Tesla plans to deploy something called a “CyberCanopy” at a new Supercharger station. Is this a new Tesla product?
Elon Musk has been promising that Tesla will power all Supercharger stations with solar and batteries for a long time, but the rollout has been significantly delayed.
Back in 2016, Musk told me that Tesla was waiting for the new Supercharger V3 and Powerpack V2 to accelerate the deployment of solar and batteries at charging stations:
There are some installed already, but full rollout really needs Supercharger V3 and Powerpack V2, plus SolarCity. Pieces now in place.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)
In 2017, Musk even added that Tesla planned to add solar and batteries to all Supercharger stations and eventually disconnect most of them from the grid.
But the new Supercharger and Powerpack came, yet Tesla has barely deployed any solar or batteries at its charging stations.
As far as we know, Electrify America has deployed more Tesla batteries at its charging stations than Tesla has at its own.
The automaker is now deploying its new Supercharger V4, and there has been hope that solar and batteries would come with this version based on early construction plans for new stations.
Now, new plans for a Supercharger station in Canton, Massachusetts, reveal that Tesla plans to deploy solar with it, but the name of the solar panel system is what is most interesting.
Tesla is talking about a solar “CyberCanopy.”
Marco RP found the plan for the new Tesla Supercharger in Massachusetts:
New England's largest Supercharger is coming soon to Canton, Massachusetts!!
During last week's planning board meeting, Tesla presented plans for a 20-stall site at the Trillium Brewing Company, right off I-93.
In addition, a solar "CyberCanopy" will cover most of the chargers! pic.twitter.com/IVAWQej3or
— MarcoRP (@MarcoRPTesla)
While the plans mention the new CyberCanopy, it’s unclear what it would look like from the documentation alone.
Tesla has had solar canopies at other Supercharger stations in the past, but they looked standard. By comparison, CyberCanopy sounds like a custom-built solution from Tesla.
The sq ft of a parking spot will not support the charging needs of that spot if it is a busy location.
I did the math once, but don’t remember how many cars it could charge a day. It was a pretty small number.
Is this a new Tesla product? We recently reported that Tesla was looking to bring new solar and energy products to market. Therefore, it’s not impossible.
Tesla also loves bringing new products to market with a “cyber” twist to them, like its wireless device charger and Cybervault.
I can imagine Tesla making a pre-assembled solar canopy that can be rapidly deployed – not unlike its pre-fabricated Supercharger station. That would be super cool, but it’s just a guess.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.
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