Why the Tesla Model 3 Chicago man bought was banned from all 70,000+ Supercharger stations
Published on Oct 10, 2025 at 5:53 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Oct 10, 2025 at 7:19 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
This Tesla owner in Chicago bought a Tesla Model 3 and later found out his EV is banned from using Supercharger stations.
We’re not talking about a local or regional ban, but a total blanket ban.
And the reason might surprise you.
It certainly surprised the owner.
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The reason why his Model 3 is ‘banned’
Imagine buying a Model 3 with a clean title only to find out your car isn’t eligible to use a Supercharger anywhere in the world.
That’s what happened to Daniel Boycott, a Tesla owner from Chicago.
He bought a used Tesla Model 3 from a dealership, but was hit with a bad surprise just a few days later when he headed to a Supercharger to charge his EV and noticed the charger didn’t work.
He tried other chargers, but none of them worked.
At that point, he got in touch with Tesla, and the company confirmed the vehicle was ‘unsupported for Supercharging’ due to it being a ‘salvaged’ vehicle.
Speaking to CBS, Boycott expressed his frustration and pointed out he had no idea, because no one told him.
“I was told it was clean. The CARFAX said it was clean, and I trusted that,” he told the news channel.
Unfortunately for him, a deeper dive into the report revealed that the car had indeed been involved in an accident.
It was a minor one, but still enough to convince Tesla to mark this particular Model 3 as ‘unsafe’.
According to the automaker, connecting a damaged EV to its powerful Supercharger network presents a safety issue.
This was one of the key reasons he bought a Tesla
Boycott told CBS that access to Tesla’s extensive Supercharger was one of the key reasons he bought this car.
So Boycott has three options now.
He can either spend a significant chunk of money to fix the car and make it Supercharger-friendly again, or he can sell it and buy another Tesla.
The third option is buying a different EV altogether.
After all, the Supercharger network is open to other brands, from Mercedes-Benz to Honda and even Lucid.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
