Tesla Unlocks V2 Supercharger 145 kW Rate Via New Software Update

[Big Earl]

All Superchargers - both “up to 120 kW” and “up to 72 kW” are the same machines, just configured slightly different. They’re capable of outputting a total of 145 kW per machine. In urban configurations, this 145 kW is split evenly between two cars (72 kW each). In the standard configuration, one car gets a max of 120 kW and the second car gets its leftovers (it’s obviously a bit more complicated than that, but for the sake of this discussion, the description is good enough).

The change is that a single car on a non-urban configuration will now be able to pull the full 145 kW from the Supercharger. Nothing will change in urban configurations or when a second car is charging.

 

[juliusa]

All Superchargers - both “up to 120 kW” and “up to 72 kW” are the same machines.

I am positive I have observed pairing where the total was 120kW. Cars shared the 120kW in 30kW increments. First car got priority; second car got at least 30kW. When first car dropped below 60kW, second car could get 60kW. When first car dropped below 30kW, second car could get 90kW.

I believe all the newer superchargers are capable of 145kW - but how about the older ones installed in 2013?

Right now, Tesla does not list any superchargers as capable of delivering over 120kW.

 

[Big Earl]

I am positive I have observed pairing where the total was 120kW. Cars shared the 120kW in 30kW increments. First car got priority; second car got at least 30kW. When first car dropped below 60kW, second car could get 60kW. When first car dropped below 30kW, second car could get 90kW.

I believe all the newer superchargers are capable of 145kW - but how about the older ones installed in 2013?

Right now, Tesla does not list any superchargers as capable of delivering over 120kW.

For newer Superchargers, it’s 145 kW total for the cabinet, produced by twelve 12 kW chargers in four groups of three (one on each phase). For the sake of easy math, we’ll call it 144 kW.

The first car to plug in gets access to all four groups of chargers (144 kW max).

Car two comes along and gets assigned one of the four groups and the first car is now down to three (108 kW max for the first car, 36 kW for the second).

Once the first car’s charging rate drops below 72 kW, the Supercharger assigns a second group of chargers to the second car. Both cars now have access to 72 kW of power. This 50/50 arrangement is how Urban Superchargers are permanently configured.

When the first car’s charge rate drops below 36 kW, the Supercharger assigns three groups of chargers to the second car, giving it access to 108 kW.

I don’t know about older Superchargers since most of them have been upgraded in the past two years.

 

[israndy]

It will be interesting to see if Tesla updates the "find us" and nav to show "up to 145kW".

I just checked and the Petaluma Supercharger referenced on Reddit still shows as 120kW, yet it delivers much more:

-Randy

 

[juliusa]

I don’t know about older Superchargers since most of them have been upgraded in the past two years.

That is good news! I'll have to make note next time I'm paired and see what the total is. I know my car is not going to see 145!! It only takes 118kW for a short period of time.

Would be nice if Tesla would confirm this for each supercharger by updating the information on their website and in the nav - to say up to 145kW.

 

[Big Earl]

I just checked and the Petaluma Supercharger referenced on Reddit still shows as 120kW, yet it delivers much more:

-Randy

I can hardly wait.

 

[SigNC]

I can hardly wait.

Me either, hopefully I can get the SW update rather soon.

 

[kpeters000]

I just got 2019.8.1 on my AP1 MS - can anyone confirm if this software version contains 145kW charging unlock? Also, has anyone seen any results from the en-route-to-supercharger warming/preconditioning in the field?

 

[Big Earl]

Our roommate is on a trip in his mid-range Model 3 with 8.3 and it still tops out at 120 kW. I guess we'll have to wait for the next major update, hopefully sometime next month.

 

[ratsbew]

Hmmm, I have a road trip of about 450 miles each way in 4 weeks. I really hope that I can get 145kW by then!

Assuming that I can get 145kW on this road trip I'll be making a GoPro video in real-time to show a charging session from ~5% - 80%.

 

[duanra]

Of course this supercharging improvement is great, but i wonder if it comes with a cost for the battery. It looks like Tesla is being less protective with batteries. Hopefully it will not increase the degradation.

 

[MP3Mike]

I just checked and the Petaluma Supercharger referenced on Reddit still shows as 120kW, yet it delivers much more:

-Randy

@Randy Spencer What firmware version do you have on your Model 3?

 

[israndy]

If you mean the one in the article, that is 19.7.11

If you are asking about my car as to checking the map data I am 19.8.3, but wouldn't the map data be universal? I know their Tesla.com/findus site is sometimes out of sync with the car navigation, but I have never heard of the cars having different data based on the version of firmware.

-Randy

 

[bnsfengineer]

I'm currently on a road trip and charged at Garnerville Ca. near Topaz Lake. I was sitting in the car not really paying much attention and looked up and saw 117Kw 500mph. I was at 40 miles left when I started charging and in 30 min I was at 250...

 

[israndy]

Is that unusual? I mostly see 500 MPH between 20% and 45% Probably an even wider band, I don't pay close enough attention.

-Randy

 

[Oyinko]

I plugged at the Folsom Supercharger and despite being on the last firmware available for Model 3, I did not get more than 120Kw. Any idea why?

 

[Big Earl]

I plugged at the Folsom Supercharger and despite being on the last firmware available for Model 3, I did not get more than 120Kw. Any idea why?

They haven't widely released the software update that allows faster charging. 8.3 is still 120 kW max. My understanding is that 7.11 is the only version that allows faster charging and the only people who have that are part of the early access program on the West Coast.

 

[israndy]

I think it was really only those who were invited to the v3 reveal that got it.

-Randy

 

[Big Earl]

I think it was really only those who were invited to the v3 reveal that got it.

-Randy

I'm still hoping one of those nice folks will go back and make a good YouTube video of it charging from single digits to 80+%.

 

[jbuszkie]

I just Got 19.8.4 and the release notes say nothing about 145kW charging! I hope it comes out soon. I'm more interested in the
battery conditioning when navigating to a SC to get the battery to an optimal condition. I was hoping to see that with the 8.4 update but I guess not. Pretty soon it will be warm enough that it won't matter. Are they going to release the 145kW and the battery conditioning in the same update?