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Tesla advises against $300 NACS extension cord as it touts its V4 Superchargers with longer cable instead

Tesla NACS extension charging cord (Image source: A2Z)
Tesla NACS extension charging cord (Image source: A2Z)
Not all the new Supercharger stations being built are of the newest V4 fast charging standard. Still, Tesla advises waiting on those instead of using a NACS extension cord for charging.

Shortly after charging solutions stalwart A2Z touted its new NACS extension cord solution, Tesla's chief Cybertruck engineer advised against using any kind of extension cables at Superchargers for safety reasons.

According to Wes, connecting any type of extension cord to a liquid cooled DC charger cable could result in a thermal mismatch. He claims that he has seen a number of overheated cables and short-circuiting as a result.

People have long known that if they wrap the handle with a wet towel, they can achieve much faster charging rates at a Supercharger, despite that Tesla has advised against that practice as well.

Those who mused about the possible reason why this works to speed up charging deduced that there might be a temperature sensor in the connector, and Wes basically confirms that theory.

"There's a temperature measurement in the handle and the supercharger derates based on that temperature," he explains. If an extension cord is used, the extra connection adds more heat to the system, but takes the safety mechanism in the handle away, he argued.

NACS extension cord price and specs

A2Z, however, is careful not to mention Superchargers when it lists its exclusive $300 extension cord as good for "NACS DC chargers" and mentions its specifications:

  • Current rating: 300A
  • Boost rating: 500A
  • Temperature sensors: Thermal fold back and thermal shutdown functions when temperature threshold are reached.

It is also adamant for an explanation from Wes about his NACS extension cords opinion, considering that A2Z thinks it has integrated the same safety mechanisms as the Supercharger connectors.

Not only that, but A2Z will be equipping its NACS extension cord with some kind of supporting structure to keep the connector and cord juncture off the ground to avoid potential charging station damage.

In his turn, Wes advises to just wait for Tesla's V4 Supercharger piles that have a much longer cable. Those are still few and far between, though, so the NACS extension cord charging saga is apparently just in its beginnings, as A2Z's solution costs north of $300 before any discounts.

Get the A2Z Typhoon PRO NACS to CCS Adapter on Amazon

A2Z's 6-9 feet NACS DC extension charging cord
A2Z's 6-9 feet NACS DC extension charging cord

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2024 09 > Tesla advises against $300 NACS extension cord as it touts its V4 Superchargers with longer cable instead
Daniel Zlatev, 2024-09-18 (Update: 2024-09-18)