Tesla is gearing up to introduce substantial charging improvements for the Cybertruck, addressing issues that surfaced during the all-electric vehicle's arduous cross-country journey. These enhancements aim to fix compatibility problems with Superchargers, a necessity that became evident during the Ocean to Ocean challenge spearheaded by Out of Spec.
Understanding the Problem
The central issue involved the Cybertruck hitting a site's power limit and causing charging cables to overheat, which was particularly problematic at lower states of charge (SoC). This malfunction led to several disruptions as the Cybertruck traversed from the West Coast to the East Coast. Tesla quickly identified the root cause, attributing it to a weak current state when the Cybertruck’s battery was significantly depleted. To mitigate these problems, Tesla planned a comprehensive Over-the-Air (OTA) software update, initially scheduled for release in Q2.
Race Against Time for OTA Update
With less than two weeks remaining in the quarter, the urgency to roll out the update is palpable. Cybertruck Lead Engineer Wes Morrill recently confirmed that the long-awaited update is 'coming soon,' instilling a renewed sense of anticipation among Cybertruck owners. Morrill’s assurance came via a brief but telling tweet, promising that the update would be delivered imminently.
Coming soon via OTAhttps://t.co/mk2QxKsTUh
— Wes (@wmorrill3) June 16, 2024
The Charging Curve Conundrum
The update addresses a specific bug in the Cybertruck’s charging curve, which impairs the vehicle’s ability to 'unlock up to 154 miles recovered in 15 minutes.' This malfunction caused the charging stall to max out at 100 amperes, hampering fast charging capabilities. Drew Baglino, Senior Vice President of Powertrain and Energy Engineering at Tesla, elaborated on this saying,
We IDd a corner case bug that sometimes locks posts into 100A max when charging Cybertrucks from very low SoC. Since @itskyleconner is so good at arriving with 0% remaining…he found this corner case a few times :). Bug fixed, piloting right now, will be fully deployed next week.
— Drew Baglino (@baglino) April 7, 2024
Growing Pains and Future Prospects
The Cybertruck’s early post-launch phase has not been without its hurdles, including these charging issues. Nonetheless, these growing pains were anticipated, and Tesla has been proactive in addressing them through timely updates. With each OTA fix, the Cybertruck edges closer to delivering the seamless driving and charging experience promised to its users.
Stay tuned for more updates and let’s see how Tesla continues to refine its flagship electric pickup. After all, the road to innovation is often bumpy, but each step forward represents a giant leap in the world of electric vehicles.
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