Like it or not, the Tesla Cybertruck is becoming more and more common across the U.S. as electric vehicle production picks up. Many Tesla drivers who, for one reason or another, can’t charge their cars at home will likely use their local Superchargers to power their cars. But one Tesla driver warns that you should be careful charging next to a Cybertruck.
These high-power, rapid charging stations are effectively the equivalent of traditional gas stations for high-tech vehicles and can provide a different experience for drivers if they choose to charge at the same time as a higher-powered Cybertruck, as this Tesla driver experienced.
In a viral video shared on TikTok, user @1motatt says that after the Cybertruck arrived at a charging station, Tesla’s estimated time to fully charge jumped to more than five hours. In the video, which has been viewed more than 1.2 million times, the increased charging time is shown on a screen in the Tesla app.
The video is captioned, “Soon to be here all day.”
How long does it take to charge a Tesla?
But how long does a typical Tesla charging cycle take? The answer may surprise you, and it’s easy to understand the poster’s shock and frustration. According to Tesla’s website, a Supercharger station like the one he parked at should be able to add up to 200 miles of battery power to a vehicle in just 15 minutes or so.
However, older Supercharger stations may not be able to provide the same level of charging power as newer ones, and unless it’s a Supercharger V3, connecting multiple vehicles to a station will effectively split the charging power, increasing the time it takes for vehicles to fully charge.
This means that @1motatt’s slowdown experience isn’t limited to the Cybertruck next to him, but any Tesla car will be splitting the charging power at any old Supercharger station.
The Daily Dot reached out to @1motatt through TikTok direct messages and comments on the video, and reached out to Tesla via email.
@1motatt I’ll probably be here all day #teslatok #teslamodely #cybertruck #fyp ♬ original sound – GLOSS
Some viewers commented that Tesla’s reliance on chargers like the one shown in the video is what discourages them from buying a Tesla.
“I don’t have this issue when I’m filling up my Tacoma with gas and a 2500 pulls up next to me and asks to be pumped,” one commenter wrote.
“My gas truck could fill up with gas in a minute and be driving again with no problem!” said another.
“I paid 47 cents a gallon yesterday using the fuel saver,” another user wrote. “Took less than 2 minutes.”
Other viewers (who are familiar with or own Teslas) pointed out that the slow charging times may not just be due to the Cybertruck.
“I always try to fully charge my Cyber in 20-30 minutes,” one user commented. “If I’m out and about, I plan to have lunch near a charger, plug it in, have lunch, walk and head out. Easy.”
“The Cybertruck charges to 80% in 40 minutes,” a third person added. “In its lowest configuration, the truck’s 80% battery can go almost 300 miles.”
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