Tesla Supercharger Network

[apvbguy]

And if you think this specific 200 mile stretch is the new normal you are mistaken, its an unusual case that the average Tesla owner won't be dealing with on a daily basis.

unless you are one of those average tesla owners who live in this part of the world or one of the thousands of snowbirds who travel south in the fall and north in the winter, and if they happen to own or are considering owning a TESLA this major gap along the way will give many doubts about the viability of an EV.

Honestly I think focusing on these sort of corner cases is disingenuous. Besides aren't you in California where there are chargers every 3rd street corner?

Maybe he is in CA, and maybe he is a rare bird who isn't impeded by myopia.

 

[apvbguy]

Am I? If I'd just spent $70k on a car, you're damned right I would be (not that I ever would; it's a CAR, fa' chrissakes). And I expect that the majority of people who can afford to spend that kind of money on a car place a high value on their time, and expect it to get them from place to place at their desired speed, on their desired route, and with a minimum of discomfort and inconvenience. As to my general flexibility, I've slept in everything from snowcaves to public bathrooms to high-class hotel rooms, and traveled by foot, ski, bike, horse, kayak, car, train, and plane, so I suspect my flexibility as to the amount of discomfort or inconvenience I will willingly put up with is a lot greater than the typical Tesla buyer

well played

 

[GRA]

Mitchell, SD now listed and on the map. This makes 42 (I think I missed one when it opened - Worthington, MN?).

 

[GeekEV]

Vacaville, CA opens tomorrow.

 

[GaslessInSeattle]

geez, it's snowing superchargers all over!

 

[GRA]

geez, it's snowing superchargers all over!

Vacaville, CA; Lusk, WY; Highland Park, IL now listed and on the map, making 45 total. Course, back at the end of summer the 'Fall' map showed an additional 50 or 60 (forget which) to be added to the existing ones by the end of fall, so with only 45 total they're still well behind this last day of fall. Although my suspicion that Musk's claim his vacation trip was pushed back from XMAS to spring break due to school schedules was just a convenient excuse for a delay in installations has now proven correct, they are making considerable progress.

 

[GaslessInSeattle]

geez, it's snowing superchargers all over!

Vacaville, CA; Lusk, WY; Highland Park, IL now listed and on the map, making 45 total. Course, back at the end of summer the 'Fall' map showed an additional 50 or 60 (forget which) to be added to the existing ones by the end of fall, so with only 45 total they're still well behind this last day of fall. Although my suspicion that Musk's claim his vacation trip was pushed back from XMAS to spring break due to school schedules was just a convenient excuse for a delay in installations has now proven correct, they are making considerable progress.

It feels like there is a huge push and there are a bunch of stations about to open. compared to the roll out of CHAdeMO around here, which I think you could say is actually shrinking due to how many are now non-functional, I'm very impressed! If Nissan or any other big car company were doing this, it would likely be much bigger news. Tesla is pulling off what no one else has even envisioned.

 

[GRA]

It feels like there is a huge push and there are a bunch of stations about to open. compared to the roll out of CHAdeMO around here, which I think you could say is actually shrinking due to how many are now non-functional, I'm very impressed! If Nissan or any other big car company were doing this, it would likely be much bigger news. Tesla is pulling off what no one else has even envisioned.

No argument about that, just saying that it's important to remember that Tesla's performance, while far better than all the other companies with BEVs, often falls well short of their hype.

On another note, since there was some discussion earlier about how much discomfort and inconvenience the average Tesla S owner was willing to put up with, I would like to mention David Noland. I'd previously referenced his GCR article about his recent 1,200 mile round trip in his S60, and the problems he had. Yesterday, he described his solution in another GCR article. For those who missed it, in the intro he wrote

"A recent 1,200-mile East Coast road trip in my 2013 Tesla Model S electric car proved to be something of a turning point in my view of the car.

"Fitted with the smaller 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack, my car's EPA range of 208 miles was not quite enough to make it between Superchargers--Tesla's proprietary ultra-fast DC charging stations--at normal Interstate speeds in cold weather.

"So I faced a Hobson's choice.

"I could extend the car's range by driving 60 mph in the slow lane, with the heat off, or loiter in the customer lounges of Nissan dealers along the way, while my car picked up the extra few miles it needed courtesy of their slower Level 2 charging stations.

"Neither alternative turned out to be much fun. And it was my first experience of buyer's remorse.

"Not for buying a Model S--not at all--but for not ponying up the extra $8,000 to specify the larger 85-kWh version of the Model S, withan EPA range of 265 miles, which could have covered the distances between Superchargers with ease.

"As I wrote at the time: "Damn. Coulda, woulda, shoulda got the 85."

Note that Noland could have done the trip in the Chevy Volt he also owns, with no trouble at all. But as he said in the original article, he chose not to, because "I'd get to arrive at my friend's house in the Model S rather than the more pedestrian Volt."

If you've just dropped that kind of money on a car, you want to use it and be seen in it, right? Did he decide to just take the Volt next time? Like hell, he did. Instead, he talked Tesla into swapping out his 60kWh battery pack for an 85kWh one, for an installed price of $18,386, which was apparently less inconvenience and discomfort than driving the Volt :lol:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1089183_life-with-tesla-model-s-battery-upgrade-from-60-kwh-to-85-kwh" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I suspect he's closer to the norm among Tesla owners than I would be. OBTW, I see similar opinions on the irrationality of the SC location rollout being expressed on the TMC forum:

http://www.teslamotors.com/forum/forums/supercharger-location-choices" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[abasile]

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.)

 

[dhanson865]

quick http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/8590-Tesla-Supercharger-network/page278" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; has posts from Tesla owners that are choosing to drive at or below the speed limit. Someone needs to get over there right away and explain how myopic they are being!

 

[ebill3]

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.)

Couldn't agree more.

And, I'll add, prospective buyers should consider the dual chargers. High Amp L2 (CS-90) EVSEs are starting to spring up, especially in my neck of the woods, and most, if not all, Tesla stores have the High Power Wall Connector (HPWC) available for visitors use. It is unfortunate that Tesla decided to bundle the dual chargers with the HPWC, as it is my contention that few need that level of home charging. Tesla has indicated they will work with those that can not install the HPWC. The bundling is not in effect for Canadian cars where there are many CS-90 EVSEs, and few Superchargers planned.

 

[smkettner]

I would be more interested in a high efficiency S85 over the high performance upgrades.
Different gearing, tires, motor, lower top speed etc. would be fine by me to get a real epa 300+ miles.

I am curious how the 85kWh battery would do swapped into the lower performance S60 drivetrain.

 

[DaveEV]

I would be more interested in a high efficiency S85 over the high performance upgrades.
Different gearing, tires, motor, lower top speed etc. would be fine by me to get a real epa 300+ miles.

I am curious how the 85kWh battery would do swapped into the lower performance S60 drivetrain.

The S60 drivetrain is identical to the S85 drivetrain. Only the P85 has some tweaks to allow for higher power draw.

Aside from aero wheels, there's not a whole lot more you can do with the S85 to make it more efficient.

 

[smkettner]

The thought was based on lighter S60 (less battery) has a slower 0-60 time and top speed. Maybe just programming.

 

[DaveEV]

The thought was based on lighter S60 (less battery) has a slower 0-60 time and top speed. Maybe just programming.

It's just programming as evidenced by the customer who recently swapped out his 60 kWh pack for an 85 kWh pack.

The 60 kWh seems to be slightly more efficient than the 85 kWh MS, most assume because it's a bit lighter (don't know exactly how much lighter).

 

[Zythryn]

...
The 60 kWh seems to be slightly more efficient than the 85 kWh MS, most assume because it's a bit lighter (don't know exactly how much lighter).

On average, the 60 is more efficient due to the all season 19" tires vs the 21" performance or to a lesser extent 21" all seasons.

The software does not allow as much peak power which may play a role depending upon the driver.
The weight difference is small. Some suspect Tesla uses ballast to bring the weight close, but there is some weight difference, just not a lot.

 

[ebill3]

The weight difference is small. Some suspect Tesla uses ballast to bring the weight close, but there is some weight difference, just not a lot.

There was a report, veracity unknown, that Tesla did indeed ballast the 60 kWh cars to weigh the same, or nearly the same, as the 85. That allowed one required crash test to cover both.

But, wow, we really have strayed OT.

 

[GRA]

quick http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/8590-Tesla-Supercharger-network/page278" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; has posts from Tesla owners that are choosing to drive at or below the speed limit. Someone needs to get over there right away and explain how myopic they are being!

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).

 

[GRA]

The weight difference is small. Some suspect Tesla uses ballast to bring the weight close, but there is some weight difference, just not a lot.

There was a report, veracity unknown, that Tesla did indeed ballast the 60 kWh cars to weigh the same, or nearly the same, as the 85. That allowed one required crash test to cover both.

But, wow, we really have strayed OT.

Weight of the base 85 was given by Tesla at 4,647 lb; the base 60 was 4,464 lb., so a difference of just 183 lb.

 

[GRA]

SC at JFK now listed and on the map:

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

Total now 46.

Edit: Also Detroit Lake, OR is operational. It isn't yet on the map or listed, but its home page is active, so the total is now 47:

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