Tesla executives have confirmed that wireless charging is in the works, and now we have our first bit of evidence to back up the claim. Until now, we’ve been able to go off a rendering at an investor event, but a few people have gone digging inside the Cybertruck and found a clue.
Tesla Community of Curiosity
The core of this innovation lies in Cybertruck's battery pack, which has been found to house connectors labeled as 'Inductive Charger headers.' This revelation, unearthed by eagle-eyed Cybertruck Owners’ Club members, signifies that the vehicle is not merely compatible with but designed for wireless charging technology.
The discovery was seemingly confirmed by Cybertruck’s lead engineer, Wes Morrill, who posted an image and stated: “Don't forget you can always check our publicly available service documentation! You don't have to figure it all out on your own.”
Don't forget you can always check our publicly available service documentation! You don't have to figure it all out on your own. https://t.co/xQymkBSVfW
Tesla's exploration into wireless EV charging is marked by strategic moves, including acquiring and selling a specialized wireless charging company, while retaining its key engineers. While Tesla's initial focus is on home charging, the technology has the potential to extend to road charging. A pilot program in Detroit utilizing embedded copper coils demonstrates the feasibility of in-road charging, opening up possibilities for broader adoption and seamless integration into the EV ecosystem.
This strategic move towards wireless inductive charging illustrates Tesla's forward-thinking approach and positions the Cybertruck as a pioneering vehicle in Tesla's lineup. With the efficiency of wireless charging systems having improved significantly, Tesla's solution is poised to offer convenience without compromising charging speed or efficiency. The implications of this technology extend beyond mere convenience, signaling a future where electric vehicles can charge autonomously, aligning with Tesla's vision of fully autonomous driving.
The discovery was met with some pushback about the need for wireless charging with statements like: are we really this lazy that we can’t plug in the car? While that’s true, the bigger picture could mean more charging areas, even on the road, like that pilot program. It also removes one more possible maintenance area with the charge port being a heavily used area of the car. The integration of wireless charging in the Cybertruck enhances the user experience and underscores Tesla's role as a trailblazer in the EV industry, driving innovation and shaping the future of transportation. While it opens up more possibilities, the big question will be the cost.
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Tesla recently showed off Giga Small Haus, an interesting new display project hosted at Giga Berlin. The small new house is located just outside the main entrance of Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory, with a Quicksilver Model Y parked inside.
Giga Small Haus is powered only by solar and Powerwall 3 - disconnected from the local grid and from Giga Berlin itself. It serves as a live demonstration of Tesla Solar and Tesla’s Powerwall battery backup.
Giga Small Haus
The centerpiece of the display is a Model Y in Quicksilver - a beautiful pick for a beautifully lit house. However, that’s not the real focus here - it's the Powerwall and Gateway on the wall.
The Powerwall is the focus of Giga Small Haus, and there’s a display with some additional information on the wall. Part of the display also includes a screen that displays the current output of the Powerwall itself versus the consumption of Giga Small Haus, as well as the input from solar.
The interior exhibit of Giga Small Haus
Not a Tesla App
The text on the exhibit is divided into several sections. Here’s a translated and edited version of what we can see from Tesla’s images. Some additional text is obscured. If someone visits Giga Small Haus, let us know.
Powerwall
Powerwall is a home battery system that stores energy from solar panels, the electrical grid, or during off-peak hours and powers your home during the day or during a power outage.
With Powerwall, you can use self-generated solar energy during the day and night, thus avoiding high electricity costs. You can also store excess energy produced during sunny periods for use during times of low production or power outages.
Key Features
Energy Storage: Powerwall stores excess energy from solar panels or the grid for later use or during power outages.
Backup Power: In the event of a power outage, Powerwall automatically switches to battery power to ensure continuous power supply.
Integration: Powerwall can be seamlessly integrated with existing solar systems and other power sources.
Scalability: Multiple Powerwalls can be installed to meet higher energy storage needs.
Smart Energy Management: Powerwall works with Tesla's software to optimize energy consumption and reduce costs.
How Powerwall Works
Storage: During the day, when solar panels produce more energy than needed, the excess is stored in Powerwall.
Usage: At night or during times of low solar production, the stored energy is used to power the home, reducing reliance on the grid.
Backup: During a power outage, Powerwall automatically provides power to critical circuits, ensuring continuous operation of essential appliances.
Benefits
Cost Savings: By storing and using solar energy, you can reduce your electricity bills.
Reliability: Provides backup power during outages, ensuring your home remains powered.
Sustainability: Promotes the use of renewable energy by storing excess solar production for later use.
Overall, Giga Small Haus is an interesting real-life demo of what Powerwall and Solar can accomplish. It would be neat if Tesla built more of these displays - perhaps near major Delivery and Service Centers and at Giga Texas, Fremont, Giga Shanghai, and other facilities. Many Tesla owners have yet to learn about and experience some of Tesla’s Energy products.
Tesla has added the Acceleration Boost option to the Tesla store for owners of the 2024 Model 3 Long Range - specifically owners in Australia and China. Acceleration Boost is an upgrade that provides a significant performance boost, drastically narrowing the performance gap between the Long Range and Performance versions of the same model.
This upgrade will likely become available in Europe, Canada, and the United States in the next few days as Tesla updates its shops globally.
Acceleration Boost
This new Acceleration Boost is retailing for $3,000 AUD, or approximately $2,000 USD. That’s the same price for current owners of older Model 3 or Model Y Long Range vehicles, which all have the option to purchase Acceleration Boost through the shop.
The boost provides improved 0-100km/h (0-60mph) performance, bumping the 2024 Model 3 LR from 4.4s to 3.8s. The 2024 Performance version comes in at a blazing fast 2.9 seconds, so while it isn’t equivalent to just buying a performance variant in the first place, it is still a noticeable and significant upgrade.
Performance variants also come with a different front fascia vent for cooling, performance drive units, sport seats, adaptive suspension, 20-inch wheels, and Track Mode V3. That’s a significant number of additional features in the $10,000 USD price difference between the Long Range and Performance versions.
Should You Buy It?
If you’ve purchased a Long Range model and are itching to go just that little bit faster at every red light, this is the upgrade for you. It previously came with the cost of slightly reducing vehicle range, but the Tesla store doesn’t make a note of reduced range this time around. The 2023 Model 3 and Model Y Long Range models had an efficiency loss of about 5% due to the additional always-available acceleration and cooling.
You could drive in Chill mode to mostly negate that efficiency loss, but what’s the fun in driving in Chill when you just got Acceleration Boost? Anyhow, the shop listing for the 2024 variant doesn’t include this detail, so it's possible Tesla may have worked some more engineering magic.
Overall, if you’ve got the $3,000 AUD burning a hole in your pocket, some Tesla referral credits sitting around, or just want to go faster, it's definitely an upgrade many users find valuable.
