A few photos of the Semi Megachargers installed in Giga Nevada were shared by The Kilowatts. These Megachargers are being made for Tesla Semi vehicles, large stalls which do not even have charging points but have power electronics modules. These chargers appear to be much different than Tesla’s proprietary connectors in the US.
According to the report shared, these Megachargers are roughly 7-8 feet tall. Much bigger than regular CCS plugs. There are no specific pictures of the pins, but it looks like the cables are packed. The thick cable is expected considering the high transfer of power, and the need to make sure they do not overheat. The Class 8 Semi trucks from Tesla are expected to be launched into the market, supplying for commercial applications.
Many details about the Megachargers are not known yet. However, some assume that it will be at least 1 kV (1,000 V) – may be more to lower the current level. 1 MW at 1 kV is 1,000 A, which is still very high. Technically the higher the power the lesser the charging time. Like, 1 MWh (1,000 kWh) battery charged at 1 MW requires roughly 1 hour to charge from 0 to 100% state-of-charge (SOC).
Information known about Semi Megachargers are as follows,
- megawatt charging output (1 MW or more – potentially up to a few kW)
- envisioned for heavy-duty electric vehicles, specifically Class 8 Tesla Semi
- black and white color scheme (compared to red and white Superchargers)
- about 7-8 feet (213-243 cm) tall (significantly taller than Superchargers)
- most likely the cables are liquid-cooled
- voltage is expected to be at least about 1 kV
- due to high power surges, Megachargers are expected to be almost always combined with energy storage systems (Tesla Megapacks)
- First stations:
Tesla Giga Nevada
Frito-Lay’s facility in Modesto, California (customer)
(Credits for the information- InsideEVs)
Mobile Megachargers
A week ago, other Megachargers were found in Giga Nevada, which shows that the company is working on portable chargers. The system was interesting as they were powered by Powerback batteries.
Mobile chargers are nothing new for Tesla. Back in 2019, they released mobile Superchargers for the holidays. It was a simple and practical solution to increase the number of charger stalls at select Supercharger stations quickly and efficiently. For Megachargers, it could be the ideal solution. Especially considering that these trucks are used for commercial purposes and the companies can avail the chargers as per their needs. Else setting up certain portable chargers in many locations could be an easier option for Tesla, as they are needed in limited numbers. Unlike regular cars, the trucks usually go through the same paths and designations on regular basis. Either way, Tesla is seen to be working on charging aspects of Semi, as they are getting closer to deliveries of Semi.