A surgical system , comprising: a generator ; and a surgical instrument configured to receive power from the generator, wherein the surgical instrument comprises: a housing comprising an electric motor ; a shaft extending from the housing, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal shaft axis; an end effector extending from the shaft and operably responsive to actuations from the electric motor , wherein the end effector is transitionable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the end effector is rotatable relative to the longitudinal shaft axis about an articulation axis that is transverse to the longitudinal shaft axis, and wherein the generator is incapable of supplying a sufficient power directly to the electric motor to cause the electric motor to perform the actuations; and an internal charge accumulator in electric communication with the generator, wherein the internal charge accumulator is configured to supply power to the electric motor, wherein the internal charge accumulator is chargeable by the generator to a threshold value at a charge rate dependent on a charge level of the internal charge accumulator, and wherein the charge rate is independent of a charge expenditure by the surgical instrument. a generator ; and a surgical instrument configured to receive power from the generator, wherein the surgical instrument comprises: a housing comprising an electric motor ; a shaft extending from the housing, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal shaft axis; an end effector extending from the shaft and operably responsive to actuations from the electric motor , wherein the end effector is transitionable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the end effector is rotatable relative to the longitudinal shaft axis about an articulation axis that is transverse to the longitudinal shaft axis, and wherein the generator is incapable of supplying a sufficient power directly to the electric motor to cause the electric motor to perform the actuations; and an internal charge accumulator in electric communication with the generator, wherein the internal charge accumulator is configured to supply power to the electric motor, wherein the internal charge accumulator is chargeable by the generator to a threshold value at a charge rate dependent on a charge level of the internal charge accumulator, and wherein the charge rate is independent of a charge expenditure by the surgical instrument. a housing comprising an electric motor ; a shaft extending from the housing, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal shaft axis; an end effector extending from the shaft and operably responsive to actuations from the electric motor , wherein the end effector is transitionable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the end effector is rotatable relative to the longitudinal shaft axis about an articulation axis that is transverse to the longitudinal shaft axis, and wherein the generator is incapable of supplying a sufficient power directly to the electric motor to cause the electric motor to perform the actuations; and an internal charge accumulator in electric communication with the generator, wherein the internal charge accumulator is configured to supply power to the electric motor, wherein the internal charge accumulator is chargeable by the generator to a threshold value at a charge rate dependent on a charge level of the internal charge accumulator, and wherein the charge rate is independent of a charge expenditure by the surgical instrument. <EOS>