Tesla is already preparing its fourth-generation Superchargers, known to fans as V4, which will reach an approximate power of about 350 kW. This figure was confirmed by Jerome Guillen, Elon Musk’s right-hand man, during a conference following the publication of the company’s financial results for the third quarter of 2020.
“We continue the development of the Semi. And in particular, Megachargers, we realized that the 350-kilowatt or so that we might be looking for cars is not going to be enough for Semi. So we’re looking for something much more powerful than that that can essentially get the Semi loaded during a break so that it can be driven until the next break. Therefore, no useful time is wasted charging the Semi.
We are working with other companies to ensure that there is a standard infrastructure that can be implemented for all customers. Yes. That’s probably all I can say at the moment. We are simply not working in isolation. We have to invent it because it doesn’t exist. But we are trying to invent something that can be useful to everyone.”
The current V3 chargers can reach 250 kW of power, a figure that until recently only the Model 3 and Model Y could reach in their Long Range versions, but which the Model S and Model X can now also access after a series of modifications to its charging system (until then they were limited to 225 kW).
The jump to 350 kW could mean that Tesla will finally bet on equipping its vehicles with 800 volt electrical systems, a solution that Porsche already uses and that in the short term will reach other brands such as Hyundai, KIA, Lucid or Maserati, among others. What will be the first models to be able to charge at this power? Probably the impending Model S Plaid and Cybertruck.
Regarding the Semi truck, it is interesting to remember that last year, Tesla, ABB, paXos, Stäubli, and Electrify America, a Volkswagen subsidiary, presented several proposals to CharIN to create a harmonized charging standard for powers above 1 MWh. CharIN selected one of the designs, which is currently being validated.