Tesla has already announced that its future models will offer bi-directional charging, which was also reiterated by Senior Vice President of Powertrain and Energy Engineering Drew Baglino at the recent investor day presentation.
Tesla and electric vehicle fans now anticipate which Tesla model will get the feature first and what bi-directional charging type the automaker will offer.
Interestingly, we may find some answers in a Tesla coloring book from the company’s service center.
Cybertruck has enough battery power to charge a Tesla, a service center claims
One of Tesla’s service centers offers a coloring book for customers containing a message that says, “Cybertruck has enough battery power to charge a Tesla.”
The American EV giant will certainly only allow such a claim to be indicated in the coloring book if the information is true.
Therefore, the production model of the Cybertruck will likely have bi-directional charging, particularly the vehicle-to-vehicle charging capability.
It is also worth noting that the Cybertruck’s bed featured a small opening, probably for a socket, as noticed by fans when Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen arrived at the Petersen Automotive Museum in LA for a Cars and Coffee event using the all-electric pickup.
Tesla may integrate a 120V or 240V socket into the Cybertruck’s production model to support charging external appliances or even other EVs. It would not be surprising, given that rival e-trucks like the famous Ford F-150 Lightning already have the innovative charging feature.
For context, the Ford e-truck has the company’s bi-directional charging technology, Pro Power Onboard. It features standard 120V outlets with an optional 240V socket that offers a charging rate of up to 9.6 kilowatts.
In hindsight, Tesla CEO Elon Musk also hinted at the possibility of the Cybertruck powering a household in 2021. A Twitter user asked him if the pickup could provide power to his home, to which CEO Musk replied, “Yes.”
Tesla’s Master Plan Part 3 indicated that the Cybertruck could have a 100-kilowatt-hour battery capacity. However, that rate seems to be insufficient for a heavy all-electric truck. For reference, rivals like the Rivian R1T and F-150 Lightning feature battery packs with at least 130 kWh battery capacities.
As the electric vehicle adoption continues gaining traction, the Musk-led automaker remains committed to offering its portfolio the most advanced and sophisticated technologies. We cannot yet say for sure about the Cybertruck’s charging capabilities, but it would surely be one of the best in the industry.
