Tesla opens its first V4 Supercharger station capable of delivering 500 kW of power

Tesla has just opened in Redwood City, California, its first next-generation Supercharger station equipped with V4 power cabinets, designed to offer charging speeds far higher than usual. Thanks to this technology, Tesla’s Cybertruck, the only vehicle in the brand’s lineup with an 800V architecture, is capable of recharging at peak rates of 500 kW.

The American manufacturer also states that at these same V4 Supercharger stations its electric Semi truck will be able to recharge at a maximum power of 1.2 MW, thus making a sustainable future for long-haul freight transport a reality.

The V4 Superchargers, which began to be installed in spring 2023, feature a hybrid design with redesigned charging columns and longer cables to make them easier to use with electric vehicles from other brands, which in many cases place the charging port on the opposite side to Tesla vehicles. However, until now, the maximum power they have been delivering remained at the same 250 kW as the V3 Superchargers, since they were used with the older power cabinets.

Now, with the new V4 power cabinets presented in November 2024, Tesla raises the charging power supplied up to 500 kW, marking a milestone in the company’s history. Beyond this increase in maximum delivered power, these fourth-generation power cabinets also promise to reduce costs and accelerate the deployment of new Supercharger stations.

Any electric vehicle will be able to charge in Redwood City before the end of the year

For the time being, the new Redwood City station is reserved exclusively for Tesla vehicles. Although this will be temporary, while the company’s engineers collect usage data and carry out technical tests to improve the service. Before the end of the year, Tesla intends to allow access to this station to electric vehicles from other brands. In this way, those with an 800V architecture and that support high charging powers will be able to make the most of their capabilities, completing a recharge in just a few minutes.

As far as Tesla’s own vehicles are concerned, only the Cybertruck will be able to reach the maximum charging power of 500 kW, as it is the only model in the brand’s entire lineup with an 800V architecture, as we have already mentioned. The rest of the Tesla models – the Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y – will continue to have the same 250 kW limit as until now.

It is not yet clear, however, how long the Cybertruck can sustain that peak charging rate of 500 kW. In any case, in a video published by Tesla itself, the vehicle’s screen shows that recharging its 123 kWh battery pack from 0 to 80 percent takes about 35 minutes.

Faster charging reduces the need for more charging points to meet demand

Finally, it is worth noting that the Redwood City V4 Supercharger station has only 8 charging points and is therefore much smaller than others located in the surrounding area, also in California, which have up to 20 charging points, although their charging power is much lower, in some cases not exceeding 150 kW.

The price of kWh at the new Redwood City Supercharger station is basically the same as at the brand’s nearby stations, around 32 US cents per kWh during off-peak hours – from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. – and about 48 cents during peak hours – from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.