Even better EV charging is on the horizon, as Tesla deploys the first V4 Superchargers in the United States.  The fourth generation of Supercharging dispensers debuted in Europe in early 2023, and now the rollout is progressing globally (including North America and even Asia).

The manufacturer announced the first V4 station opening in the US on October 25 in Sparks, Nevada. On November 1, the company also revealed a site in Prattville, Alabama, which received twelve V4 dispensers. According to various reports, Tesla is currently installing V4 Superchargers in multiple states, including in Oregon and South Carolina. Meanwhile, there is already a double-digit number of V4 sites installed in Europe.

As of today, it seems that all the V4 stalls are rated at up to 250 kilowatts of peak power output, just like the V3 ones.

Tesla V4 Superchargers in Prattville, Alabama. Source: @TeslaCharging / X.

The new V4 Superchargers are crucial for Tesla to truly open the Supercharging network to CCS1-compatible non-Tesla electric vehicles. The opening process in the US started in March 2023 by introducing the integrated CCS1-adapters (also known as Magic Dock) on V3 Supercharging stalls in several sites. In May, the first Magic Docks were introduced in Canada.

However, the Magic Dock on V3 dispensers is still not an optimum solution as its charging cable is too short, and users must use the Tesla App to access and pay for charging.

Non-Tesla Supercharging with a CCS1 adapter.

In the case of the new V4 charging stalls, the dispenser is significantly taller to accommodate the longer cable required to reach charging inlets in different locations.

Additionally, the V4 brings a credit card reader and display to the station for the very first time, so users should be able to use the chargers without the Tesla App and an assigned account. All the info about pricing and payment will be possible on the stall level – though we are still waiting to see those features available for use.

The final element is that the V4 stalls are expected to offer a much higher charging power than the current 250 kilowatts, as well as a higher voltage – very important for all electric vehicles equipped with high-voltage battery systems.

All those elements combined are crucial to successfully opening the entire Supercharging network to all electric vehicles at a critical time when the EV industry in North America is switching from the CCS1 to the Tesla-developed NACS charging connector.

Other manufacturers would like to get access to the Tesla Supercharging network for their EVs, but Tesla must first address several issues:

• Different charging port locations require a longer cable
• On-site payment and software integration with non-Tesla EVs must be provided to handle authentication and payments within the domain of other OEMs
• Provide support for older CCS1-compatible models
• Provide support for high-voltage battery systems, up to 800-1,000 volts
• Provide access to a higher charging power (CCS1 offers up to 300-350 kW today)

The V4 Supercharging dispensers solve all these issues and should soon become Tesla’s primary Supercharger type globally. They’ll just come with different charging plugs depending on the region– NACS in North America and several other markets, CCS2 in Europe and many other countries, and GB/T in China.

Tesla tweeted out official confirmation of the first Tesla V4 sites in North America:

First V4 Superchargers open in Sparks, NVhttps://t.co/pGoYW85cc4 pic.twitter.com/QWjniUNcUK

— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) October 25, 2023

New Tesla Supercharger: Prattville, AL (12 stalls) https://t.co/kndTWKKian pic.twitter.com/B37GHGIjB5

— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) November 1, 2023