Powerful V4 Supercharger stations now active as Tesla balks at pay screen subsidy requirement

Tesla's next generation of Superchargers that were installed as part of a pilot station in Europe are more powerful than the current V3 stalls. They still use V3 cabinets, but the specifications plaquette on the back of the new stalls lists 615A peak current at 1000V DC as opposed to the 475A on the V3 Superchargers in Europe.

Tesla Supercharger V3 stations are capable of delivering up to 250 kW of power, which can provide up to 1,000 miles of range per hour of charging. They are equipped with liquid-cooled cables and have a peak charging rate of 1,000 miles per hour. Tesla hasn't announced the specifications for Supercharger V4 stations officially, but it has indicated that it is working on a new charging system that will be even faster than the V3 stations.

Some rumors suggest that the Supercharger V4 stations may be able to deliver up to 350 kW of power, although this has not been confirmed by Tesla. It's important to note that the maximum charging speed also depends on the vehicle's battery chemistry and platform voltage, the state of charge, the cell temperature, and other factors. So while a Supercharger V3 or V4 station may be capable of delivering a certain amount of power, the actual charging rate may vary depending on the vehicle's specifications as Tesla models still carry a 400V charging system.

In the US, Tesla has committed to open at least 7,500 chargers to other EVs by the end of 2024 in order to scoop some of the billions in government subsidies for a nationwide EV charging network. That being the case, however, it is now walking away from certain state-level incentives for building out charging infrastructure in rural areas.

California's offer for 420 stalls at a grand total of US$6.4 million in tax credits has been respectfully declined, for instance. Apparently, the straw that broke the camel's back was the state's requirement for alternative card payment methods. This would have resulted in Tesla having to install screens and terminals on the stall instead of dealing via the app only.

The California Clean Energy Commission (CEC) has been a great visionary in the expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in California. Unfortunately, due to unnecessarily cumbersome payment infrastructure requirements, we are unable to utilize this award.

That's a pity, as one of the four Supercharger station projects under CEC's grants was supposed to be the world’s largest at 164 stalls. Currently, Tesla allows other electric cars at its Superchargers in a pilot project that outfits stations with CCS adapter in the US. Location and payments, however, are still handled within the app, just like Tesla drivers do. The automaker has apparently decided that changing the design of its Supercharger stations to fit alternative payment requirements is not worth the hassle.

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