- Tesla’s MegaPack Charger can send 250 kW to eight connected EVs at the same time.
- The chargers are pre-installed on a semi-truck trailer.
Charging an electric vehicle can be daunting sometimes, but Tesla, the biggest player in the game, has long figured it out. Thanks to its extensive Supercharger network of DC fast chargers that are tightly integrated with the cars’ software, it’s extremely easy to plan a route in a Tesla EV.
The infotainment system shows the driver exactly how many charging stops are needed, how much juice will be in the battery when arriving at a charging stop and how much energy will be added during the charging stop. It’s all seamless, and it’s one of the biggest reasons why people buy Teslas to begin with.
However, during the holidays, even Tesla owners might have to wait a little longer during charging stops simply because all the stalls are already in use when arriving at a Supercharger. More people are traveling, so more EV owners are out there charging their cars. However, Tesla seems to have a solution for this, as well.
It’s called the MegapackCharger, and it’s basically a portable Supercharger station that can be deployed pretty much anywhere. Everything, from the stalls themselves to the charging cabinets, is mounted directly to a semi-truck trailer that can be parked where more dispensers are needed. But here’s the kicker: these portable Superchargers also have built-in batteries.
The MegapackCharger can store up to 3 megawatt-hours worth of energy, which is enough to replenish the batteries of approximately 75 EVs. There are eight V3 stalls on the trailer, each with an output of 250 kW.
In theory, the portable Superchargers can be placed anywhere. In practice, Tesla has installed them next to existing Supercharger stations that already have a grid connection. This way, when the station’s built-in batteries run out of energy, they can be recharged in a couple of hours by taking a nearby Supercharger cabinet offline at night, when usage is low.
Max de Zegher, Tesla’s head of Charging, said the platforms are connected to the internet using SpaceX’s Starlink service. “They’re a powerful tool for temporary congestion bottlenecks and disruptions like hurricanes,” De Zegher added.
Tesla has deployed four MegapackChargers during this holiday season–two in California, one in Nevada and one in Ohio. They’re integrated into Tesla’s navigation system, so drivers can see in real-time how many stalls are in use and how many are available.
YouTuber Jordan Golson posted a video showing the temporary MegapackCharger installation at the Cambridge, Ohio Supercharger station. As you can see in the eight-minute clip below, the battery-powered stalls are capable of delivering more power than the grid-connected, permanently mounted stalls nearby simply because they’re V3 dispensers, whereas the permanent stalls are V2 stalls that can output up to 150 kW.
