AutoblogGreen

Sam - an important correction around charge times - the Tesla can indeed charge from a standard 110 volt outlet but it will take much longer than 7 hours for a full charge. I should get the actual estimate for you but it is something close to 24 hours (maybe more?). The main driver of this is that the battery is so large (53 kWh) and the charge time of any battery is dependent on Volts * Amps (= watts). Thats why we recommend 220/240 volts and high amps, which is available in your household. By the same math, the battery could be charged much quicker than the 3.5 hours we talk about but it would require voltages and amperage much higher than what is available in your household.

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One thing I've always wondered: assuming one had unlimited power available, what is the maximum rate a Tesla can be charged?

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that's a good question - I can pose it to JB, our CTO. We have talked about doing a skunkworks project to charge in 30 minutes, but you would need special connectors and a very large power source. I think what you are asking is what is the theoretical limit of charge rate for a particular chemistry?

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I think the maximum charge rate from for the chemistry is provided by the cell manufacturer... but it could be limited further if the ESS cooling system can't keep up... I'm not sure where that line is drawn. I know my laptop can go from 5% to 80% in an hour, though the battery gets quite warm.

I ask because customers with enough money could find value in buying very high power service. Race tracks and taxi services (for WhiteStar) come to mind.

These places don't necessarily need a 10 minute recharge, but a 30 to 60 minute recharge could fit with their business model.

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Hmm...I assume the Roadster will be charged at the Lake Tahoe Hyatt for its road trip?

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