Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla has installed its first V4 Supercharger in Europe, specifically in the city of Harderwijk in the Netherlands. The station is expected to open later this month, and EV enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating how fast it can charge.
Tesla had previously announced plans to install its next-generation Superchargers in the United States, but surprised everyone at an Investor Day event by revealing that the first V4 Supercharger was to be installed in Europe, and that the company had already begun the installation process.
The new V4 Supercharger units are larger than their V3 counterparts, as observed during the installation process in Harderwijk. All 16 pedestals have now been installed, and according to Twitter user @fritsvanens, who has been keeping a close eye on the construction, Tesla employees at the site have said that the station will be operational before the end of March.
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What do you think. Prettier than the V3 style or not. pic.twitter.com/MufGhGubfx
— fritsvanens (@fritsvanens) March 14, 2023
While Tesla did not provide many details about the V4 Supercharger’s specifications, the company did mention that it would feature a longer charging cable. The cable’s design allows it to dock on the outside of the pedestal and loop around, making it considerably longer than the V3’s cable, which had to be inserted into an opening in the middle of the pedestal.
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The longer cable will be especially useful for the Non-Tesla Supercharger program, as EV charge ports are not standardized, leading to multiple stalls being blocked when using the shorter V3 charging cable. Tesla has highlighted this as a benefit, suggesting that the new station in Harderwijk may be open to non-Tesla EVs, although this has not yet been confirmed.
As the world continues to transition to cleaner energy sources, the development of efficient and effective charging infrastructure is crucial. Tesla’s new V4 Supercharger is a promising step forward in this effort, and we look forward to seeing how it performs.
