Tesla Announces $300 AirPower-Like Wireless Charging Mat
Tesla says devices can charge anywhere on the mat -- except smartwatches.
Tesla's Wireless Charging Platform recharges up to three devices at 15 watts each.
Though you still can't buy Tesla's Cybertruck, soon you'll be able to buy... a wireless charging mat "inspired by" the EV truck's iconic aggressively angled design. And like Apple's canceled AirPower, it'll charge your device no matter where you place it on the mat.
Tesla revealed a wireless charging mat of its own, which does have an angular look to it, though it lacks the Cybertruck's futuristic silver-chrome hue. The mat charges Qi-supporting devices, which means it should be able to juice up your iPhone and AirPods but not your Apple Watch or other smartwatch.
You'll be able to charge up to three devices at 15 watts each on Tesla's mat, which is slower than the 45-watt maximum charging speed of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus and Ultra (or even more in other Android phones), but is still decent compared with the 5 watt and 10 watt wireless chargers out there. But the mat looks so small that it might be hard to cram three phones on it.
The value of Tesla's mat, however, is in charging your device wherever it's placed, thanks to a charging tech that uses 30 Qi coils and is called FreePower. That's the new name for Aira, a technology that had previously been used in charging mats released by Nomad, which had tried to succeed where Apple's AirPower failed with multi-device wireless charging mats. While it did charge devices regardless of orientation, according to a MacRumors review the Nomad Base Station Pro had quirks and reduced charging for newer iPhones.
If you're interested in Tesla's mat, called the Wireless Charging Platform, you can preorder it for $300, and it'll start shipping in February 2023.
Read more: RIP, AirPower: A brief history of Apple's doomed charging pad