Elon Musk: Tesla is upgrading Supercharger network to 300 kW faster charging

Published

3 years ago

July 15, 2021

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Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla is upgrading the Supercharger network from 250 kW to 300 kW max capacity in order to enable faster charging.

Tesla has long been the leader when it comes to fast-charging electric vehicles.

Its electric vehicles would charge at a faster rate than the competition and its extensive Supercharger network made it really convenient to stop and charge your car on a road trip.

However, in recent years, other automakers have introduced electric vehicles that can charge at up to 350 kW, and several third-party charging networks started deploying stations with that capacity.

Years ago, Tesla was talking about beating that capacity.

When CEO Elon Musk first mentioned Tesla’s Supercharger V3 update, I asked him if they plan to increase the power capacity to 350 kW, and he answered by saying that 350 kW was “a children’s toy”:

A mere 350 kW … what are you referring to, a children’s toy?

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 24, 2016

But when Tesla actually launched Supercharger V3 three years later, the automaker only increased its charging stations’ power capacity from 150 kW to 250 kW.

The fact that Tesla vehicles are more efficient than other long-range EVs resulted in the company staying competitive in fast-charging based on miles of range per minute of charging, but other automakers are starting to catch up.

For example, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 has shown some a truly impressive charging capacity.

Tesla, not one to be outdone, has recently indicated that it will increase power at Supercharger stations.

Now Musk has confirmed a move from 250 kW to 300 kW in a new tweet this morning:

Not bad, although new Model S has more range & faster charging. 3 & Y should use long range version, as Performance version is meant for max speed & handling, not max range.

Supercharger network is being upgraded to 250kW to 300kW, so that will help too.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 15, 2021

The CEO didn’t disclose which Tesla vehicle would be able to take this higher power output, though the new Model S and Model X, which are equipped with new battery packs, would be prime suspects.

For years, Model 3 and Model Y were able to take a higher (250 kW) power output from Tesla’s Supercharger stations than the more expensive Model S and Model X.

That change with a higher charging speed for the new versions of Tesla’s flagship EVs launched earlier this year, but the automaker didn’t disclose a max charge rate for those new vehicles.

Electrek‘s take

That’s an interesting development.

Keep in mind that this is not just a positive for people who will be able to charge at 300 kW, but it will also shorten the average charging sessions at Supercharger stations and therefore, increase the capacity and reduce wait times.

It’s not quite 350 kW yet, but Tesla appears to be careful on that front as fast charging has also been known to affect battery degradation.

What do you think of this move to 300kW? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Entertainment

Drake: Shooting at rapper’s mansion leaves security guard seriously injured

Published

3 hours ago

May 7, 2024

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Drake: Shooting at rapper's mansion leaves security guard seriously injured

Police are investigating a shooting at the Toronto mansion of Canadian rapper Drake.

A security guard, who had been standing outside the gates of the property, was taken to hospital after being seriously injured in the attack.

The shooting happened early on Tuesday morning, soon after 2am local time (7am UK time) near Bayview Avenue and Lawrence Avenue in the affluent Bridle Path neighbourhood.

A suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, police said in a post on X.

A representative for the Toronto-born five-time Grammy award winner said Drake was not injured, Sky’s partner network NBC News reported.

Police said they could not confirm if Drake was at home at the time of the incident.

But they were “in contact with his team and they are cooperating”, Inspector Paul Krawczyk said.

Police said they were investigating the incident and had not yet established a motive.

Canadian broadcaster CBC reported a police source as saying the guard appeared to have been shot in a drive-by attack.

It added that according to the initial report, the man suffered a gunshot wound to the upper chest and was unconscious when officers arrived.

The victim then underwent surgery in hospital, CBC added.

Drake, 37, is currently embroiled in a high-profile feud with US rapper Kendrick Lamar.

They have both released new diss tracks as the feud between them intensifies with brutal verses dragging in their families.

Drake and 36-year-old Lamar – whose fourth album won a Pulitzer Prize – have for years been exchanging thinly veiled barbs.

But the flurry of diss tracks shows how their animosity has become more personal and a lot less subtle.

Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, is one of the world’s biggest-selling musicians.

He has had 13 number one tracks in the US, including God’s Plan, Work featuring Rihanna, and One Dance with WizKid and Kyla.

The Hotline Bling performer is Spotify’s most streamed male artist of all time.

Entertainment

Friends creators reveal final episode scripts were leaked by an insider in 2004

Published

3 hours ago

May 7, 2024

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Friends creators reveal final episode scripts were leaked by an insider in 2004

The creators of Friends have revealed that parts of the script for the final episode were leaked by an insider ahead of the show airing.

Simply titled The Last One, millions tuned in as the episode brought the hit comedy to a close 20 years ago, on 6 May 2004, finally resolving the decade-long “will they, won’t they?” romance between Ross and Rachel.

It was the end of an era for its stars – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer – and fans around the world.

Looking back at the final shows in an interview with NBC’s Today show in the US, Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane revealed details of the leak.

“Oh my god, we tried so hard to keep it a secret!” Kauffman said. “We were desperate to keep it a secret and it got out. And it was an inside job.”

Scripts sent out ahead of the premiere of the final episode were numbered, Crane explained.

“We knew how many people knew what it was going to be,” he said. “So it did, through an element of… it became a behind-the-scenes detective show.

“It was frustrating, but at the end of the day, what are you gonna do?”

Part of the script that leaked included the details of Ross and Rachel finally getting back together, Kauffman said.

But when asked if the mystery of who released the information was solved, she replied with a smile: “Ish.”

“Ish,” Crane repeated.

After 10 series and 236 episodes, as well as Ross and Rachel’s reunion, the final instalment saw Monica and Chandler leaving their famous Manhattan apartment and moving to the suburbs as new parents to adopted twins.

Perry, who died last year, aged 54, wrote about the finale in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing.

“Before that final episode, I’d taken Marta Kauffman to one side,” he wrote. “‘Nobody else will care about this except me’, I said. ‘So may I please have the last line?'”

His character Chandler did indeed have the last line. As the Friends decide to go for one last coffee before the move, he simply asks, “Where?”, in a trademark sarcastic but poignant joke about the fact that so much of their time on screen has been spent in the Central Perk coffee shop.

“It’s incredibly poignant. It’s a legacy for him, one of his many legacies,” Kauffman said.

Friends has found a new generation of fans in recent years after being picked up by streaming sites.

Earlier this year, two scripts for The One With Ross’s Wedding, season four’s famous two-part finale filmed in London, sold at auction for £22,000 after being found in a bin.

Entertainment

Travis Scott to play Manchester’s beleaguered Co-op Live venue in the summer

Published

6 hours ago

May 7, 2024

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Travis Scott to play Manchester's beleaguered Co-op Live venue in the summer

Travis Scott has announced a gig at the beleaguered Co-op Live music venue, despite ongoing issues which have led to its opening being postponed.

The US rapper will bring his Circus Maximus Tour to the arena in Manchester on 13 July – one of 12 new UK and European dates announced on Tuesday.

It comes amid problems which have pushed back the opening of the £365m Co-op Live venue.

The arena was scheduled to launch with shows by comedian Peter Kay in April – but these were postponed due to power testing falling behind schedule, bosses said.

Gigs by artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Keane and Take That have also been affected.

The new music venue – which is set to become the largest in the UK when it does open, seating 23,500 people – has said it will now open on 14 May, when British rock band Elbow are scheduled to perform.

Last week, the venue said it would be taking “a short pause to events… to fully ensure the safety and security of fans and artists visiting the venue”.

American rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie had been cancelled at the last minute the previous day, due to a “technical issue” during a soundcheck.

Tim Leiweke, chairman and chief executive of US-based venue operator Oak View Group, apologised for the delays and to “all those that have been affected” and said staff were working “incredibly hard” to get the building ready for 14 May.

“As many of you will know, it’s not been the smooth start we had planned for, and I know that has caused a huge amount of disruption and frustration to thousands of people,” he said.

The issues began following a test event in April which led to Co-op Live announcing it would have to reschedule Kay’s stand-up shows. These were first moved to later dates in April before a second rescheduling to 23 and 24 May.

A gig by The Black Keys has also been moved to 15 May. Rodrigo’s 3 and 4 May dates were postponed, while A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s 1 May performance took place three days later, having moved to the city’s AO Arena.

On 2 May, a Keane gig scheduled for 5 May was postponed, while several Take That concerts have also been moved to the AO.

The Eagles, Nicki Minaj, Pet Shop Boys, Liam Gallagher, Pearl Jam, The Killers and Eric Clapton are among the big-name acts scheduled to perform at the venue in the coming months, but so far only a test event by Rick Astley has gone ahead.

The arena’s general manager Gary Roden announced his resignation last month.

A Co-op Group spokesperson previously said: “Co-op is a sponsor and does not own or run the venue, and we have made it clear to Oak View Group, who are responsible for the building, that the impact on ticketholders must be addressed as a priority.

“We are pleased that they will shortly be putting plans in place to do so.”

They added that safety checks would be independently verified so Co-op members and other ticket holders “can be reassured that the venue has the very highest levels of security and safety measures”.