Tesla Supercharger Network

[Zythryn]

...
Of course early adopters are more willing to adapt their behavior to the car than the general public; they've been wearing coats, heated motorcycle jackets, blankets etc. as well as driving slower in the LEAF et al to avoid using the heat. But what percentage of Tesla owners, who don't skew as green as many of the other EV owners do, is willing to adapt their behavior that much in a car that costs more than twice as much? I suspect the answer is not a very large number, and decreasing as Tesla becomes better known to potential buyers (many of whom still haven't heard of it).

Of the twenty or so Tesla owners I know personally, none do this as a regular matter of course and only one has even come close to your portrayal when making long trips in winter. And even that will end as the supercharger network gets built out.

 

[GRA]

My advice to anyone considering a Tesla purchase has long been to go for the 85 kWh battery, and to not even consider the 60. If you're going to spend that much money on a car, you're going to want to use it as much as possible. If you can only afford the 60, then wait. (No offense to S60 owners is intended.)

Indeed - the primary reason to buy the car instead of some other BEV is its range, so unless you're scratching for every penny to afford a 60 (unlikely given the demographic), why wouldn't you go for an 85? Yes, it's somewhat less efficient than the 60, but if maximum efficiency is your primary concern, why are you even considering a car that weighs around 4,500 lb., give or take?

 

[GRA]

...
Of course early adopters are more willing to adapt their behavior to the car than the general public; they've been wearing coats, heated motorcycle jackets, blankets etc. as well as driving slower in the LEAF et al to avoid using the heat. But what percentage of Tesla owners, who don't skew as green as many of the other EV owners do, is willing to adapt their behavior that much in a car that costs more than twice as much? I suspect the answer is not a very large number, and decreasing as Tesla becomes better known to potential buyers (many of whom still haven't heard of it).

Of the twenty or so Tesla owners I know personally, none do this as a regular matter of course and only one has even come close to your portrayal when making long trips in winter. And even that will end as the supercharger network gets built out.

None do what? Dress up, etc.? Of course they don't, they've got a $70k+ car, and the sort of adaptations that those who own less expensive BEVs are willing to make would be considered ludicrous by Tesla owners (I consider such measures as ludicrous in general, but then I'm not an early adopter). One of the main points of SCs and big batteries is to eliminate any need to make such compromises, and the SCs need to be spaced accordingly, to serve both 85 and especially 60 owners.

 

[GRA]

Ellensburg, WA is now listed and on the map (and so is Detroit Lake),

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/ellensburg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

so 85 owners can now get to Spokane, and 60 owners can get to the Tri-Cities year round, and Spokane with care in warm weather conditions. Another SC, in either Moses Lake or Ritzville is needed to enable 60s to make Spokane year-round. Total is now 48.

 

[GaslessInSeattle]

Ellensburg, WA is now listed and on the map (and so is Detroit Lake),

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/ellensburg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

so 85 owners can now get to Spokane, and 60 owners can get to the Tri-Cities year round, and Spokane with care in warm weather conditions. Another SC, in either Moses Lake or Ritzville is need to enable 60s to make Spokane year-round. Total is now 48.

Just saw that this morning, it's great news! Already starting to plan a trip to Spokane.

 

[GRA]

Ellensburg, WA is now listed and on the map (and so is Detroit Lake),

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/ellensburg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

so 85 owners can now get to Spokane, and 60 owners can get to the Tri-Cities year round, and Spokane with care in warm weather conditions. Another SC, in either Moses Lake or Ritzville is need to enable 60s to make Spokane year-round. Total is now 48.

Just saw that this morning, it's great news! Already starting to plan a trip to Spokane.

Just out of curiosity, do you have some specific reason to drive to Spokane, or are you going just because you now can? I have no idea how often that trip is made by Seattle-ites (or vice-versa), or why. The size of the metro area and its distance justifies making it accessible from Puget Sound, but I don't see any major parks in the area, so what else is out there?

 

[GRA]

Santee, SC opened a couple of days ago, and is listed and on the map:

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/santee" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now they need Lumberton, Savannah and something around Jacksonville. It's going to be St. Augustine apparently, but that's kind of far from Savannah, about 175 miles. That's okay for 85s, but not for 60s.

 

[GRA]

Here's a selection of maps showing U.S. population density:

https://www.google.com/search?q=u.s.+population+density+map&rlz=1CASMAD_enUS569US569&espv=210&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=fRLCUsy0K4K02wXs-IDwBw&ved=0CCsQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=689" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I particularly like this one for its 3-D representation:

http://www.floatingpath.com/2013/03/02/population-density-map/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[apvbguy]

Santee, SC opened a couple of days ago, and is listed and on the map:

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/santee" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now they need Lumberton, Savannah and something around Jacksonville it's going to be St. Augustine apparently, but that's kind of far from Savannah, about 175 miles. That's okay for 85s, but not for 60s.

you cannot make santee SC from the one in rocky mount NC, according to google maps it is 241 miles. and st augustine FLA is too far from Santee SC. they are getting close but I 95 is still not complete from FLA to Boston

 

[GRA]

Murdo, SD is now listed and on the map, completing the South Dakota and eastern Wyoming portions of the 'Supercharger Highway to Nowhere' for Elon,

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/murdo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and making 50 SCs in the US (I assume Tesla's SCs qualify for the $30k tax credit which expires at midnight). Back in May the maps were predicting somewhere between 80 and 90 at this point IIRC, but they aren't doing too shabby.

 

[GaslessInSeattle]

Ellensburg, WA is now listed and on the map (and so is Detroit Lake),

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/ellensburg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

so 85 owners can now get to Spokane, and 60 owners can get to the Tri-Cities year round, and Spokane with care in warm weather conditions. Another SC, in either Moses Lake or Ritzville is need to enable 60s to make Spokane year-round. Total is now 48.

Just saw that this morning, it's great news! Already starting to plan a trip to Spokane.

Just out of curiosity, do you have some specific reason to drive to Spokane, or are you going just because you now can? I have no idea how often that trip is made by Seattle-ites (or vice-versa), or why. The size of the metro area and its distance justifies making it accessible from Puget Sound, but I don't see any major parks in the area, so what else is out there?

I have an Aunt in Spokane and friend in coeur d'alene, ID. the last time I visited her, she scoffed at what a PITA is was for me to deal with charging while I was there. Getting there will now be much easier, but I will still need to hunt down an HAL2 charger, though I also have just about every adapter money can buy and will be able to plug into her obscure dryer outlet, this time.

 

[GRA]

Just out of curiosity, do you have some specific reason to drive to Spokane, or are you going just because you now can? I have no idea how often that trip is made by Seattle-ites (or vice-versa), or why. The size of the metro area and its distance justifies making it accessible from Puget Sound, but I don't see any major parks in the area, so what else is out there?

I have an Aunt in Spokane and friend in Coeur d'Alene, ID. The last time I visited her, she scoffed at what a PITA is was for me to deal with charging while I was there. Getting there will now be much easier, but I will still need to hunt down an HAL2 charger, though I also have just about every adapter money can buy and will be able to plug into her obscure dryer outlet, this time.

Certainly does help you, then! Let us know how it goes.

In other news, while it's not yet listed or on the map, the East Greenwich, RI SC now has a page, so they're up to 51:

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/eastgreenwich" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[GRA]

Neither is yet listed or on the map, but owners report that both Onalaska, WI and St. Augustine, FL are now operational. There's an article at Insideevs.com about the Onalaska one, with a video showing someone charging. Lumberton and Savannah still needed for I-95 (and another SC north of Jax between it and Savannah for the S-60 owners).

Edit: Both are now listed and on the map, 53 now.

 

[apvbguy]

FYI
St Augustine now open

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/staugustine?utm_campaign=na_florida_st_augustine_supercharger_now_open_nc01&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=a8848ad7f87644beae0ae64e760c2845&elqCampaignId=1020" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[palmermd]

Edit: Both are now listed and on the map, 52 now.

Given that it will take about 500 (they might be targeting 1000) of these to blanket the country, they are about 10% of the way to a complete buildout. At the rate they are going now, it wont take them long. Seriously impressive infrastructure buildout.

 

[finman100]

and where r those hydrogen stations again? :lol:

Good on Mr. Musk to get this going. Now, the other magic hat trick is a lower price for the masses. I think he can do it, if anyone.

 

[GRA]

and where r those hydrogen stations again? :lol:

In California, of course. See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14744" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for that discussion.

Gallup, NM is now listed and on the map, so 54.

 

[GRA]

Edit: Both are now listed and on the map, 52 now.

Given that it will take about 500 (they might be targeting 1000) of these to blanket the country, they are about 10% of the way to a complete buildout. At the rate they are going now, it wont take them long. Seriously impressive infrastructure buildout.

If they're going to serve S-60s and Model Es they'll need SCs about every 100 miles, based on a battery at EoL of 70% and the useful rule of thumb that you should space the SCs no more than 2/3rd of the rated range to eliminate worries about cold, HVAC use, reserves etc. For an S-60 with 208 rated miles, that works out to 97 miles, but allowing for higher interstate speed limits and cruising speeds (at least 75, and 80 in a couple of states) they should probably be no more than 90 miles apart. Although the Interstate System has 47,000-odd miles, a lot of those miles are urban loop, radial or spur (i.e. 3-digit) highways, and they can be ignored. OTOH, there are many areas with lots of travel on U.S., state or even county highways that need coverage too, so you're probably right that they need something between 500 and 1,000 SC locations.

 

[finman100]

...and my home state of South Dakota has not 1, not 2, but THREE Tesla stations! wow, and i thought charging stations were plentiful around here (OR). Looks like I-90 is covered until that long trip thru Montana (it is a BIG and long state of 500 plus miles.) And a trip south thru Lusk, WY is also doable. Why? not sure. that is truly in the middle of nowhere. it is pretty close to the middle between Rapid City, SD and Denver. I-25 is also running north south thru that area....hmmm. very interesting.

 

[GRA]

...and my home state of South Dakota has not 1, not 2, but THREE Tesla stations! wow, and i thought charging stations were plentiful around here (OR). Looks like I-90 is covered until that long trip thru Montana (it is a BIG and long state of 500 plus miles.) And a trip south thru Lusk, WY is also doable. Why? not sure. that is truly in the middle of nowhere. it is pretty close to the middle between Rapid City, SD and Denver. I-25 is also running north south thru that area....hmmm. very interesting.

The whole SD-WY (including the upcoming SC in Cheyenne) SC idiocy is because Elon wants to take a nostalgia trip with his sons on that route, which he drove with his brother? a couple of decades back. As an efficient cross-country route it's laughable, as has been discussed at some length in this thread.