Tesla started installing the first high-speed Supercharger V4 stalls in the US and tested the setup using a Cybertruck. People who stalked the pickup at the Sparks, NV, Supercharger V4 station shared intriguing details about the V4 chargers.
Tesla installed the first Supercharger V4 stations in Europe, starting in the Netherlands. The upgraded chargers offer 800-volt charging and more power capabilities, allowing EVs with bigger battery packs to charge faster. They also come with longer cords to accommodate different EV models. Still, the first information coming from Europe shows that the Supercharger V4 stations still deliver 400-volt-only charging. That's because the charging cabinets are still the old V3 parts.
It's a different story in the US, where Tesla prepares to start deliveries of the Cybertruck. There's a substantial need for V4 Superchargers to allow the electric pickup to use its 800-volt electrical system to its full potential. The Cybertruck shares this with the Semi, although it uses a regular NACS charge plug instead of the MCS (Megawatt Charging System) of the Semi. This is why Supercharger V4 and the Cybertruck are closely connected.
That's probably why things moved more slowly in the US. After all, the Cybertruck was still months away, and no 800-volt EV makers pledged to adopt the NACS port earlier this year. Now that Hyundai-Kia has announced it and the Cybertruck is coming, we'll see a much faster Supercharger V4 deployment. Things are already in motion, with new stations being built and existing ones being upgraded.
Photo: Mardak via Tesla Motors Club
The Supercharger station in Sparks, Nevada, is among the latter, thus becoming the first V4 station in the US to start operations on Monday. We initially thought the first one would be the new Supercharger V4 in Wilsonville, OR, but it is still not complete. Being an upgraded station, it's still unclear whether the Sparks Supercharger can offer 800-volt charging.
And yet, a Tesla Cybertruck was spotted charging at the station. As confirmed by Elon Musk on several occasions, the latest being the third quarter earnings call, the Cybertruck is 800-volt capable. This is the first time we see the electric pickup hooked to a V4 charger, so only seeing it there got Tesla fans pumped up. The pictures shared on the Tesla Motors Club forum and social media show that the longer cable of the V4 stall allows it to reach the Cybertruck charging port without a sweat.
Since the V4 station only opened to the public on Monday, it's still too early to confirm all the details. Based on Mardak from TMC forums, who shared the first pictures from the station, the charger does feature a display, but it was not active during charging. It's probably because the payment function will not be implemented soon. The station is not open to non-Tesla vehicles yet, so it doesn't matter much.
Mardak shared new info based on discussions he had with various Tesla people. Tesla built the V4 chargers with a lot of flexibility to accommodate different configurations as it upgrades existing stations. This means they can use the existing V3/V4 cabinets and support future V4+ cabinets to unlock the higher power and voltage rating of the V4 stalls. Mardak could not confirm that the Magic Dock was functioning, but the contacts were there. This means the adapter can be switched on in the future as Tesla opens the station to other EVs.
Cybertruck charging at the new V4 Supercharger in Spark, Nevada.
After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions. Full profile
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