Perhaps one of Tesla’s most well-established assets for its ecosystem is the company’s Supercharger network, which enshrines reliable and fast charging for EV owners on the go. Now Tesla has announced its new generation of superchargers i.e. Supercharger V4 which will be capable of providing up to 500 kW power for electric vehicles and 1.2MW of power specifically for the Tesla Semi.
The as-yet-unnamed next-generation charger is due for release in 2025 and it is expected to cut charging times dramatically, and ultimately make owning an electric car a more hassle-free experience. This advancement is going to revolutionize the industry potentially and at the same time strengthen Tesla’s claim to be pushing for sustainable transport solutions.
Tesla Supercharger V4 Features
The V4 cabinets will allow charging rates of up to 500 kW – a much higher rate than the current 250 kW of the V3 cabinets. This upgrade benefits cars with more voltage systems more than those with lesser systems like the future cyber truck which can make charging at rates equal to 1300 miles per hour under the right conditions.
The new cabinets will provide support for a spectrum of vehicle electrical architectures from 400V to 1000V. What this means is that while Tesla’s EVs will drastically improve charging times, hundreds of other, non-Tesla EVs with similar 800-volt systems like Hyundai, Kia, and Porsche will also see improvements in charging rates.
According to the company, each V4 cabinet can provide electricity to up to eight Supercharger stalls, which is twice as much as a V3 cabinet. This design minimizes installation complications and the physical space required making it easier to add new charging stations to the network.
The V4 Supercharger stations will feature physical payment methods, extra long charge cables for easy reach, and built-in CCS ports along with Tesla’s proprietary NACS connections. These improvements –To Charging Station-OEMs, To EV drivers, and To OCPP & Smart Charging Software Developers, are all toward the goal of optimizing the charging experience for all users of EVs.
Rollout Timeline
Currently, Tesla is in the permitting process for these new V4 Supercharger sites and plans on starting the installation in early 2025. The first sites are expected to go live within that year, with initial implementations in some parts of Europe and the United States underway. By 2024, the electric car manufacturer will manage more than 50,000 Superchargers globally.
Tesla is also planning on expanding the Supercharger network to accommodate more people as well. Recently the company has begun to open some of its Superchargers to other EVs in some markets such as Europe and North America. As witnessed with other V4 chargers, the chargers will probably persist with this trend to strengthen the position of Tesla in EV charging. Tesla prioritized major highways, urban centers, and high-traffic corridors to ensure widespread availability for the installation.
While the Cybertruck is expected to take full advantage of these new charging speeds due to its 800-volt architecture, other Tesla models such as the Model 3 and Model Y will remain limited to a maximum charging rate of 250 kW until they are updated to support higher voltage systems. Also regarding the Australian availability of V4 supercharging stations, Tesla is yet to confirm anything.
