Connect with us

News

Tesla and its Supercharger Network dominate 11-way 1,000-mile EV test

Credit: Car and Driver/YouTube

Published

on

An 11-way, 1,000-mile endurance test has proven that long trips with an electric vehicle in the United States are now possible, though those who are not driving Teslas may find themselves a bit challenged. These were the findings of motoring publication Car and Driver, which held a long-distance race between 11 EVs that are currently sold in the United States. 

The vehicles that participated in the test were the Tesla Model S Long Range Plus, Tesla Model Y Performance, Tesla Model 3 Performance, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Porsche Taycan 4S, Kia Niro EV, Audi e-tron, Volkswagen ID.4, Volvo XC40 Recharge, Polestar 2, and Nissan Leaf Plus. Participants in the event, which were comprised of two-person teams, were given free rein to select their own route, provided that they hit checkpoints in Cincinnati; Athens, Ohio; Morgantown, West Virginia; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Ann Arbor. 

Despite using apps like A Better Route Planner (ABRP), some teams immediately started hitting some challenges just a couple of dozen miles into the race. The team in the Nissan Leaf Plus, for example, made its first stop at a charging station just 23 miles into the race, reportedly as suggested by the ABRP app, but this resulted in them being the last group to arrive at a single ChargePoint DC fast charger in Lima, Ohio, behind three other teams. The team in the Audi e-tron eventually gave up their spot in the queue to look for another charging station, but they eventually returned after the other charger they were hoping to use turned out to be offline. 

The non-Tesla EVs with longer range such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Volkswagen ID.4 fared slightly better, driving longer distances before needing a charge. When the vehicles did need a charge, however, the teams ended up experiencing similar issues as their competitors. From single ChargePoint DC fast chargers in some locations to areas with only Level 2 chargers available, some of the teams in the race ended up wasting valuable time. This was especially true for the Ford Mustang Mach-E team, whose lead against its non-Tesla peers tricked down as slowly as the Level 2 stations it ended up using north of Morgan­town. 

Advertisement

In comparison, the Tesla Model S, Model 3, and Model Y teams went through the race without much issues, and a good reason for this was the Supercharger Network. With the rapid charging station being as robust as it is today, the trifecta of Teslas dominated the 1,000-mile race. The Model S Long Range completed the race in commanding fashion, and it was followed by the Model Y team, who beat the Model 3 team through some extra assertiveness. This all but proved that if drivers wish to conduct long road trips in an electric vehicle today, Teslas are still the way to go. The Supercharger Network is just that good. 

Ultimately, the Tesla Model S completed the 1,000-mile run in 16:14, followed by the Tesla Model Y, which finished the race in 17:50. The Tesla Model 3 took third place with a 17:55 time. The rest of the competition arrived over the following hours. The Ford Mustang Mach-E, the electric vehicle hailed by Car and Driver as its 2021 EV of the Year, came in at fourth place with a total time of 20:31, followed by the Porsche Taycan 4S, which had a total time of 21:00. The Kia Niro EV, the Audi e-tron, and the Volkswagen ID.4 all took over 23 hours to complete the 1,000-mile run, and the Volvo XC40 Recharge needed 25:47 to finish the race. The Polestar 2 took a surprisingly long 26:52 to complete its run, while the Nissan Leaf Plus took a whopping 32:57 before it crossed the finish line. 

Watch Car and Driver’s 11-way 1,000-mile EV test in the video below. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to tips@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla launches solution to end Supercharger fights once and for all

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla is launching its solution to end Supercharger fights once and for all, eliminating any confusion on who is to charge next at a congested location.

Last year, a notable incident at a Tesla Supercharger led to a fight, and it all stemmed from a disagreement over who arrived at the location first.

Congestion at Tesla Superchargers is a pretty infrequent occurrence for most of us, but there are more congested and popular areas where wait times can be extensive. An unfortunate growing pain of EV ownership is the plain fact that chargers are not as available as gas pumps, and there are, at times, lines to charge.

This can cause tensions to flare and people to get entitled when visiting Superchargers. Nobody wants to spend hours at a Supercharger, but now, there will be no more confusion when there is a queue, and that’s thanks to Tesla’s new Virtual Queue for Superchargers.

Tesla is finally starting to build out the Virtual Supercharger Queue, according to Not a Tesla App, but it still relies on drivers to make it work.

When a driver is near a Supercharger that is full, a message will pop up on the Tesla App, using the driver’s location to determine their eligibility to join the virtual queue.

The app states:

“While the app is closed, Tesla uses your location to notify you of accurate wait times at Superchargers when you arrive.”

Another message within the app states:

“There is a waitlist to charge. Are you sure you want to start a charging session now?”

This sounds as if it will require drivers to act appropriately and only plug in when the app prompts them to do so, by letting them know it is their turn.

The app will notify the driver of their position in the queue, as well as how many vehicles are ahead of them.

Tesla launches first ‘true’ East Coast V4 Supercharger: here’s what that means

The company announced a while back that it would be working on a solution for this issue. Personally, I’ve only had to wait at a Supercharger for a charge on one occasion, and there was a line of between 3 and 10 cars during this singular occurrence.

There were no conflicts or arguments about who had arrived first, but there was some discussion between several drivers during my time there about who was to charge first. Throw a non-Tesla EV into the mix, one that can only charge at a pull-in spot, and that causes even more of a complication.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla offers awesome Free Supercharging incentive on an unexpected vehicle

In the past, Tesla has used Free Supercharging to incentivize the purchase of its expensive vehicles, like the Model S and Model X. However, those vehicles are leaving the company lineup, and Tesla saw a benefit from applying the incentive to another car.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla Charging | X

Tesla is offering an awesome new Free Supercharging incentive on a vehicle that is sort of unexpected.

In the past, Tesla has used Free Supercharging to incentivize the purchase of its expensive vehicles, like the Model S and Model X. However, those vehicles are leaving the company lineup, and Tesla saw a benefit from applying the incentive to another car.

Tesla North America has introduced a compelling new incentive aimed at boosting Model 3 sales. Starting with orders placed on or after April 24, buyers of the Model 3 Premium (Long Range) and Performance variants in the United States will receive one full year of complimentary Supercharging.

The offer applies exclusively to new vehicle orders and does not extend to existing owners or other trims like the base Rear-Wheel Drive model.

The announcement underscores Tesla’s continued dominance in EV charging infrastructure.

While the incentive provides 12 months of zero-cost access to the Supercharger network, Tesla also reiterated its pricing structure: all Tesla vehicles receive the lowest Supercharging rates.

Non-Tesla EVs, by contrast, pay approximately 40 percent more per kWh or must purchase a subscription to access the network at standard rates. This tiered approach highlights the strategic value of owning a Tesla, where seamless integration with the world’s largest and most reliable fast-charging network remains a key differentiator.

For prospective buyers, the savings can be substantial. Depending on driving habits, a typical Model 3 owner might log 12,000–15,000 miles annually.

With average Supercharging costs around $0.40–$0.50 per kWh, one year of free sessions could translate to $800–$1,200 in avoided expenses.

That effectively lowers the total cost of ownership and makes long-distance travel more affordable from day one. Early delivery customers have already noted similar past incentives, with one Cybertruck owner reporting over $2,400 saved in just six months under similar offers that Tesla has deployed in the past.

The timing of the offer appears strategic. Tesla faces growing competition from other automakers expanding their own charging networks and offering aggressive EV incentives.

By bundling free Supercharging rather than discounting the vehicle’s MSRP, Tesla preserves perceived value while directly addressing one of the biggest barriers for new EV adopters: charging costs and convenience.

The move also encourages higher-mileage use of the network, generating valuable real-world data for Tesla’s autonomous driving development.

Why Tesla would apply this incentive to the Model 3 is pretty interesting. It usually is a pretty good incentive to move units out the door, so there’s some speculation whether Tesla is planning to launch new upgrades to the mass-market sedan in the coming months, and the company wants to move what will be outdated units from its inventory.

However, there is also just the idea that Tesla could be attempting to stimulate some early quarter demand for the Model 3, especially as the Model Y continues to sell very well. Tesla’s loss of the $7,500 EV tax credit last year had an impact on sales, and Tesla might be testing some formidable options to see if it can add some demand once again.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla Cybercab gets crazy change as mass production begins

Tesla has officially kicked off mass production of its groundbreaking Cybercab robotaxi at Giga Texas, and the first units rolling off the line feature a striking transformation that’s turning heads across the EV community.

Published

on

Credit: TechOperator | X

Tesla Cybercab has evidently received a pretty crazy change from an aesthetic standpoint, as the company has made the decision to offer an additional finish on the vehicle as mass production is starting.

Tesla has officially kicked off mass production of its groundbreaking Cybercab robotaxi at Giga Texas, and the first units rolling off the line feature a striking transformation that’s turning heads across the EV community.

VIN Zero—the very first production Cybercab—showcases a vibrant champagne gold exterior with a high-gloss finish, a dramatic departure from the flat, matte-wrapped prototypes that debuted at the 2024 “We, Robot” event.

This glossy sheen is a pretty big pivot from what was initially shown by Tesla. The company has maintained a pretty flat tone in terms of anything related to custom colors or finishes.

A specialized clear coat or process delivers the deep, reflective gloss without conventional painting. The result is a premium, mirror-like shine, and it looks pretty good, and gives the compact two-seater a more luxurious and futuristic presence than the subdued matte prototypes.

Photos shared by Tesla community members reveal VIN Zero in a showroom-like setting at Giga Texas, highlighting refined panel gaps, large aero wheel covers, and the signature no-steering-wheel, no-pedals interior optimized for full autonomy.

The open frunk in some images offers a glimpse of practical storage, while the overall build quality appears more polished than that of test mules.

This glossy evolution aligns with Tesla’s broader production ramp. After the first unit in February 2026, the company has shifted to volume manufacturing, with dozens of units already spotted in outbound lots. CEO Elon Musk and the team aim for hundreds per week, paving the way for unsupervised FSD robotaxi networks that could slash ride costs to pennies per mile.

The Cybercab holds Tesla’s grand ambitions of operating a full-service ride-hailing service without any drivers in its grasp. Tesla has yet to solve autonomy, but is well on its way, and although its timelines are usually a bit off, improvements often come through the Over-the-Air updates to the Full Self-Driving suite.

Continue Reading