Over the years, charging speeds at stations for electric vehicles have been a topic of debate — namely, the amount of time it takes to charge. Automotive and clean energy powerhouse Tesla has begun addressing this by unleashing a new feature at Supercharger stations that can charge at a top speed higher than the average.Â
In an article by Teslarati, it was confirmed by Tesla that the company has begun conducting enhanced charge speed trials at selected Supercharger stations that would include both V4 charging ports and power cabinets containing specs for V3 chargers. Initially suspected by Rafael Santoni, also known as TesLatino (@TesLatino), the Tesla enthusiast shared on X that while charging his Cybertruck at a California Supercharger station, he noticed the top speed reached 323 kilowatts, much higher than the standard 250kW at various charging stations.
Running a trial on a few different V3+ stations (V3 cabinet + V4 charge post). This is not a bug, but it's also not rolled out to all hardware capable stations. I guess since @TesLatino has visited 97% of all North America supercharger locations he was bound to find one.
— Wes (@wmorrill3) August 5, 2024
This was all confirmed to be true when Cybertruck head engineer Wes Morrill took to X to share that the company was running trials on some "V3+ stations" — stations containing a V3 cabinet and V4 charging posts — as Tesla started dispensing its updated V4 chargers in North America and Europe since last year.
"This is not a bug, but it's also not rolled out to all hardware-capable stations," Morrill wrote.
This has appeared to be the beginning of upgraded power cabinets reaching charging speeds over 250kW more broadly. Except for the Cybertruck and recent Model Y units, Tesla's EV fleet has reached around 250kW charging speeds, per Teslarati.
Tesla Supercharger stations are an exciting development for anyone considering an EV. Tesla has been making significant strides in expanding its Supercharger network, which is great news for reducing range anxiety and making EVs more practical for everyday use. For instance, Tesla recently hit a milestone of 55,000 Superchargers worldwide, with plans to keep growing.
Moreover, Tesla has been innovating with features such as pull-through stations, which are particularly useful for vehicles towing trailers, and even integrating solar canopies to provide clean energy.
With the rise of EVs and charging stations, drivers save $1,500 a year on gas, maintenance, and lower air pollution. It's a win all around.Â
"Interesting! With V3, very interesting," wrote one reader."900 amps at 800 volts make for lots of horsepower," commented another.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.