Tesla teases electric car that plugs ITSELF into charge: Elon Musk describes 'metal snake' that automatically connects to vehicles
Elon Musk said California-based Tesla is working on automatic chargers
These would plug themselves in autonomously and charge electric cars
He tweeted it would move 'out from the wall and connect like a solid snake'
Mr Musk previously alluded to the technology at a talk in October
He envisions a future where Tesla's cars park and charge themselves
DailyMail.co.uk: In the future, your electric car will drop you off at work, drive home and charge itself using an automated charger, before coming to pick you up later in the day.
That’s the vision of Tesla boss Elon Musk, who tweeted his firm is working on a ‘solid metal snake’ charger that automatically moves out from the wall.
The short reveal on Twitter is just one of several new features Tesla is planning to roll out for its electric cars in the next few years.
Elon Musk said his California-based Tesla is working on automatic chargers. These would autonomously charge Tesla's electric cars. In a tweet (shown) he said it would move 'out from the wall and connect like a solid metal snake'. Musk had previously alluded to the technology at a talk in October
At the moment, Tesla vehicles are charged either by using one of the company’s supercharger station, or plugging the vehicle in when at home.
But, the latest technology would eliminate the need for people to manually connect their car to a charger.
And, as cars become more automated, this could open up new possibilities for self-driving vehicles.
TESLA'S SUPERCHARGER STATIONS
Currently, Tesla has about 100 'Supercharger' stations scattered across North America and Europe that give Model S drivers a free power source when traveling long distances.
The technology is designed to replenish about half of the battery power within 20 minutes.
Tesla recently opened three Supercharger stations in China and plans to set up 200 more around the world, including Japan, soon.
In his tweet Musk wrote: ‘Btw, we are actually working on a charger that moves out from the wall and connects like a solid metal snake. For realz.’
He previously alluded to the technology at the reveal of the Dual Motor version of the Model S back in October.
‘Something I’d like to do...is to have the charge connector plug itself in,’ he said at the time.
‘Like an articulating sort of snake, or something. Just plug itself in.
‘I think we’ll probably do something like that. So then you can just get out of your car and it’ll go park itself in your garage.’
His latest tweet confirms the company's plans to develop the technology.
It’s not clear when it will be rolled out, but in another tweet that has since been deleted, Mr Musk said the technology would be used on current and future versions of the Model S.
At the moment, Tesla vehicles are charged either by using one of the company’s supercharger stations, or plugging the vehicle in when at home (shown). But the latest technology would eliminate the need for people to manually connect their car to a charger
Elon Musk said California-based Tesla is working on automatic chargers
These would plug themselves in autonomously and charge electric cars
He tweeted it would move 'out from the wall and connect like a solid snake'
Mr Musk previously alluded to the technology at a talk in October
He envisions a future where Tesla's cars park and charge themselves
DailyMail.co.uk: In the future, your electric car will drop you off at work, drive home and charge itself using an automated charger, before coming to pick you up later in the day.
That’s the vision of Tesla boss Elon Musk, who tweeted his firm is working on a ‘solid metal snake’ charger that automatically moves out from the wall.
The short reveal on Twitter is just one of several new features Tesla is planning to roll out for its electric cars in the next few years.
Elon Musk said his California-based Tesla is working on automatic chargers. These would autonomously charge Tesla's electric cars. In a tweet (shown) he said it would move 'out from the wall and connect like a solid metal snake'. Musk had previously alluded to the technology at a talk in October
At the moment, Tesla vehicles are charged either by using one of the company’s supercharger station, or plugging the vehicle in when at home.
But, the latest technology would eliminate the need for people to manually connect their car to a charger.
And, as cars become more automated, this could open up new possibilities for self-driving vehicles.
TESLA'S SUPERCHARGER STATIONS
Currently, Tesla has about 100 'Supercharger' stations scattered across North America and Europe that give Model S drivers a free power source when traveling long distances.
The technology is designed to replenish about half of the battery power within 20 minutes.
Tesla recently opened three Supercharger stations in China and plans to set up 200 more around the world, including Japan, soon.
In his tweet Musk wrote: ‘Btw, we are actually working on a charger that moves out from the wall and connects like a solid metal snake. For realz.’
He previously alluded to the technology at the reveal of the Dual Motor version of the Model S back in October.
‘Something I’d like to do...is to have the charge connector plug itself in,’ he said at the time.
‘Like an articulating sort of snake, or something. Just plug itself in.
‘I think we’ll probably do something like that. So then you can just get out of your car and it’ll go park itself in your garage.’
His latest tweet confirms the company's plans to develop the technology.
It’s not clear when it will be rolled out, but in another tweet that has since been deleted, Mr Musk said the technology would be used on current and future versions of the Model S.
At the moment, Tesla vehicles are charged either by using one of the company’s supercharger stations, or plugging the vehicle in when at home (shown). But the latest technology would eliminate the need for people to manually connect their car to a charger
