Energy

Tesla's Supercharger has gone through four hardware generations — V1 (90–120 kW), V2 (120–150 kW), V3 (250 kW) and V4 (up to 500 kW). But the headline 500 kW only applies to the newest V4 cabinet feeding an 800-volt car, and in the real world it saves only a few minutes. Here's what each generation delivers, how Superchargers differ from Destination Chargers, and the new foldable V4.

Most of the world charges on Type 2 (AC) and CCS2 (DC), North America is switching to Tesla's NACS, China uses GB/T and Japan leans on CHAdeMO. Here is every major EV connector — with pinout diagrams — and which plug Tesla uses in each region.

A recent study from Jeff Dahn's lab at Dalhousie University shows that cycling LFP batteries near the top of charge (75–100%) causes the most degradation, while lower operating windows preserve capacity. Here are four practical rules — backed by science — for getting the most life out of your LFP-equipped EV.

Dr. Jeff Dahn — the Dalhousie battery scientist whose lab has partnered with Tesla since 2016 — recommends three practical rules for extending NMC battery life: keep long-term storage around 30% in heat, plug in after every trip, and charge to 75% daily. Engineering Explained breaks down the chemistry behind each rule.