Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla is upgrading the Supercharger network from 250 kW to 300 kW max capacity in order to enable faster charging.
Tesla has long been the leader when it comes to fast-charging electric vehicles.
Its electric vehicles would charge at a faster rate than the competition and its extensive Supercharger network made it really convenient to stop and charge your car on a road trip.
However, in recent years, other automakers have introduced electric vehicles that can eventually charge at up to 350 kW, and several third-party charging networks started deploying stations with that capacity. Electrify America/Canada in North America is one such network.
Years ago, Tesla was talking about beating that capacity.
When CEO Elon Musk first mentioned Tesla’s Supercharger V3 update, I asked him if they plan to increase the power capacity to 350 kW, and he answered by saying that 350 kW was “a children’s toy”:
But when Tesla actually launched Supercharger V3 three years later, the automaker only increased its charging stations’ power capacity from 150 kW to 250 kW.
The fact that Tesla vehicles are more efficient than other long-range EVs resulted in the company staying competitive in fast-charging based on miles of range per minute of charging, but other automakers are starting to catch up.
For example, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 has shown some a truly impressive charging capacity. Porsche has promised its Taycan will be upgraded from 270kW to 350kW soon.
Tesla, not one to be outdone, has recently indicated that it will increase power at Supercharger stations.
Now Musk has confirmed a move from 250 kW to 300 kW in a new tweet this morning:
The CEO didn’t disclose which Tesla vehicle would be able to take this higher power output, though the new Model S and Model X, which are equipped with new battery packs, would be prime suspects. It could also be focussed on new models like the Roadster or Cybertruck that will have the company’s new 4680 cells.
For years, Model 3 and Model Y were able to take a higher (250 kW) power output from Tesla’s Supercharger stations than the more expensive Model S and Model X.
That change with a higher charging speed for the new versions of Tesla’s flagship EVs launched earlier this year, but the automaker didn’t disclose a max charge rate for those new vehicles.
Electrek‘s take
That’s an interesting development.
Keep in mind that this is not just a positive for people who will be able to charge at 300 kW, but it will also shorten the average charging sessions at Supercharger stations and therefore, increase the capacity and reduce wait times.
As EV drivers know, it isn’t just the max charging speed but also the ‘charging curve’ that determines how long a charging session will take.
It’s not quite 350 kW yet, but Tesla appears to be careful on that front as fast charging has also been known to affect battery degradation.
What do you think of this move to 300kW? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Author: Fred Lambert
Source: Electrek
