Photo: Tesla
Tesla finally unveiled its 800-volt Supercharger V4 cabinets, unlocking faster charging speeds for 800-1,000-volt EVs. Thanks to the new tech, the Cybertruck can charge at up to 500 kW, whereas the Semi could get 1.2 MW. However, it's unlikely that the Cybertruck charging times will reduce much, considering the poor charging performance of the 4680 cells.
Tesla Supercharger is the undisputable leader of the charging networks, even after Musk disbanded the team earlier this year. Thanks to Tesla opening up the Superchargers to third-party electric vehicles, this is now getting wider recognition. However, not everyone felt the Supercharger benefits, with owners of 800-volt vehicles the most affected. Since Tesla didn't have an 800-volt EV until the Cybertruck launched last year, its chargers only offered 400-volt charging.
Many criticized Tesla for not having true 800-volt Superchargers, especially as the Cybertruck launched with an 800-volt architecture. Some thought the V4 Superchargers would correct this shortcoming, but Tesla chose a stop-gap solution. Although V4 stalls could dispense 800 volts, they were still supplied by older V3 power cabinets working at 400 volts. All V4 Superchargers are still delivering 400 volts until Tesla upgrades the power cabinets to V4 (800 volts) parts.
The good news is that Tesla officially announced what everyone has been expecting for a long time: the first stations with 800-volt Superchargers will start installation soon, with the first scheduled to open in 2025. They will be connected to the first V4 power cabinets, which promise superior power and efficiency compared to V3 cabinets. The new cabinets support 400-1,000-volt electric vehicles and deliver power across eight charging posts, twice the number of stalls per cabinet compared to V3 cabinets.
Tesla's S3XY lineup will not benefit much from the more powerful cabinets, as they will still be limited to 250 kW of power. However, the Cybertruck will be able to charge at up to 500 kW, whereas the Tesla Semi will be able to take in 1.2 MW. Tesla shared a teaser video showing the Cybertruck charging at 500 kW, although very briefly. However, peak power is not very important for an EV if it can only be achieved for a short period.
Currently, the Cybertruck has a disappointing charge curve, with the power dropping sharply after the battery state of charge reaches 25%. At 50%, the Cybertruck barely takes 125 kW. However, Tesla's VP of engineering, Lars Moravy, claimed that the Cybertruck should be able to charge much faster, from 15% to 85% in 18-20 minutes. So far, this hasn't been the case, even when charging at an 800-volt charger.
In fact, this is the main reason Tesla decided to feed eight posts from a single cabinet. According to the Supercharger chief Max de Zegher, one cabinet would need less than 1 MW across all posts to deliver maximum power to cars 99% of the time. That's because it's rare that all eight will need the maximum 500 kW simultaneously or for long. This enables Tesla to reduce costs significantly through efficiency improvements. Since Superchargers deliver over 5 TWh per year, better efficiency allows Tesla to save roughly 100 GWh yearly in waste heat.
Many criticized Tesla for not having true 800-volt Superchargers, especially as the Cybertruck launched with an 800-volt architecture. Some thought the V4 Superchargers would correct this shortcoming, but Tesla chose a stop-gap solution. Although V4 stalls could dispense 800 volts, they were still supplied by older V3 power cabinets working at 400 volts. All V4 Superchargers are still delivering 400 volts until Tesla upgrades the power cabinets to V4 (800 volts) parts.
The good news is that Tesla officially announced what everyone has been expecting for a long time: the first stations with 800-volt Superchargers will start installation soon, with the first scheduled to open in 2025. They will be connected to the first V4 power cabinets, which promise superior power and efficiency compared to V3 cabinets. The new cabinets support 400-1,000-volt electric vehicles and deliver power across eight charging posts, twice the number of stalls per cabinet compared to V3 cabinets.
Tesla's S3XY lineup will not benefit much from the more powerful cabinets, as they will still be limited to 250 kW of power. However, the Cybertruck will be able to charge at up to 500 kW, whereas the Tesla Semi will be able to take in 1.2 MW. Tesla shared a teaser video showing the Cybertruck charging at 500 kW, although very briefly. However, peak power is not very important for an EV if it can only be achieved for a short period.
Currently, the Cybertruck has a disappointing charge curve, with the power dropping sharply after the battery state of charge reaches 25%. At 50%, the Cybertruck barely takes 125 kW. However, Tesla's VP of engineering, Lars Moravy, claimed that the Cybertruck should be able to charge much faster, from 15% to 85% in 18-20 minutes. So far, this hasn't been the case, even when charging at an 800-volt charger.
In fact, this is the main reason Tesla decided to feed eight posts from a single cabinet. According to the Supercharger chief Max de Zegher, one cabinet would need less than 1 MW across all posts to deliver maximum power to cars 99% of the time. That's because it's rare that all eight will need the maximum 500 kW simultaneously or for long. This enables Tesla to reduce costs significantly through efficiency improvements. Since Superchargers deliver over 5 TWh per year, better efficiency allows Tesla to save roughly 100 GWh yearly in waste heat.
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) November 14, 2024
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) November 14, 2024
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