Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. Car Guides

What is a Tesla Supercharger?

By

Tesla has enjoyed a years-long lead in the EV space, which has given it time to build an incredibly expansive charging network in the U.S. No matter where you’re driving, chances are you can get there using the Tesla Supercharger network, topping up your Tesla as you go. But what is a Tesla Supercharger? How do Superchargers compare with ordinary EV charging stations?

The short answer is that a Tesla Supercharger is a charger designed specifically for use with Tesla vehicles, and only Tesla vehicles. But things are also a little more complicated than that. Here’s the long answer.

Recommended Videos

Types of Tesla Supercharger

Tesla Superchargers aren’t all the same. There are three main types: V1, V2, and V3. As you might expect, V3 chargers are the most recent and most advanced type of charger, and they can charge at up to 250kW, though rumors indicate that they will support speeds of up to 324kW or faster through an update. Eventually, Tesla will begin building V4 Superchargers that will offer even faster speeds.

Related

V1 and V2 Superchargers currently support charging speeds of up to 150kW — which is still quite fast and should charge a Tesla from 0% to 80% in less than 30 minutes. V1 and V2 Superchargers are still in operation, so you won’t always get the current maximum of 250kW with a V3 charger — but you still get fast charging in general.

Tesla Supercharger network

Tesla

The Tesla Supercharger experience isn’t just about how fast they charge — it’s also about how often you can charge. Because Tesla has been at it for much longer than everyone else, the Tesla Supercharger network is huge — and Tesla owners can charge all over the country. According to the Tesla website, there are currently more than 40,000 Superchargers around the world, and there are many more to come.

The result? You can easily travel across the country on Tesla’s Supercharger network. It may require a little forward planning, but it’s possible — and it’s going to get easier and easier as time goes on. It’s also important to note the fact that Tesla users can use other charging networks — though it will require using an adapter to do so.

How much does it cost to use a Tesla Supercharger?

The cost of using a Tesla Supercharger varies based on a number of different factors, just like gasoline. Costs vary from location to location, day to day, and even hour to hour in some cases. Usage isn’t even metered uniformly: Some stations charge by the minute, some by the kilowatt-hour. In other words, it’s impossible to say exactly how much a Supercharger costs.

But generally speaking, a Tesla Supercharger costs around $0.25 per kW, according to Evannex, a maker of third-party Tesla accessories. That means that it should cost less than $20 to fully charge a Tesla, or less if you’re only partially charging it. The best EV charging apps can help give you an idea of the cost at any given station before you roll up.

Prior to 2016, Tesla offered free unlimited charging with some models, but it has since ended free Supercharging.

Can any car plug into a Tesla Supercharger?

No. Tesla cars can charge at most charging stations around the country with an adapter, but currently, no other car can charge at a Supercharger except in a few select areas where Tesla is testing allowing other cars to charge at Tesla stations. It’s possible Tesla will open its stations more in the future, but we’ll have to wait and see if and when that happens. Non-Tesla cars can’t even plug in at the station. That’s because Tesla cars use their own charging connector, and while the connector is no longer propriety, no non-Tesla cars have it yet. Non-Tesla EVs currently mostly use the CCS plug, which has risen to become the standard in the U.S. For more information on EV infrastructure, check out our comprehensive EV glossary.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper
Contributor
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
EV sales surge could continue as Trump delays ending federal rebates, report says
Second-Gen Rivian R1S on a road

A surge in sales of electric vehicles in the final months of last year could continue well into 2025, as consumers continue to take advantage of federal tax incentives while they last, according to a report by the Associated Press.
On the day of his inauguration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Unleashing American Energy”, which says the government is “considering the elimination of unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs over other technologies.”
During his campaign, Trump’s team said it was planning to end the Biden administration’s $7,500 tax credit on the purchase or lease of an EV, although it did not provide a timeline for doing so.
Americans rushed to take advantage of the incentive, helping fuel a surge of more than 15% in EV sales in the fourth quarter, according to Cox Automotive.
Recent surveys show that incentives have played a major role in fueling EV sales over the past few years, and that a majority of Americans are in favor of government incentives to help with the purchase of an EV.
Meanwhile, the wording in Trump’s executive order, which says his administration is still 'considering' its options, leaves room for ambiguity about the timing of its application.
“Temporarily, sales of EVs could skyrocket as car-buyers rush to take advantage of existing tax credits,” the report by the Associated Press says.
In order to repeal the EV tax credit, the Trump administration will need to obtain the approval of congress. The process will likely take place as part of broader negotiations on extending Trump’s first-term tax cuts, which are due to expire near the end of 2025.
It’s also not entirely clear if the Trump administration will seek to end the whole of the $7,500 EV tax incentive. In order to obtain the incentive for the purchase of an EV, restrictions apply for high-income households and for EVs with non-U.S. made batteries. But those restrictions don’t apply to leasing an EV.
According to Cox Automotive, members of the Trump administration are particularly keen on ending “this leasing loophole, which was created partly to appease Korean and Japanese automakers, who have invested billions in U.S. EV manufacturing.”
Ending rebates and other subsidies for EVs is also likely to meet challenges, be they legal or political, from different actors.
The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), a trade group whose members include the likes of Tesla, Waymo, Rivian, and Uber, has come out in support of incentives for both the production and the sale of EVs.
ZETA says the incentives for both EV and battery-makers have led to enormous investments and job gains in Republican-dominated states like Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and Georgia.

Read more
Tesla reveals U.S. rollout date for its redesigned Model Y
Tesla Model Y 2025.

Tesla’s revamped Model Y is rolling out in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico in March, the automaker announced on Thursday.

Among a flurry of social media posts, Tesla included a short video showcasing the freshly designed Model Y, which starts at $59,990 in the U.S.

Read more
EV incentives supported by 67% of Americans, survey finds
ev drivers support government incentives image

While the incoming Trump administration is expected to end federal tax credits supporting electric vehicle (EV) purchases and leases, yet another poll is showing just how popular these EV rebates remain.

According to a survey by the California-based nonprofit Veloz, 67% of Americans say that the government, be it at the federal, state, or local level, should provide purchase incentives for EVs.

Read more