Connect with us
tesla supercharger v4 designs tesla supercharger v4 designs

News

Tesla’s V4 Supercharger seems to appear in new project plans

John Harris | Twitter

Published

on

Tesla’s V4 Supercharger appeared in new project plans for a site in Danvers, Massachusetts, with a design that is strikingly similar to the company’s 72 kW Urban Supercharger. However, project details outlined in blueprints for the Danvers Supercharger seem to indicate this is Tesla’s next big development in its next-gen charging posts, but some questions still remain.

Tesla’s V4 Supercharger

Tesla’s V4 Supercharger will, of course, succeed the 250 kW-capable V3 Superchargers that were released in 2019. The V3 Supercharger was an outrageous update and a huge development to the expedited process of charging Tesla’s EVs. Rates of up to 1,000 miles of range added per hour are capable with the V3 Superchargers, but they are also only available to Tesla vehicles, which is where the V4 may be coming into play.

Along with the rumored CSS support that the V4 Supercharger will pack, Tesla seems to be revising a recently-released 72 kW Urban Supercharger design for the new stalls. In the project outline for the Danvers, Massachusetts Supercharger, the design for the “Alternative Supercharger Post” is strikingly similar, but there are a few details that lead us to believe this is what Tesla is planning to utilize for the new design.

Tesla’s Urban Supercharger can be wall-mounted and installed virtually anywhere

Initially, the Alternative design in the blueprints is massive: 6′ 4.5″, weighing 200 pounds. That’s significantly larger than the Urban Supercharger, which is compact and perhaps only four feet or less in height. It towers over the V3 Supercharger design, which is also present in the blueprints and seems to be the project’s more-likely outfitting when it is complete (courtesy of @JH_Beford on Twitter).

Credit: John Bedford @JH_Bedford on Twitter

We recently reported on some rumors surrounding the V4 Supercharger design, and it does appear to be somewhat similar from a very elementary perspective to what descriptions of the new shell would be. However, there are some things that still remain in question as the V4 Supercharger design has not yet been made public by Tesla.

CCS Support

The project design lacks any mention of potential CCS Support on the V4 Supercharger, which is what most people would expect moving forward from Tesla. The automaker has been utilizing a Pilot Program in Europe that allows other EV brands to utilize Supercharger stalls. This project is available in sixteen countries in Europe, and Tesla has made it clear that, eventually, the capability will be available in the United States. For now, it is too much of an advantage as Tesla continues to grow, and the company keeps it exclusive to Tesla vehicles in the U.S.

However, as we are already a month into the second half of 2022, it gives Tesla less time to roll out the “new Supercharger equipment that will enable non-Tesla EV drivers in North America to use Tesla Superchargers.” These quoted words come courtesy of the White House.

Advertisement
-
-

CCS Support may not be on these designs for several reasons, and it could be that Tesla simply hasn’t finalized a design for that Supercharger. Additionally, this could be an entirely different design altogether, and while it could be the V4 Supercharger, Tesla may not have plans to put CCS Support on the V4. That could perhaps be saved for another design.

900v Architecture

Tesla’s V4 Supercharger will also likely support ultra-fast charging architectures like a rumored 900V setup for the Cybertruck. These higher-voltage architectures enable ultra-fast charging and can supply high-performance or high-workload vehicles with range in short amounts of time.

Tesla is also likely to head toward a 350 kW charging rate, which is present in Electrify America chargers. These chargers are perfect for high-voltage vehicles as they can charge vehicles faster, and most importantly, the vehicles can support them. Their higher voltage architecture can stabilize the charging process for these higher-powered chargers. The Porsche Taycan has an 800v architecture, which enables faster charging, less weight, and high performance, all at lower temperatures.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

Advertisement -
Comments

News

Tesla’s AI lead doubles down on FSD’s speed strategy, and owners are confused

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s AI lead Ashok Elluswamy doubled down on the company’s strategy regarding Full Self-Driving’s speed settings, and owners are definitely confused.

Earlier versions of Full Self-Driving allowed owners to set a max speed that the vehicle could travel while operating under the semi-autonomous driver assistance platform. This allowed more customization for the driver, giving them the ability to experience FSD’s robust performance with their own personal preferences.

Speed is massively important for obvious reasons — it’s not only a question of keeping the vehicle occupants comfortable by traveling at a safe speed, but it’s also something that could contribute to a ticket or infraction from law enforcement.

With the release of FSD v14 last year, Tesla removed the ability to set a max speed and instead opted for five Speed Profiles, ranging from “Sloth,” the most conservative, to “Mad Max,” the most aggressive and spirited. These profiles not only control speed, but also how frequently the vehicle will execute passes, perform lane changes, and other contributing factors.

The removal of the Max Speed setting was a major complaint amongst the Tesla community because it left owners scrambling for a way to experience suitable behaviors while traveling at an appropriate speed. Most felt the driving profiles would be a good indicator of the behaviors, while speed would still be left up to the discretion of the driver.

Instead, Tesla’s Speed Profiles determine both, and the constant tinkering of how they behave has been a major bottleneck and point of confusion for both owners and the company. From update to update, the Speed Profiles will change, sometimes more drastically than others. Some owners have complained that the “Standard” profile is too fast, while others have experienced “Mad Max” traveling below the speed limit:

These things change with each update, but the big complaint is that owners are on the hook for any tickets that come from FSD’s infractions; that’s the caveat of the suite being named FSD (Supervised). It ultimately means the driver is responsible, and the automaker has no liability when it comes to speeding tickets or general traffic infractions.

It is the driver’s responsibility to take over or adjust based on this.

Elluswamy essentially confirmed that there are no plans to bring back Max Speed control, because it is what he referred to as “an anti pattern.” He then echoed something that CEO Elon Musk has started to really push with FSD, and that’s the idea that Tesla is really honing in on the preferences of the driver.

Owners were confused by Tesla’s decision, stating that there must be a better way, especially considering disengagements for incorrect speeds are common:

From personal experience and using FSD for over 72 percent of my driving miles since v14 was released late last year, I make Speed Profile adjustments constantly. If FSD is traveling a tad too quickly, I will scale it back, and if it’s too conservative, I’ll make it more aggressive.

I don’t complain about making the Speed Profile changes too frequently, but it would certainly be nice to have it happen less frequently. There are far too many times I am concerned about getting a ticket, even in Standard mode.

The biggest issue for me, personally, which seems to be echoed throughout the community, is the fact that Tesla’s goal is to minimize disengagements. Many drivers are stating that speed is a major reason for disengagements.

However, Tesla is not willing to bring back this one level of input because it would technically be a regression.

Advertisement
-
-

Whether it’s right or wrong in your opinion, it is what Tesla is going with, and it seems like it has pivoted quite a bit from its other strategies for minimizing interventions by pushing its AI to behave in a way that would fit the occupant’s personal preferences.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla qualifies for awesome new first-time EV buyer incentive in California

Published

on

White Tesla Model X rear bumper showing California license plate

Tesla is one of several automakers whose vehicles qualify for an awesome new first-time EV buyer incentive program in California.

The Golden State launched the MyFirstEV incentive program, which helps those buying an electric vehicle for the first time with a $3,500 incentive on new-inventory purchases of a Model 3 or Model Y.

The incentive requires an order on or after August 3, and delivery must be taken while the program is still being funded. California has set aside $135.5 million to help strengthen its SEV market and support automotive innovation.

Incentives are offered at the point of sale, and used EVs are also available for a partial incentive of $1,750. Half of the $3,500 and $1,750 incentive amounts are covered by California, with the other half being covered by participating OEMs.

Advertisement
-
-

Additionally, rules apply for MSRP and how the vehicle will qualify for the incentive. Any vehicle from a non-California headquartered OEM must have an MSRP of $50,000 or less. Used vehicles must be priced at $25,000 or less and must be at least two model years older than the year of purchase.

The cars must also be purchased from manufacturers as certified pre-owned vehicles. Private dealerships are not eligible.

In total, California expects to incentivize over 73,000 ZEVs.

Participating Manufacturers

Fourteen total automakers are participating in California’s MyFirstEV program:

  • Chevrolet – Launching August 2026
  • Ford – Launching August 2026
  • Honda – Launching September 2026
  • Hyundai – Launching August 2026
  • Kia – Launching August 2026
  • Lexus – Launching September 2026
  • Lucid – Launching August 2026
  • Mitsubishi – Launching November 2026
  • Nissan – Coming Soon
  • Rivian – Coming Soon
  • Subaru – Launching September 2026
  • Tesla – Launching August 2026
  • Toyota – Launching September 2026
  • Volvo – Coming Soon

 

Continue Reading

Investor's Corner

SpaceX to report first-ever earnings today: here’s what to expect

Published

on

Credit: SpaceX

Elon Musk’s space exploration company, SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX), is set to report its earnings for the second quarter today in what will be its first-ever earnings call since going public in July.

SpaceX is trading down roughly 25 percent from its IPO. These early stock signals are usually a bit tumultuous, and considering this is the first company actively launching rockets that is available on the stock exchange, investors might have a tendency to be a bit skittish.

However, there are going to be some details that investors will hear for the first time today on the earnings call. Here’s what to look for:

Wall Street Expectations

Revenue is expected to fall somewhere around $6.8 billion, and will be heavily driven by Starlink, which is SpaceX’s widely popular satellite internet platform that has been adopted by numerous airlines, cruise ships, and other maritime operations. It is also available for consumers at home or in their cars.

Earnings Per Share (EPS) expectations fall at a net loss of $0.23 per share. Wall Street sees this as a total net loss of roughly $1.9 billion.

EBITDA is expected to come in between $2 billion and $2.1 billion.

What Investors Want to Know

Tesla uses the Say platform to help work with both retail and institutional investors to answer relevant and quality questions that address concerns or questions that they might have.

Advertisement
-
-

However, SpaceX is doing things differently, as the company launched its own Investor Relations website where these questions are being fielded. Just like the Tesla questions, they seem to be less focused on the operational tasks and overall progress of the company, and more novelty.

Here are the top five:

  • Has the team thought about what possibilities there are with your mascot Asteroid? Whether it’s starting additional foundations for kids in its name, helping kids learn about space, etc. Kids are our future, and Asteroid would be a fun and easy way to help.
  • Baby Asteroid is already making a difference through charity around the world. Could SpaceX take it even further with programs that inspire kids to explore space?
  • SpaceX has some legendary vehicle names. Would you ever allow the public to name a Starship, even knowing there is a 99% chance it becomes Shipy McShipface?
  • When can we expect to see more footage of the Human Landing System?
  • Will Asteroid (your mascot) go to Mars?

SpaceX will report its earnings today, August 4, at 4:30 P.M. EDT.

Continue Reading