First seen Cybertruck charging curve disappoints, but is that the whole story?
The Tesla Cybertruck, Tesla’s first vehicle to fully utilize its larger 4680-format cell, has been out for about a month now. But with only limited quantities on the road in the public’s hands, there have still been a lot of questions about the vehicle.
Now we’ve got an answer to one of the most important questions: charge rate. It’s not great – but that might not be the whole story.
Peak charging speed, measured in kilowatts or kW, is one of the most important stats on an EV – arguably much more important than range. The higher the charge rate the quicker you can get back on the road during a charging session. Older EVs have DC charge rates around 50kW, which is quite slow compared to today’s standards, where EVs are usually capable of 150kW+, with some models capable of up to 350kW. Tesla’s V3 superchargers can deliver up to 250kW of power, which is plenty fast, though the new V4s are even faster at 350kW.
But another important aspect of charging is charge curve, or how quickly a vehicle “tapers” off of the peak charge rate to a lower one. EVs can’t sustain peak charge rates forever, so will usually only hold on to the peak rate for a certain period of time before lowering to a slower rate. This is why EVs usually state their DC charge time “to 80%,” because charging past 80% at a high rate is generally bad for battery durability.
Until now, this was an open question for the Cybertruck, especially since it is Tesla’s first car to fully utilize the 4680-format cells which have been noted to have somewhat worse charging performance than the previous 2170 format cells.
Video of Cybertruck’s charging curve
But in a video posted by Our Cyber Life, a new youtube channel formed by a couple who took delivery of their Cybertruck two weeks ago, we now know what the Cybertruck’s charge curve looks like. The channel’s videos so far have fully focused on the Cybertruck ownership experience, from a couple who have never owned a Tesla before (but one of them, nevertheless, seems to be a Tesla employee – which explains the early Cybertruck delivery).
The video fully documents a Cybertruck charge at the Tesla supercharger in Mesa, Arizona, a V3 Supercharger capable of 250kW peak power delivery. Most of the video is just a 5x speed timelapse of the screen during the charging session, though Our Cyber Life helpfully included graphs showing charge rate for those who are “not interested in watching paint dry.”
As we can see in the video and accompanying graphs, the Cybertruck seems to have a relatively poor charge curve, at least for this charging session at a busy V3 Supercharger. The car starts at 14% state of charge, after about 20 minutes of preconditioning (an automatic process to raise battery temperature to accept higher charge rates).
It immediately jumps to a peak charge rate of 255kW, but starts to taper quite rapidly, with charge rate gradually decreasing starting at 20% SOC. By 40% SOC the car is down to 150kW, 100kW at 60% SOC, and reaches a plateau of 75-80kW at about 66% SOC, which it holds until around 90% – when the Youtuber’s camera died and the Cybertruck headed out.
All in all, it was a 50 minute charge session from 14-90%, adding 94kWh worth of energy into the Cybertruck’s 123kWh battery. Or, using the standard 80% cutoff, 14-80% took 40 minutes.
Brief comparison with other vehicles
Tesla vehicles do tend to taper rather early, but make up for it with high peak charge rates. It’s usually better to do more frequent, shorter charge sessions to take advantage of higher charge rates at low SOC, rather than to charge all the way up to 90 or 100%. Plus, busy Superchargers will penalize you for sticking around too long while others are waiting for a charge.
This is still a reasonably quick charge rate, especially when compared to the early days of EV charging or compared to AC charge times which run in the hours, not minutes.
But given the Cybertruck’s huge 123kWh battery, we expected quicker charging than this. A larger battery can usually sustain a higher charge rate for longer (this concept is known as “C-rate,” or charge rate divided by total capacity). A Model 3 Long Range has a peak C-rate of 3 and average C-rate of 1.4 when charging from 0-100%, but in this test, the Cybertruck showed a peak C-rate of just over 2 and average of about .9.
Measured in “miles of charge added per minute,” which is an even more important metric for practical driving purposes, the picture gets somewhat worse for the Cybertruck. The Model 3 is rated at 333 miles of range, and from 14-80% can add about 220 miles of range in 31 minutes. By the same metric, from 14-80%, the Cybertruck added 206 miles in 40 minutes – less range in a longer period of time.
All of these are significantly slower than the current charging champions, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and its cousin the Kia EV6, which despite a slightly lower peak charge rate of around 230kW, have an impressively broad charging curve that can sustain speeds of 170-180kW all the way up to 70-80%.
And compared to a similar-ish vehicle, the Rivian R1T, the R1T tapers a little bit later, but not by a tremendous amount. The R1T wins here, but by a small margin (a margin which becomes larger when taking into account Rivian’s higher efficiency and Tesla’s traditional, uh, “optimistic” range estimates).
But that’s not the whole story
However, we need to caution that this is only one test in one set of circumstances – and the circumstances are less than ideal for the Cybertruck in question.
First, the Cybertruck’s charging system is built with the ability to switch between 800-volt and 400-volt charging. V3 Superchargers are 400V, so it’s possible that the Cybertruck will be able to charge better from an 800V charger – if Tesla gets around to installing them. The V4 Supercharger is supposed to be capable of 800V charging, but so far we’ve only seen 400V installs, showing how Tesla’s charging network isn’t ready for Cybertruck – and that’s true in more ways than one.
Second, it was a busy Supercharger, and on busy Superchargers sometimes Tesla limits charging speed. A Supercharger station won’t necessarily be built with the ability to give maximum 250kW power to every stall at the same time, because you’re rarely going to have every stall full with a car at 0% SOC calling for maximum charge rate. So a 10-stall, 250kW charger might have a total 1-1.5MW capacity, instead of the 2.5MW you’d expect from the nameplate 250kW charge rate. It is possible the Cybertruck was given max charge rate at low SOC, and then the station itself tapered off power delivery in order to prioritize lower-SOC vehicles at the station.
Finally, this is a brand-new vehicle and Tesla may be waiting for more data on battery health while charging, in order to potentially increase charge rates in the future. Tesla is fond of offering over-the-air updates to improve vehicle capabilities, and to allow early owners to act as beta testers. In this case, the owner in question is also a Tesla employee, and Tesla is even more willing to use employees as guinea pigs on new vehicles. So it’s entirely possible that charge rates might increase in a future software update – as happened with Rivian as well.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
In the sportscar world, there is much discussion about retaining the “purity” of the sputtering, underperforming gas-guzzling engines of yesteryear. After a drive in Everrati’s Porsche 911 restomod, you’ll be ready to embrace the present and see just how much the drive experience can improve with modern technology.
There has been a lot of discussion about “purity” of the driving experience related to EVs. Some decry the “numb” feeling of the consumer-focused EVs they’ve driven, and think that this is indicative of some wider impossibility to provide an engaging drive experience in an electric vehicle.
But of course, when you compare a modern jellybean SUV, regardless of powertrain, with a purpose-built sportscar, there are going to be some differences in drive dynamics that aren’t flattering to the SUVs.
So lets make that comparison a little more fair. Let’s take an actual sportscar, a Porsche 911 (964) RSR, updated to the present day with an electric powertrain, and see just how much that “purity” in drive experience can be carried over with intentional effort, rather than kowtowing to perceptions of current market trends.
For some background on myself, I started driving EVs with the original Mini E, which was merely a retrofit vehicle with the back seats replaced by a giant stack of batteries. It was a bit of a kludge, but I still fell in love with it largely due to the strengths of electric propulsion.
I then went on to buy an original Tesla Roadster, one of the few true sportscars out there that runs on electricity, so I’ve got more experience than most in small electric two-seaters.
There are certainly a lot of high-performance EVs these days, but most of them are hefty (4,000-5,000 lbs or more), 4-5 seaters with all-wheel drive (my toxic trait is that as far as I’m concerned, if it isn’t rear wheel drive, it isn’t really a sportscar).
So imagine my enthusiasm when I was offered a drive in a custom-built electric Porsche 911 (as long as Porsche refuses to make one itself…).
So, I headed down to Crystal Cove in Newport Beach, California, to meet Everrati CEO Justin Lunny and take this thing for a spin, to see what this real electric sportscar can do – and lets just say there might be a new entry on my lottery ticket shopping list.
Everrati is a UK-based company that does electric restomods of several vehicles, including the Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz W113 Pagoda, Land Rover Series IIA and Ford GT40.
The company has completed 20 cars so far, with Porsche 911s being the most popular vehicle to convert.
I caught Lunny charging the Porsche as I pulled up, at a 50kW charging station. It has two charging inlets – one in the rear, under the trunk, which does DC or AC charging, and one in the front, using the 911’s original fuel door, which only does AC charging. The car is capable of 70kW charge rates, and while we don’t know what its charge curve looks like, that should mean 30-45 mins for a 10-80% charge.
The vehicle I drove is a 911 (964) RSR, created by Everrati as a commission, as many of its vehicles are. The vehicle still has a few finishing touches that need to be put on it, but otherwise was mostly complete. As a commission, the buyer was able to customize various aspects of the vehicle (including, for example, charge port location).
The interior of the vehicle is nicely finished, with everything redone from the original, but still in retro style. Gauges, knobs and switches are all in a similar style to the original, though a small single-DIN CarPlay headunit betrays the modernization under the hood.
It’s a two-seater, with some room behind the seats for some bags, but no seatbelts or room for people due to the rollbar. And the seats are heavily bolstered, locking you into position for when you whip it through corners. This is a real sportscar, it’s not just masquerading as one.
On a weekday on public roads, there wasn’t much opportunity to really open up the car or get in too much trouble, but the California weather and scenery were exactly what you’d expect. Our drive went up and down PCH and through some canyons, with a quick dip onto the freeway.
The amount of trouble we could get into was also limited by the car’s excellent handling. With a light weight and wide tires (295s on the rear, 30mm wider than the originals), the car felt extremely planted wherever we took it.
Everrati says that it’s important to maintain the weight of every vehicle it releases, and that it tries to ensure that its restomods don’t come out heavier than the original vehicle. It says this restomod is about 40lbs lighter than a 964 turbo (though that would make it heavier than the original RSR, which had significant weight-savings applied).
Despite the addition of a chunky 62kWh battery pack (range ~200 miles), Everrati says it was able to keep weight down by replacing several body panels with carbon fiber, in cooperation with Aria group, a contract manufacturer in Irvine, CA. Aria group works with Singer, the highly regarded Porsche restomodder – and is also helping TELO produce its tiny electric truck.
Everrati even went to the effort of ensuring weight distribution is similar to the original 911.
Famously, 911s are one of few cars designed with a rear-mounted engine, whose weight hangs behind the rear axle. From an engineering perspective, this is simply the wrong way to design a car – you want to reduce the car’s moment of inertia, which means bringing any heavy components as far inboard as possible.
Everrati did bring the motor slightly inboard of where the 911’s engine is, but it’s still placed behind the rear axle, maintaining the 911’s historically weird handling. And 70% of the car’s batteries are in the rear, to keep it rear-heavy.
In our drive test, the handling certainly didn’t feel heavy and felt extremely well-balanced, so we think Everrati did a good job here.
Steering is something else that Porsche has always been praised for. Everrati tried to maintain the steering feel of the original, with only light power assist leading to a heavy steering feel.
This was welcome to me, as my Roadster has manual steering, with no power assist at all. So I’m used to having to crank a small wheel around. The steering had a little bit of “play” in the wheel, which I imagine owes to its early 90s heritage (though still much tighter than the classic Bronco restomod I just drove prior), but otherwise felt exactly how I wanted it to – a relatively quick steering ratio with plenty of feeling transmitted to the driver.
But it has also managed to roughly double the horsepower from the original Porsche it was based on. Everrati says its restomod can produce about 500 horsepower, compared to the ~300 horsepower of even the racing version of the 964 911.
As is the case with Everrati’s vehicles, its drive software was customized for the customer in question. The customer asked for a drive experience that closely mirrored the original Porsche it was based on, so it wasn’t as “punchy” as some of today’s most powerful EVs, like Tesla’s Plaid Model S or the Turbo edition of Porsche’s Taycan and Macan EVs.
I liked this, myself, as I do think that we’ve gotten a little too punchy these days and lost the linearity I appreciate out of the throttle pedals in the Roadster and original RWD Model 3.
It also had virtually no off-throttle regen, instead placing the regenerative braking on the pedal. This is a sticking point for me, as I prefer one-pedal driving with strong off-throttle regen like many longtime EV drivers who have experienced it, so I’m glad that Everrati said it could offer something like that for customers who request it.
Speaking of brakes, the brake pedal, to me, felt a little soft. This could have been due to the tuning of the regenerative braking system, and also could surely be modified to an owner’s desires. I never did any particularly hard braking events that would have needed to engage the car’s friction brakes, but I just would have liked a little touchier brake pedal.
We also had a quick stop for a shake at the nearby Crystal Cove Shake Shack, and impressed some onlookers from the surrounding all-too-wealthy area. We caught several passers-by checking the car out, and they were quite surprised to learn that the classic Porsche they were looking at (otherwise not too rare of a sight in “New Porsche Beach”…) was electric.
Overall, this restomod is better put together than any I’ve seen or felt, and drove fantastically well.
I am often disappointed in some way by the EVs that I test drive, because they’re just not as fun to drive as the EVs that I’ve spent all my time in (Mini E, Tesla Roadster and Model 3). There’s often something missing, or something different, which may or may not have a good reason for being how it is, but at the end of the day it just makes the car less appealing to me than the EVs that I really love.
Not so with the Everrati. While I’d tune a couple things differently myself, this thing felt great. Just absolutely top tier. I just had to keep interrupting myself while talking to Lunny during my test drive, telling him how great this car felt. Just fantastic.
And that leads us back to the beginning – whether an EV can offer a “pure” driving experience. While taking this thing up and down PCH, through canyons, on a perfect Southern California day, without any of the rumbling, noise, or delayed shifting of gears needed from a traditional ICE engine.
There’s nothing to get between you and driving, and all the sensory experiences that motion entails. The car did what I wanted, when I wanted, and felt and looked great doing it. That sounds like as pure a driving experience as one can find.
As for the price? Well… “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” Everrati’s website doesn’t list prices, rather listing it as “POA” (price on application) and having a “let’s talk” button to reach out. The car we drove cost around $450k – on top of the donor car, which can’t have been cheap to begin with.
So, if you happen to have recently found that bitcoin drive you misplaced in 2011, now you know what to do with it.
If you’d like to read more (and see more photos) head on over and take a look at Everrati’s brand book, with lots of pretty pictures of the company’s vehicle projects.
Charge your electric vehicle at home using rooftop solar panels. Find a reliable and competitively priced solar installer near you on EnergySage, for free. They have pre-vetted installers competing for your business, ensuring high-quality solutions and 20-30% savings. It’s free, with no sales calls until you choose an installer. Compare personalized solar quotes online and receive guidance from unbiased Energy Advisers. Get started here. – ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
InMotion, a well-known brand in the world of personal electric mobility, has officially launched its latest electric unicycle, the InMotion V9. Combining advanced technology and new safety features, the V9’s design positions this electric unicycle as a key option for urban commuters and adventure seekers alike who want good performance without spending a fortune.
Believe it or not, the electric unicycle market is quite broad. There are dozens of interesting models, offering everything from slow, beginner-friendly wheels to massively powerful and scary fast off-road electric unicycles (EUCs).
The new InMotion V9 launches as something of an in-between wheel, providing enough power and speed to keep it fun and interesting, yet without going so over-the-top that it becomes unaffordable or unapproachable by newer riders.
Priced at $1,299, the InMotion V9 is powered by a 1,000W motor that can reach peak outputs of 2,000W. This setup delivers a top speed of around 28 mph (45 km/h), positioning it well for urban streets and bike lanes, two of the most common stomping grounds for EUCs.
Range anxiety isn’t just a concern for cars; it can also affect micromobility riders. For its part, InMotion gave the V9 a fairly hefty 84V and 750Wh battery. This capacity allows the V9 to achieve up to 37 miles (60 km) per charge under optimal conditions. The UL-listed battery charges fairly quickly, reaching full capacity in approximately five hours.
One key feature of the V9 not found on most beginner-friendly wheels is its Nimbus Air suspension system, which provides 60 mm of travel to enhance rider comfort and reduce fatigue on uneven surfaces.
The included suspension is even more notable considering the V9 is currently InMotion’s lightest suspension-equipped electric unicycle, weighing around 48.5 lbs (22 kg). And speaking of weight, the EUC can support riders weighing up to 265 lbs (120 kg).
The InMotion V9 doesn’t skimp on smart features, either. Its integrated GPS tracking enables owners to remotely locate and monitor their unicycle via InMotion’s mobile app, even when powered off. Remote locking functionality further enhances security, ensuring peace of mind for riders frequently leaving their wheel unattended.
Additional smart integrations include customizable RGB side accent lights and built-in Bluetooth speakers, allowing riders to personalize their ride and stay entertained while commuting – or just keep cars and other road users more aware of their presence. The V9 also includes USB-A and USB-C ports with 20W output to ensure riders can conveniently charge their mobile devices while on the go.
Safety is always paramount in electric transportation devices, especially those that come with their own unique concerns like electric unicycles. The V9 has TÜV Rheinland UL2272 certification and “advanced fire-resistant technology” to mitigate risks further.
The InMotion V9 is now available for purchase through local InMotion dealers and via the official InMotion online store.
I don’t cover electric unicycles as often as e-bikes, scooters, and other micromobility devices, but not because they are less deserving. They’re certainly more niche, but I know that the EUC community is adamant about their advantages. And listen, I get it. They’re small and convenient to park or store inside, they don’t require much maintenance at all, and they’re pretty fun after you get the hang of them. An EUC can be intimidating at first, but once it clicks in your brain after a few learning sessions, riding one is a blast!
With the electric unicycle market continuing to gain traction, InMotion still faces competition from other premium brands. However, the V9’s comprehensive package of comfort, safety, and advanced smart features, combined with its competitive price point, should place it pretty well in the crowded landscape of personal electric transportation.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway