After 6 years of growing its network, Tesla now has 500 Superchargers spread across 63 locations in the UK and Ireland. The 500th Supercharger is in the newly opened Colchester location, just off the A12. Although many electric vehicle owners charge their cars at home or while they are at work, the Supercharger network provides charging for those on long-distance trips. Tesla has over the years strategically placed the Superchargers on major roads and popular tourist travel routes so as to remove range anxiety.
The 500 Superchargers milestone was reached with 42 new chargers installed on four new sites in 2020. A V2 Tesla Supercharger charges a Tesla Model S from 20% to 80% in around 80 minutes at 50kW DC and 30 minutes on 150kW. Tesla’s fast charging seems to have come of use as the company says over 60 million electric miles were covered in the British Isles with the help of its charging points. Tesla owners can exclusively enjoy the Tesla superchargers, while still being able to use public chargers.
Furthermore, Tesla owners will soon have access to the upgraded V3 Superchargers. According to the company, a Model 3 Long Range can theoretically top up 75 miles of range in just five minutes on the V3 unit. This is due to ultra-rapid charging that can reach charging rates of up to 250kW.
Tesla is also adding an On-Route Battery Warm-up to its models. WhichEV has previously reported on how temperature affects the range of electric vehicles. The update gives Teslas the ability to bring battery cells to the optimal temperature for charging on the way to the charger, meaning power transfer is as efficient as possible.
We can expect more battery updates, which will continue to define Tesla as a pioneer in electric vehicle technology, at the company’s upcoming Battery Day event. The company plans to continue expanding its Supercharger network to grant further freedom for those traveling in Tesla electric vehicles.