Report

Can Tesla Superchargers get half-refill time down to 5 minutes?

2012 Tesla Model S
2012 Tesla Model S
View 24 Photos
Yes, according to an interview MIT Technology Review conducted with Tesla Motors technology chief JB Straubel. That fill-'er-up kind of timeframe may not happen in a year or two, but the maker of the battery-electric Model S will try to cut down the recharging time of the 120-kilowatt Superchargers it's deploying across the country for its electricity-thirsty customers.

When Tesla's Superchargers debuted last year, the company said those stations could recharge a Model S to 50-percent capacity in a half-hour. And in May, Tesla announced an upgrade that would cut that 50-percent charge time to 20 minutes, while detailing its national roll-out plan to increase Supercharger stations to 25 from the current 8 by the end of June (here's a map of that system). With solar panels and additional batteries strapped to a Supercharger, Straubel says Tesla's hoping to reduce that time further. That would mean being able to add 100 to 130 miles of range to a Model S (or any upcoming Tesla model) in five to ten minutes. It's not world peace, but for some people, it's awful close.

Meanwhile, last month, Tesla also showed off its battery-swapping technology (the video's below), which allows a battery to be changed out of the EV in as little as 90 seconds.

Tesla Information

Share This Photo X