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A Tesla Supercharger V3 invasion is coming, and it’s starting in a nondescript building in Shanghai

Credit: WU WA/YouTube

Published

5 years ago

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Inside an unmarked, nondescript building less than four miles away from the growing, sprawling Gigafactory Shanghai complex, American electric vehicle maker Tesla is starting what could very well be another disruption in the making. Tesla announced recently that it had started operations in its first dedicated Supercharger V3 plant in Shanghai. The goal of the facility is simple: it would produce 10,000 Superchargers per year. 

This goal is quite impressive considering that Tesla, in its official website, notes that it currently operates just over 20,000 Superchargers stalls in more than 2,000 stations across the globe. This means that if the Shanghai Supercharger V3 plant could hit its target production figures, Tesla should be able to double the number of its Superchargers in just a few years. But this is not the most impressive part of this ramp. 

Credit: Tesla

Drone operator WU WA, who has been following the progress of Tesla China’s Shanghai projects for over two years now, noted in a recent flyover that Tesla’s Supercharger V3 plant in Shanghai covers just about 5,000 sqm (about 54,000 square feet). That’s not a small area by any means, but it is very compact considering that the Roadrunner line, which hosts the company’s pilot 4680 battery production line in Fremont, covers over 180,000 square feet. It should also be noted that Tesla’s Roadrunner site is already one of the EV maker’s more conservatively-sized facilities. 

The fact that Tesla could essentially produce 10,000 Supercharger V3 stations from a 54,000-sq ft facility every year bodes very well for the electric car maker’s efforts to thrive in the mainstream market. With a growing fleet of vehicles, after all, Tesla needs to expand its Supercharger Network to a significant degree. Adding 10,000 chargers to the network annually from one dedicated facility is a great way to support the company’s aggressive vehicle production ramp. 

What is quite impressive is that Tesla was able to establish its Supercharger V3 plant in China in just a few months. Granted, this pace may be quite challenging to replicate in other locations like Giga Berlin considering China’s trademark quick construction, but even a Supercharger plant that takes twice as long to build would already increase expand the rapid-charging network to a significant degree. The fact that a 10,000-per-year Supercharger factory could take up only 54,000 square feet also means that Tesla may very well be able to add such a facility in projects like Giga Berlin and Texas. 

As noted in a report from the Harvard Business Review, Tesla’s Supercharger Network is arguably one of the electric car maker’s trump cards in the EV race. Established at a time when the company was only building the Model S sedan, the Supercharger Network has become a tried and tested way for electric car owners to undertake long trips without range anxiety. Considering that Tesla is now attempting to break into new markets like the pickup and Class 8 segments, a robust charging network would likely become more important than ever. Fortunately, if Shanghai’s launch of its Supercharger V3 plant is any indication, it appears that Tesla has figured out a formula of sorts to expand its Superchargers worldwide. 

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Watch a flyover of Tesla’s Supercharger V3 facility in Shanghai in the video below.

https://youtu.be/kM4X09Ll61s

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla creates clever solution to simplify and improve its Service

Raj Jegannathan, a Vice President of IT/AI-Infra, Apps, Infosec, and Vehicle Service Operations, revealed that Tesla has started a small pilot program at a few service locations to combat this issue.

Published

8 hours ago

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August 7, 2025

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tesla service
Credit: Tesla

Tesla has created a clever solution to simplify and improve its Service. Tesla performs most of the services that are needed on its vehicles at its company-owned Service Centers.

However, service has been a weak point of the company, as some regions have fewer Service Centers than others. This can cause long wait times for Tesla owners in some parts of the country.

There are also instances where customers do not agree with what Tesla is saying about their vehicle. In fact, one instance that revealed this new change Tesla is making to its Service was precisely that.

One owner posted on X that his vehicle’s battery seal had failed after a recall was issued. Tesla insurance and Tesla Service both did not assist, and it took CEO Elon Musk stepping in to get the issue resolved:

Another owner suggested there should be a more streamlined communications process between the customer and the Service Center, a solution that has been missing.

Raj Jegannathan, a Vice President of IT/AI-Infra, Apps, Infosec, and Vehicle Service Operations, revealed that Tesla has started a small pilot program at a few service locations to combat this issue.

Elon Musk wants Tesla Service to fix two-thirds of cars in the same day

Jegannathan said that Tesla has started to share local and regional leader contact information so customers have the ability to reach out when they have complaints or disagree with warranty claims, changes in estimates, or initial diagnostics.

It is available in a handful of locations already, and Jegannathan said that once abuse guardrails are built, this will expand to all locations:

This would be a major improvement in the Service portion of Tesla’s business. There are common disagreements between Service and customers, specifically when Service’s suggestions don’t align with the customer’s beliefs.

When it comes to things like a warranty claim, these issues are not really up for interpretation. Instead, the repairs should be made. If there is a misunderstanding on Service’s side, a simple message from the customer could have resolved the issue. That’s basically what happened here.

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Investor's Corner

Tesla gets its best analysis from Morgan Stanley as ‘it’s all about to change’

He maintained its ‘Overweight’ rating and the $410 price target Morgan Stanley had on the stock.

Published

9 hours ago

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August 7, 2025

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(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla has gotten perhaps its best analysis from Morgan Stanley in quite some time, as the Wall Street firm claims that “it’s all about to change.”

That phrase could be used for both the company’s status and the world in general.

Analyst Adam Jonas said in a new note on Thursday to investors that Tesla could be one of the major winners in terms of the global transition from what it is now to what it will be.

He describes the global shift that will occur over the next few years:

“Have you interacted with a robot today? Have you even seen a robot today? No? Well, take a mental picture because it’s all about to change. When we meet someone who has never been in a Waymo or a Tesla Cybercab (which is most people), we frequently see a wince and a response such as ‘I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable getting in a car without a driver.’ We imagine going back in time to 1903 and asking people if they’d feel comfortable in an airplane.'”

The same technological revolutions that have occurred over the past 150 years will continue to occur again and again. We are on the verge of another, Jonas believes, as companies like Tesla are working on artificial intelligence tech, which includes changing the way we look at things like transportation and labor.

Jonas includes an interesting tidbit in his note about how humanoid robots could change wages, and how it could work into the advantage of Tesla, especially as it is developing its own Optimus robot:

“We estimate 1 humanoid robot at $5/hour can do the work of 2 humans at $25/hour, generating an NPV of approximately $200k/humanoid. 1 robot shaped car can potentially drive down cost/mile of a ride share vehicle to <$0.20 mile (1/10th human-driven ride-share).”

Jonas sees Tesla as a key player in how AI will impact things like manufacturing and various automotive industries, and he believes there is long-term potential for AI, robomobility, and even autonomous eVTOL platforms.

Tesla stock: Morgan Stanley says eVTOL is calling Elon Musk for new chapter

He maintained its ‘Overweight’ rating and the $410 price target Morgan Stanley had on the stock.

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Elon Musk

Tesla expands Robotaxi program in Austin to new riders

Tesla has been expanding both the rider group and the geofence in Austin slowly, making sure to prioritize safety and avoid any major events with the early rollout.

Published

10 hours ago

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August 7, 2025

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Credit: @TerrapinTerpene/X

Tesla is expanding its Robotaxi program in Austin, Texas, as several people have received invitations to participate and take rides.

Tesla first launched the Robotaxi platform on June 22. It invited a handful of people to participate in the first-ever public rides. We were lucky enough to get an invitation, and our permissions have been expanded in the Bay Area pilot program as well.

The group was small and consisted of big names in the Tesla community. It expanded and is continuing to offer these exclusive invitations to notable members of the Tesla community.

There have been fewer than five subsequent invitations after the first group’s were sent in late June:

Tesla has been expanding both the rider group and the geofence in Austin slowly, making sure to prioritize safety and avoid any major events with the early rollout.

Tesla’s new Robotaxi geofence shape is an FU by Elon Musk to the competition

“We are being very cautious. We do not want to take any chances, so we are going to go cautiously. But the service areas and the number of vehicles in operation will increase at a hyper-exponential rate,” CEO Elon Musk said during the Q2 Earnings Call.

Eventually, the Robotaxi platform will not require an invite, and it will operate without geofences. Musk believes Tesla can get there within three or six months, and plans to have at least half of the U.S. population with access to a Robotaxi by the end of the year:

“I think we will probably have autonomous ride-hailing in probably half the population of the U.S. by the end of the year. That’s at least our goal, subject to regulatory approvals. I think we will technically be able to do it. Assuming we have regulatory approvals, it’s probably addressing half the population of the U.S. by the end of the year.”

Tesla plans to have regulatory approval in Nevada, Arizona, and Florida sooner than in other states.

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