A Mustang Mach-E Owner Says He Pulled Into a Tesla Supercharger and Was “Shocked” To Find Full-Time Attendants Giving Priority Access and Special Treatment to Non-Tesla Drivers Like Him

The modern American road trip is being rewritten at the junction of pavement and power lines, where a charging station now serves as a mix of pit lane, rest stop, and community watering hole. Most drivers expect the familiar hum of cooling fans and the ritual shuffle for the next open stall. What they do not expect is a level of coordination that feels closer to an organized paddock than a roadside plug. Yet on a recent stop in California’s Central Valley, that was exactly what greeted one traveler. Instead of the automated anonymity that has long defined the EV charging experience, he found personnel guiding vehicles into place with calm precision, giving the entire scene a sense of practiced order.

“Tesla supercharger parking attendants - paid full-time by Tesla to help with lines and non-Teslas. 

Recently took a road trip and stopped at a 20-station Tesla SC I had never been to and found 2 parking attendants lining up EVs to charge stalls.

When they saw my Mach-E, they pulled up a cone from a stall and directed me to it.  

I saw other EVs (Rivian, Hyundai, Lightning) also getting the royal treatment!

Very nice service - never seen this before - anyone else?“

That account from Pat Kudo carried the tone of a driver who expected nothing more than a place to plug in and instead found a surprisingly curated experience. According to the comments that followed, the location was Bakersfield, a city that one resident, Chris Lawrence, described with characteristic local pride by saying they roll out the red carpet for visitors which included the Mach E. Ed Dunn chimed in with a reminder of the enduring appeal of its Basque restaurants, a detail that adds a sense of place to an otherwise technical conversation. The specific Supercharger in question is known among regulars for heavy daytime traffic, a fact later confirmed by Trevor Shiffermiller, who has developed his own early morning charging routine to beat the crowds and take advantage of lower off-peak prices.

Ford Mustang Mach-E: The First Electric Mustang

• The Mustang Mach-E’s electric platform gives it a low center of gravity that translates into confident cornering and a balanced feel in everyday driving.
• Its styling blends classic Mustang cues with a modern crossover shape, creating a vehicle that carries brand identity while embracing the needs of the EV segment.
• The large vertical touchscreen serves as the central control point, supported by physical volume controls and a straightforward menu structure that keeps the cabin user-friendly.
• Strong torque delivery at low speeds gives the Mach-E a lively character, making city driving and merging maneuvers feel smooth and immediate.

Kudo’s description of cones being moved aside to make room for his Mach-E reads almost like a choreographed sequence. Rivians, Hyundais, and Ford Lightnings were granted the same courtesy, and the attendants worked through the flow with the quiet confidence of people who know where each model will fit without blocking access for the next arrival. Shiffermiller observed that Tesla has been expanding capacity around its busiest sites while also preparing longer cable options to remove any awkward positioning for vehicles with ports in varying locations. His account of charging before dawn from a hotel across the street illustrated how adaptable the system can be when drivers plan around its natural rhythm.

Cable length remains a central factor in this transitional period. Kudo expressed appreciation for the newer V4 Superchargers that offer extended reach, making it far easier for the Mustang Mach E to connect without occupying multiple stalls. This is not an abstract engineering detail. It is a practical necessity that affects real travel timelines. When the hardware does not align with the vehicle’s port layout, congestion can become unavoidable. The V4 design helps eliminate that friction and hints at the next stage of a more universal charging environment where stall design no longer dictates brand compatibility.

The presence of attendants suggests that Tesla recognizes the need for flexible, real-time management at strategic locations. Commenters like Jack Amick speculated about what amenities might come next, and Matthew Priddy mentioned that networks such as Ionna already offer lounge spaces at some of their sites. These observations support the idea that the industry is moving toward stations that provide more than a place to charge. They are evolving into modern service centers with comforts that acknowledge the longer dwell times of electric vehicles.

What stands out in Bakersfield is not just the novelty of attendants but the clear signal that Tesla is adapting to a multibrand future. Opening the Supercharger network to non-Tesla and Ford vehicles created predictable challenges, and addressing them with direct on-site coordination shows a willingness to manage the change responsibly. The attendants are not a gimmick. They are a practical measure that keeps travel schedules intact during peak demand and helps maintain fairness in access. For drivers of all makes, the result is a smoother and more predictable experience.

This shift hints at a future where the EV road trip becomes an exercise in straightforward planning rather than logistical improvisation. The combination of growing hardware capability, improved stall layout, and selective staffing produces a more organized environment at precisely the moment when EV adoption is accelerating across multiple brands. If Bakersfield is any indication, the next iteration of the public charging landscape may feel less like navigating a bottleneck and more like settling into a routine that simply works. And in the world of long-distance travel, that is worth more than any novelty. It is the foundation of confidence.

Image Sources: Ford Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.