The Cybertruck is the pinnacle of Tesla engineering, featuring a number of new and innovative features integrated into it. The short list includes steer-by-wire, Powershare (Tesla’s V2L), an 800V architecture for faster charging, and even a 48V electrical system for better efficiency. While Tesla has said most of these features will eventually make their way into other Tesla vehicles, the Cybertruck currently remains the only vehicle with them.
However, there’s one feature that didn’t pan out, much like the Cybertruck’s Range Extender, and that’s wireless EV charging. While the Cybertruck launched with the connector plugs needed for wireless charging, the feature won’t become available on the Cybertruck.
The Cybertruck’s lead engineer, Wes Morrill, has now confirmed that while the tech was prototyped for the Cybertruck, it has ultimately been cancelled due to physics and efficiency challenges.
wireless charging for something as far off the ground as the CT is silly.
Why It Was Canceled
In a series of comments, Wes laid out the clear, engineering-driven reasons for canceling the feature on the Cybertruck. The core problem is the Cybertruck’s high ground clearance, which creates too large a distance between the charging pad on the ground and the lowest point of the vehicle’s body.
Wes went on to mention that Tesla never took wireless charging on the Cybertruck past a prototype due to the air gap reducing efficiency. Inductive charging, the technology behind wireless power transfer, is highly sensitive to distances. The larger the air gap, the more energy is lost, making the charging process slower and less efficient.
He put it more bluntly in a follow-up comment, stating that “wireless charging for something as far off the ground as the CT is silly.” He stated that to compensate for the truck’s height, the wireless base station would need to be at least 6 inches tall, which is an impractical and clumsy solution for a home garage or public charging station.
We’d still love to see Tesla explore this in the future, perhaps with a charging coil that could lift off the ground, just as the Cybertruck drops with its air suspension, but it seems to be dead for now, at the very least.
The Future is Still Wireless (For Cybercab)
While this news is disappointing for many Cybertruck owners, the wireless charging program at Tesla isn’t dead. The technology is still a key part of Tesla’s future, especially for true autonomy, but its focus has been narrowed: it is being developed exclusively for the Cybercab.
This strategy makes sense on a first-principles basis. The Cybercab, a purpose-built, low-slung Robotaxi, is the ideal platform for this technology. It’s consistent, low ride height eliminates the air gap problem without requiring a complex solution like lowering the vehicle and raising the wireless charging pad.
The focus on releasing this technology for Tesla’s commercial purposes with the Cybercab are supported by the fact that recent vehicle refreshes have not included the same wireless plugs the Cybertruck had. This includes the recent refreshes of the updated Model S and Model X, as well as the new Model Y. The newest variants of the Model Y, the Model Y L and the Model Y Performance, are also expected not to include support for wireless charging.
For now, the future of wireless charging at Tesla is focused on the upcoming Robotaxi fleet and the Cybercab, where automated, hands-free charging will play a major role in Tesla’s plans for an autonomous taxi service.
