Tesla Motors, the company that has done more to advance the cause of electric vehicles than any other single entity planet, has taken yet another revolutionary step by launching an automated charging system that can top off a Model S in fewer than 120 seconds. However, there is a catch to this new charging system, since charging in this context actually means replacing.
To take advantage of this new service, a Model S owner has to pull up to a Tesla Station where automatic battery-swapping machinery will replace the car’s batteries with a fully-charged battery pack. This is quite the feat since it can be done without the driver stepping out of the car and an empty battery pack weighs around 1,000 pounds. Moreover, the price for the swap is remarkable as well, which, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, will set a driver back about the same that buying 15 gallons would.
Tesla is currently building a network of Tesla Stations to crisscross the U.S. and some place called Canada. In addition to doing to battery charging (replacing), these stations are also offering free high-speed charging that can recharge, not replace, batteries in less than an hour.
Kudos to Tesla for continuing to forge ahead, even as they meet strong resistance against direct sales in certain states like New York, North Carolina, and Texas.
