Tesla's Supercharger network gets faster charging speeds in the US, but not all owners are happy about it

(Image credit: Tesla)

The latest generation of Supercharger stalls can now deliver up to 325kW
But the Cybertruck is the only Tesla vehicle capable of those speeds
Full V4 Supercharger stations will soon be capable of 500kW

Tesla has announced that all V4 Supercharger stations in North America are now capable of delivering charging speeds of up to 325kW, bringing the network more in line with high-powered chargers from the likes of BP, ChargePoint and Electrify America.

The increase of 75kW will reduce the amount of time waiting around to charge, but the only model currently capable of accepting such a rate of electrons is the Cybertruck, leaving the vast majority of Tesla owners having to make do with 250kW.

On top of this, there is still lots of confusion surrounding the capabilities of Tesla’s Supercharger network in general, which still includes some of the earlier V2 stalls, as well as a mix of V4 stalls (the physical thing you plug into) that are linked to older V3 cabinets (the important part that handles the delivery of electricity).

That means Model 3, Model S and Model Y owners, along with not being able to make the most of the recent upgrade in charging speeds, experience varying rates depending on the technology available at a destination.

Despite this, Tesla says that it is already rolling out the latest generation V4 Supercharger stalls with accompanying cabinets that it claims are capable of delivering a whopping 500kW, despite there not being a single EV publicly on sale today that can draw that sort of power.

Right now, 800V electrical architecture and today’s battery technology is capable of speeds of 350kW to 450kW in the most extreme cases, with the likes of the Lotus Eletre only managing those headline figures when paired with a specific Lotus charging stall, of which there are very few.

Analysis: Tesla needs to play catch up

The news of faster Tesla Supercharger stalls is going to be welcomed by EV owners, but ironically, not by the wider Tesla community itself.

Most of today's Tesla line-up can only charge at a rate of 250kW, which is rapidly being eclipsed by rival manufacturers that have recently made the switch to the North American Charging Standard (NACS) – or the plug that Tesla uses, to you and I.

Granted, Musk's latest move is helping to future-proof the Supercharger network, which is often considered among the best charging networks in the world, but it is also gradually becoming more relevant to owners of rival EVs.

Even the recently updated Model Y still has to make do with the old 400V electrical architecture, limiting the speed at which it can charge, despite tweaks to software helping to reduce charging times slightly over the previous generation.

With Cybertruck sales on the wane and Elon Musk firing most of the team that looks after the Supercharger network, the V4 Supercharger stall announcement is likely not something to get too excited about, seeing as the roll-out is predicted to be slow and Musk has made no mention of fitting the Cybertruck’s 800V system to other models just yet.

Leon has been navigating a world where automotive and tech collide for almost 20 years, reporting on everything from in-car entertainment to robotised manufacturing plants. Currently, EVs are the focus of his attentions, but give it a few years and it will be electric vertical take-off and landing craft. Outside of work hours, he can be found tinkering with distinctly analogue motorcycles, because electric motors are no replacement for an old Honda inline four.