The new Tesla Supercharger V3 outfitted with a solar array system marks a step forward in Tesla’s mission for a truly sustainable vehicle ecosystem.
References to the Tesla Supercharger V3 and the use of solar panels to provide power for the chargers had been referenced as far back as 2016.
There are some installed already, but full rollout really needs Supercharger V3 and Powerpack V2, plus SolarCity. Pieces now in place.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 24, 2016
It would take Tesla three years before they would finally unveiled their much talked about upgrade to their Supercharger Network. The upgrade would boost the power output of the chargers from 120 kW to 250 kW, allowing a Long Range Model 3 to gain 75 miles of range in only five minutes. Unfortunately, the Model 3 is only car in Tesla’s current lineup that can take advantage of the 250 kW charging. That is, if you can actually find one of these Supercharger V3 stations.
Since the announcement four months ago, Tesla has not opened a full-fledged Supercharger V3 station. That is until now.
Located at Las Vegas on Caesars Palace property is an all-new 24 stall Supercharger V3 station. Not only does this station provide a 250kW charging rate, but it also has an array of solar panels and batteries to provide some of your car’s energy from the sun.
It has always seemed like a no-brainer and one of the main advantages of having an electric car. If you could harness the energy from something that is outputting a near limitless supply of it (i.e. the sun), why would you not? It has taken Tesla and Elon Musk to fulfill their twitter reply, but they finally did it.
This new Supercharger station also gives us a glimpse into what future electric car charging stations should/will look like. Hopefully we will eventually see the day where 100% of the energy used by electric cars will come from the sun, but that is still a long way out.
Aside from the 24 stalls, the station is also equipped with 15 level 2 destination charger for those that don’t need to charge up quiet that fast.
According to Tesla, Las Vegas Superchargers saw an average of 6,500 Supercharging sessions per month. The new station will be able to service 1,500 cars every day; a significant increase in the charging capacity for the city.
What do you guys think of the usage of solar panels in the new Tesla Supercharger V3 stations? Let us know down in the comments below.
