The Tesla 615kW Supercharger could be a game-changer for EVs

One of the biggest complaints about electric cars is how much time is needed to charge them. Even with a fast charger in the UK you can spend nearly an hour charging your EV. That's why Tesla's new V4 Supercharger is so impressive. This offers a theoretical 615kW charging speed – that's nearly double what is on offer anywhere in the world today. 

The Tesla Model S Long Range has a maximum charging speed of 250kW and takes 27 minutes to charge from 10% to 80% at this speed. If the car was capable, and it was plugged into the new V4 Supercharger, that time could be reduced to just under 11 minutes. 

Of course, it's no longer just Teslas that can use the Supercharger network these days, so faster charging here could benefit all EV drivers. The Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 offer two of the highest-rated charging speeds on the market when plugged into a 350kW charger. Right now it would take these cars around 18 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%, but if they could allow 615kW and were plugged into a 615kW charger, that time would be just over 10 minutes. 

Shorter charging times would solve one of the biggest niggles for EV owners and see a massive reduction in the queues at fast charging stations. It would also mean a reduction in overall journey times, as drivers would be able to top up their EVs almost in the time it takes to fill a petrol tank with fuel. 

Range remains another concern for those doing longer journeys in EVs, though even here we are seeing the numbers creeping up in new models. I suspect it won't be long before new EVs offer over 400-mile ranges on average. 

Currently, these new V4 Superchargers are only in a single location in The Netherlands and are limited to the same 250kW as the V3 Superchargers on the app. However, hopefully, their full potential will be released as cars are available to make use of it.