Tesla Cybertruck is ready for wireless inductive charging based on new connectors found on the electric pickup truck’s battery pack.
The automaker never seemed interested in wireless charging for its electric vehicles.
The problem wireless charging solves is not a major one. It alleviates the need to plug in your car, which is not a super difficult or time-consuming task. Nonetheless, Tesla has previously talked about automating the task in order to be ready for self-driving technology. If the cars could drive themselves, it would make sense for them to be able to charge themselves without a human needing to plug them in.
Then, there’s also the issue of efficiency. Wireless charging historically had a bigger loss than cable charging, but some more recent solutions, like with magnetic resonance, for example, do claim similar ~95% efficiency as cable charging.
Nonetheless, over the years, Tesla has favored an automated robot arm instead of wireless charging to complete this task, but things have changed recently.
Last year, Tesla teased a new wireless home charging station – pictured above. The automaker never commented on the situation other than releasing this picture as part of a presentation. However, the image pretty clearly shows a wireless charging station and Tesla did briefly acquire a startup that focuses on wireless charging before selling it back – not before integrating some of its staff, though.
Furthermore, Tesla chief designer Franz von Holzhausen recently confirmed that Tesla is working on a wireless charging pad.
But while it’s clear that Tesla is working on a wireless charging station, you also need equipment on the electric vehicles to accept the inductive charging.
Now, it looks like we can confirm that at least one Tesla vehicle is ready for it: the Cybertruck.
Internet sleuths on Cybertruck Owners’ Club found a reference to a connector called ‘Inductive Charger headers’ on the battery pack of the Cybertruck in the service manual:
Top comment by Brett Chandler
The problem wireless charging solves is not a major one. It alleviates the need to plug in your car, which is not a super difficult or time-consuming task.
This is such a short-sighted take. Wireless charging will honestly be huge and once it's in widespread use we'll wonder why we didn't start sooner.
MASSIVE accessibility boost
Less prone to accidental damage/copper theft/vandalism
More reliable with fewer moving parts
Makes it easier for EVs to "snack" for brief stops
Seriously, this is going to be huge once the industry agrees on a standard and implements it. If Tesla is doing that now, so much the better because they're in the best position to drive the change.
This means that Tesla could retrofit an inductive charging pad on the Cybertruck when the wireless charging station becomes available.
Electrek’s Take
As I’ve previously said, I’m not super excited about this product. Like I said, it doesn’t solve a major problem, and it’s likely not going to be cheap.
That said, I like to see more options. For those who value the slightly better user experience and who are willing to pay the price, I am glad that they will have the option.
It makes sense that the Cybertruck gets it first. It’s a more premium product and probably a higher percentage of owners will go for it.
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