information.
Tesla and BMW would need to work out the communication specifics to allow the BMW to verify and commence charging. Superchargers have CCS connectors that would match the receptacle on the BMW, but they would have to work out the communication technicalities. Tesla Superchargers lack any type of user interface, including a screen, buttons, and a card reader. As a result, the car and the charger must interact via the charging cable. The data is subsequently communicated to Tesla’s system, and the charger is turned on if the car is properly identified and registered with Tesla (as well as a charge card is on file).
The adaptor, unfortunately, will not operate with Tesla’s high-speed Supercharger network. Those stations employ an authentication method to determine the vehicle’s VIN and whether or not it is authorized to use the station. The advantage of gaining access to many destination stations is that it permits me to go on long tours with my BMW i3.
In conclusion, because the Tesla Supercharger is a Tesla automotive fast-charging station, you are unable to use it to charge a BMW i3.