Tesla shows off Superchargers that appear to have space for a screen and contactless payment terminal
@TeslaOwnersUK
Tesla’s highly anticipated V4 Superchargers have made an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK with an interesting twist.
The two images show a close-up of the charging handle, but most interestingly, they also include a space for a screen, and a contactless payment terminal. The images were shared on Twitter by Tesla Owners UK.
Superchargers communicate directly with the vehicle and the owner's Tesla account to start, end and pay for the charging session.
This allows for a completely seamless operation that is almost exactly the same as charging at home. However, when Tesla opened up Superchargers to non-Teslas, it needed to allow non-Tesla owners to start and pay for charging sessions.
Tesla implemented this through the Tesla app, requiring non-Tesla owners to create a Tesla account and use the Tesla app to start, end and pay for their charging sessions. However, by adding a screen and terminal to Superchargers, Tesla may offer the ability to charge at Superchargers without a Tesla account at all. This could allow owners to start and pay for their charging session directly from the Supercharger's screen.
Twitter user Nacho Gonzalez pointed out that the payment terminal in the V4 Supercharger is the Payter Apollo, which is the same terminal used by IONITY in Europe, per Twitter user Felix Hamer’s reply.
We originally reported on Tesla’s V4 Supercharging last year when the automotive company revealed its full design in architectural drawings for a station in Danvers, Massachusetts. The first V4 charger officially opened earlier this year in Harderwijk, Netherlands.
These drawings revealed the height of V4 stations to be six feet, four-and-a-quarter inches tall, which is almost one foot taller than V3 Superchargers. They also come with a longer cable to allow charging non-Teslas without blocking other chargers.
Charging Speeds for V4 Superchargers
Tesla’s V4 Superchargers appear to be capable of charging speeds up to 350kW, an increase of 100kW from their 250kW V3 stations.
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Tesla and Uber are partnering to offer a new discount for Uber drivers. The offer is similar to one that was offered earlier in the year. Uber and Tesla previously offered a $2,000 USD purchase incentive under a special Uber referral code. That offer ended in March, and Tesla is now offering a new, similar offer.
Both the previous incentive as well as this new offer are only available in the United States.
Offer Conditions
The new offer is simple: If you’re an Uber Driver, you’ll be able to get $1,000 in Tesla credits upon taking delivery and another $1,000 in Uber Cash after completing 100 rideshare trips. You’ll need to purchase either a new Model 3 or Model Y—any variant, including the Performance versions, is acceptable. The program is not available for used or demo vehicles.
For anyone interested in trying out being an Uber driver, this is also a nice way to get $2,000 off a new Tesla. While the discount is no longer a purchase incentive, you can use the $1,000 in Tesla credits towards accessories, service, Supercharging, swag, or another vehicle. The Uber Cash, on the other hand, will be paid out alongside your 100th trip.
The offer is combinable with the Military Purchase Program, but you can’t use the Tesla referral program to get $500 off. If you’ve already got referral credits, though, you can use them toward the purchase of the vehicle.
Finally, you’ll need to take delivery before the end of the year (December 31st) and complete your 100th trip before February 15, 2025.
How to Use It
To take advantage of the offer, go to Tesla’s Uber page and log in via Uber. Both companies will verify that you’re eligible for the discount. You’ll also have to be in good standing as an Uber driver - if you’re not, no discount.
Tesla has released updated specifications and a revised timeline for the Cybertruck’s Range Extender. Originally launched alongside the Cybertruck last year, the Range Extender offered a significant boost in range along with a notable price tag—requiring a $2,000 reservation deposit and an estimated price of $16,000.
Updated Specs
Tesla has updated the Ranger Extender's range, now increasing the vehicle’s range from 340 miles to 445 miles on the Dual Motor variant and from 320 miles to 440 miles on the Cyberbeast.
The updated specifications reduce the vehicle’s total range with the Range Extender by about 6% compared to the original specs, while the Range Extender itself sees a 20% reduction in range. This is a substantial reduction, and Tesla has yet to explain the change. It’s likely that they’ve started testing Cybertrucks with Range Extenders under EPA test conditions, which may have adjusted the initial range estimates.
Truck
Range
Original Range Extender
Updated Range Extender
Dual Motor AWD
325 mi
470 mi
445 mi +
Cyberbeast
301 mi
440 mi
415 mi +
Delayed Timeline
The Range Extender was originally supposed to be available for those who pre-ordered sometime in early-2025. That timeline has now been pushed back to mid-2025. However, given Tesla’s lackluster attempts at maintaining timelines, we could fully expect this timeline to continue to slip closer to 2026, but we remain hopeful that it’ll arrive on time.
Tesla has been working towards perfecting its dry-cathode process, which could also be a likely cause of the delays. Tesla may want to ship the Range Extenders as dry-cathode—it's a small batch product and one that’s easier to replace or repair than an entire truck.
Overall, the Range Extender itself is an interesting item. While it does provide a small range increase—one that’s necessary for towing—it has its fair share of demerits. It takes up a considerable amount of bed space and must be installed and uninstalled by Tesla Service. Additionally, the weight in the bed will result in a change in the center of gravity.
We’re interested to see what Tesla does with the Range Extender - we’ve only seen a few pictures of engineering samples on Tesla’s site, but it could come with considerable changes when it launches.