Tesla’s hot new flagship vehicle, the Cybertruck, comes with some big charging improvements. But those improvements are incompatible with most of Tesla’s existing Supercharger network, and now that Tesla is pulling back on its Supercharger rollout, it may leave Cybertruck out in the cold.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk says that “Tesla still plans to grow the Supercharger network, just at a slower pace for new locations and more focus on 100% uptime and expansion of existing locations” (according to Tesla’s website, Superchargers currently have 99.95% uptime).
The focus on existing locations is important, because Tesla’s Supercharger is in need of upgrades. And one major reason for that is its Cybertruck, which is large and barely fits in a lot of current Supercharger spots, not to mention that the system currently lacks compatibility with some of the Cybertruck’s main charging benefits.
The Cybertruck comes with 800-volt charging capability, which is different from most other EVs that run at 400-volts. It can still charge on a 400V charger, but an 800V charger should offer faster speeds (which is important, because Cybertruck’s 400V charging speed isn’t great so far).
But most of Tesla’s Superchargers don’t support 800V – at least the ones from the previous three generations. Tesla’s new V4 Superchargersdo support 800V charging, but they still make up a small percentage of Supercharger sites.
Not only does V4 support 800V it also has a longer cable. Tesla’s V1-V3 Superchargers have cables that only reach a few feet from the charging unit, meaning you need to back in pretty close to them in order to plug in.
This has created a bit of a problem for Cybertruck, which is much bigger than other Tesla vehicles. We spotted this as an issue before the Cybertruck was even released, with a video of a Cybertruck having to back right up against a pole in order to reach its charging port, which is somewhat awkwardly placed along the wheel well of the truck.
The 10-foot-long V4 cable makes it easier for big vehicles like the Cybertruck to fit into the spot, and is also important for non-Tesla vehicles which may not have their charge port in the same rear-left quadrant as Teslas do. This is particularly important as more brands are planned to gain access to Supercharging soon (or at least, they were, prior to the team being fired).
For these reasons (and some others, like lack of pull-through stations), we declared in November that Tesla’s charging network is not ready for Cybertruck. And in order to get it ready, Tesla needs to work on installing new chargers that are more friendly to Cybertrucks and vehicles from other brands, and on upgrading existing sites to add V4 chargers.
The only problem is… Tesla just fired the entire team responsible for that. There are a few people retained from the team who have been moved to other divisions, and given that Tesla still intends to install some new stations and expand existing locations it must still have some personnel left to do that.
But with so many people fired from the Supercharging team, we can’t see any way there there won’t be a slowdown in new installations of V4 stations, and in upgrades of existing stations. Firing all of the organization’s expertise in a certain part of the business is not how you improve deployments of that part of the business. It’s just hard to believe that Musk says installations will continue when Tesla can’t even remember who they’re working with on current installations.
So, right as Tesla has started to ramp production of its hot new vehicle which its currently selling for over-six-figure prices, it’s also made a decision that will inevitably make it more difficult to leverage that vehicle’s unique charging advantages – or even to fit into a Supercharging spot at all.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Mining company Vale is turning to Caterpillar to provide this massive, 240-ton battery-electric haul truck in a bid to slash carbon emissions at its mines by 2030.
Caterpillar and Vale have signed an agreement that will see the Brazilian mining company test severe-duty battery electric mining trucks like the 793 BEV (above), as well as V2G/V2x energy transfer systems and alcohol-powered trucks. The test will help Vale make better equipment choices as it works to achieve its goals of reducing direct and indirect carbon emissions 33% by 2030 and eliminating 100% of its net emissions by 2050.
If that sounds weird, consider that most cars and trucks in Brazil run on either pure ethyl alcohol/ethanol (E100) or “gasohol” (E25).
“We are developing a portfolio of options to decarbonize Vale’s operations, including electrification and the use of alternative fuels in the mines. The most viable solutions will be adopted,” explains Ludmila Nascimento, energy and decarbonization director Vale. “We believe that ethanol has great potential to contribute to the 2030 target because it is a fuel that has already been adopted on a large scale in Brazil, with an established supply network, and which requires an active partnership with manufacturers. We stand together to support them in this goal.”
Vale will test a 240-ton Cat 793 battery-electric haul truck at its operations in Minas Gerais, and put energy transfer solutions to a similar tests at Vale’s operations in Pará over the next two-three years. Caterpillar and Vale have also agreed to a joint study on the viability of a dual-fuel (ethanol/diesel) solution for existing ICE-powered assets.
During its debut in 2022, the Cat 793 haul truck was shown on a 4.3-mile test course at the company’s Tucson proving grounds. There, the 240-ton truck was able to achieve a top speed of over 37 mph (60 km/h) fully loaded. Further tests involved the loaded truck climbing a 10% grade for a full kilometer miles at 7.5 mph before unloading and turning around for the descent, using regenerative braking to put energy back into the battery on the way down.
Despite not giving out detailed specs, Caterpillar reps reported that the 793 still had enough charge in its batteries for to complete more testing cycles.
Electrek’s Take
Electric equipment and mining to together like peanut butter and jelly. In confined spaces, the carbon emissions and ear-splitting noise of conventional mining equipment can create dangerous circumstances for miners and operators, and that can lead to injury or long-term disability that’s just going to exacerbate a mining operation’s ability to keep people working and minerals coming out of the ground.
By working with companies like Vale to prove that forward-looking electric equipment can do the job as well as well as (if not better than) their internal combustion counterparts, Caterpillar will go a long way towards converting the ICE faithful.
Argonne National Laboratory is building a new research and development facility to independently test large-scale hydrogen fuel cell systems for heavy-duty and off-road applications with funding from the US Department of Energy.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) is hoping Argonne Nat’l Lab’s extensive fuel cell research experience, which dates back to 1996, will give it unique insights as it evaluates new polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems ranging from 150 to 600 kilowatts for use in industrial vehicle and stationary power generation applications.
The new Argonne test facility will help prove (or, it should be said, disprove) the validity of hydrogen as a viable fuel for transportation applications including heavy trucks, railroad locomotives, marine vessels, and heavy machines used in the agriculture, construction, and mining industries.
“The facility will serve as a national resource for analysis and testing of heavy-duty fuel cell systems for developers, technology integrators and end-users in heavy-duty transportation applications including [OTR] trucks, railroad locomotives, marine vessels, aircraft and vehicles used in the agriculture, construction and mining industries,” explains Ted Krause, laboratory relationship manager for Argonne’s hydrogen and fuel cell programs. “The testing infrastructure will help advance fuel cell performance and pave the way toward integrating the technology into all of these transportation applications.”
Speaking of Moog, we talked to some of the engineers being their ZQuip modular battery systems on a HEP-isode of The Heavy Equipment Podcast a few months back. I’ve included it, below, in case that’s something you’d like to check out.
Velocity truck rental is doing its part to help commercial fleets electrify by energizing 47 high-powered charging stations at four strategic dealer locations across Southern California. And they’re doing it now.
The new Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing (VTRL) charging network isn’t some far-off goal being announced for PR purposes. The company says its new chargers are already in the ground, and set to be fully online and energized by the end of this month at at VTRL facilities in Rancho Dominguez (17), Fontana (14), the City of Industry (14), and San Diego (2).
45 120 kW Detroit e-Fill chargers make up the bulk of VTRL’s infrastructure project, while two DCFC stations from ChargePoint get them to 47. All of the chargers, however, where chosen specifically to cater to the needs of medium and heavy-duty battery electric work trucks.
At Velocity, we are not just reacting to the shift towards electric mobility; we are at the forefront with our customers and actively shaping it. By integrating high-powered, commercial-grade charging solutions along key transit corridors, we are ensuring that our customers have the support they need today. This charging infrastructure investment is a testament to our commitment to helping our customers transition smoothly to electromobility solutions and to prepare for compliance with the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulations.
David Deon, velocity president
Velocity plans to offer flexible charging options to accommodate the needs of different fleets, including both managed, “charging as a service” subscription plans and self-managed/opportunity charging during daily routes. While trucks are charging, drivers and operators will be able to relax in comfortable break rooms equipped with WIFI, television, snacks, water, and restrooms.
Electrek’s Take
While it feels a bit underwhelming to write about trucking companies simply following the letter of the law in California, the rollout of an all-electric, zero-emission commercial trucking fleet remains something that, I think, should be celebrated.