Everything you need to know about Tesla Superchargers.
There are many benefits to being a Tesla owner, be it long-distance range, autopilot, in-car technology, and also Tesla Supercharger network. Tesla Supercharger network is a rapid charging station network across the world. Non-Tesla owners can also be able to use selected Superchargers in the near future according to the company. While non-Tesla owners will be charged at a higher rate than Tesla drivers, the cost can be “lowered with a charging membership.”
Maybe you’ve heard of Tesla Superchargers or have seen them at motorway service stations, but you might not have a complete picture of what they are or what they do. Here are what you need to know about Tesla Supercharges, include what they are, how much they cost, and how to find one.
What is a Tesla Supercharger?
A Tesla Supercharger is an electric car charger that is designed for rapid charging. A Supercharge is able to recharge an electric car battery at fast speeds that less than an hour. There are three different types of Supercharging stations across the world: V1, V2, and V3 Superchargers. The V1 and V2 Superchargers are limited to slower 150 kW speeds instead; while the newest V3 Superchargers are the most advanced Superchargers, they can offer up to 250 kW charging speeds. Other than the charging speed difference, there’s no other major difference between the three.
Tesla Model S was the first car to be able to use the supercharge network, followed by Model X, Model 3, Model Y, and other upcoming Tesla cars like the Cybertruck.
The Superchargers Network
Tesla Superchargers are slowly becoming a common sight in service stations and car parks across the world. The Supercharger network is all owned and operated by Tesla. Each Supercharger location is made up of multiple charging points, that allow multiple cars can be plugged in at the same time in the station. The company claims there are more than 30,000 charging points and over 3,000 stations worldwide.
How to use a Tesla Supercharger?
Tesla’s Superchargers are very simple to use. Since each car is linked to an account with the Tesla app, there is nothing for you to do other than plug your car into a charging point. You will be able to see the progress of your recharge session on the car’s central display or in the Tesla app. Which will show you how fast your car is recharging, how many kilometers of the range has been added, and the cost of the recharge.
There is also an important tip worth mentioning. Since regular faster recharging is not good for lithium batteries, you should try to limit your Supercharger use only to long journeys, and use slower AC charging for your regular daily driving.
Can non-Tesla cars use a Tesla Supercharger?
Tesla Superchargers are built and operated by Tesla, only Tesla-made cars are able to use them for now.
However, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that non-Tesla cars will be able to plug into Superchargers, the charging network will be opened to other EVs starting sometime later in 2021
How much does a Tesla Supercharger cost?
All Tesla EVs used to come with free Supercharging, but lately, this perk has been discontinued by the company. Everyone buying a Tesla will have to pay for all their Supercharging right now. The current charging costs can vary from place to place, and may even fluctuate depending on what time of day you charge. The charging cost estimate assumes a Supercharger cost of $0.26 per kilowatt-hour, which is about twice what you’d pay to plug in at home. This cost is considerably cheaper than using petrol.
Since each car is linked to a Tesla account, the Supercharging fees you accrue will be automatically billed to you.
How to plan a trip with Tesla Superchargers?
A journey planner has been launched by Tesla that can help you map out any route with your EV. The planner is limited to Tesla drivers and allows them to plan their route based on the range of your car carefully. Try out the Tesla trip planner here.
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