Anyone wondering about the "Coming Soon" Supercharger Stations in Florida?

[Larry Chanin]

"EDIT": After thinking awhile longer, if Tesla implements its new mega-charging center at a location such as Yeehaw or Live Oak, than perhaps those redundancies are less redundant. Maybe they were to acquire better deals/larger parcels of land; who knows.

I was just looking for somewhat suitable locations in Yeehaw Junction that would be right off of the Turnpike for a few extra Superchargers. I doubt Tesla would implement a charging center with dozens of Supercharger terminals in such a remote area.

Larry

 

[viperboy]

I was just looking for somewhat suitable locations in Yeehaw Junction that would be right off of the Turnpike for a few extra Superchargers. I doubt Tesla would implement a charging center with dozens of Supercharger terminals in such a remote area.

Larry

Unfortunately I agree. I pass Ft Drum pretty regularly going between Miami and Disney on relatively peak times (Friday night / Sunday afternoon) and these chargers are never full. I think the most cars I've seen there would be 4. Obviously model 3 could change that but you're really only getting travelers between Orlando and South Florida.

 

[FloridaJohn]

There's a lot more space for a really large Supercharger complex at Yeehaw Junction than there is at the Ft. Drum service plaza. I don't think it is a "terrible" location; there is some value in having a Supercharger at the intersection of a N-S (turnpike) road and an E-W (Hwy 60) road. When I drive from West Palm Beach to Tampa/Lakeland, I drive the turnpike to 60 route.

However, if I was in charge, I would not expand Supercharging at that location. I would much prefer to have Superchargers at all the turnpike Service Plazas. I think that would lower the load at the few locations that exist right now.

 

[GoCanes]

There's no where at the Design District store to put it. A Midtown/Wynwood parking garage makes more sense. Where in Brickell? Again, some garage - maybe Brickell City Centre - makes sense.

In both Midtown and Brickell, de-iceing is going to be a real issue if they are not placed properly (i.e. where no one else would park).

 

[alseTrick]

In both Midtown and Brickell, de-iceing is going to be a real issue if they are not placed properly (i.e. where no one else would park).

Where is somewhere no one else would park in those locales?

 

[viperboy]

Where is somewhere no one else would park in those locales?

top floor of a parking deck?

or somewhere where towing is strictly enforced. I've seen cars park in Miami Beach and within 10 mins, a tow truck comes by and nabs it. (Tow trucks get $$ when they pick one up.)

 

[alseTrick]

top floor of a parking deck?

or somewhere where towing is strictly enforced. I've seen cars park in Miami Beach and within 10 mins, a tow truck comes by and nabs it. (Tow trucks get $$ when they pick one up.)

If that's where Tesla had to place them to get them in the garages in Midtown and Brickell City Centre/Mary Brickell Village, I'd be fine with that.

I'd also like to see non-Teslas towed from supercharging spots. But that seems like something Tesla has either been unable or unwilling to do.

 

[kort677]

I'd also like to see non-Teslas towed from supercharging spots. But that seems like something Tesla has either been unable or unwilling to do.

tesla will not/cannot tow from supercharging spots because they do not own or control those spots.
in order for cars to be towed it would have to be by the property owner's initiative or the implementation of municipal parking regulations to allow for the ticketing/towing of cars blocking a charger.
from experience I can say that property owners loathe getting involved in issues like this and only a few governmental jurisdictions are up to speed on this problem.

 

[alseTrick]

tesla will not/cannot tow from supercharging spots because they do not own or control those spots.
in order for cars to be towed it would have to be by the property owner's initiative or the implementation of municipal parking regulations to allow for the ticketing/towing of cars blocking a charger.
from experience I can say that property owners loathe getting involved in issues like this and only a few governmental jurisdictions are up to speed on this problem.

Hence the "unable or unwilling" part of my comment.

 

[jbcarioca]

In both Midtown and Brickell, de-iceing is going to be a real issue if they are not placed properly (i.e. where no one else would park).

One possibility might be in a hotel lot (the Brickell Hampton Inn is owned by an EV enthusiast who has a Fisker and already has a destination Charger but the upper floors aren't busy.
I really cannot imagine Brickell or Midtown without some solution like that, there really is not very much space. Aventura will be easier, as would somewhere a bit South or West.
I wonder if Tesla already has specific sites in mind?

 

[ElectricTundra]

I also agree that it makes sense for some of these locations to be expansions of existing locations. The Ft. Myers location is currently at Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero right off of I-75. It would be a great location to expand.

Not necessarily.

GCTC is a quite good location with some good eating options and a Target. OTOH, if you're charging at 3p in the afternoon for 50 minutes and a couple of hours after eating lunch then you might appreciate the choice of GCTC or the Miromar Outlet Mall. If Tesla nav can do a good job of letting you know the load on each then you can choose.

 

[ElectricTundra]

I would much prefer to have Superchargers at all the turnpike Service Plazas. I think that would lower the load at the few locations that exist right now.

Not me. I much prefer some place with better and healthier food options, nicer restrooms and other amenities.

 

[Larry Chanin]

Not necessarily.

GCTC is a quite good location with some good eating options and a Target. OTOH, if you're charging at 3p in the afternoon for 50 minutes and a couple of hours after eating lunch then you might appreciate the choice of GCTC or the Miromar Outlet Mall. If Tesla nav can do a good job of letting you know the load on each then you can choose.

Yes, choices are good and it would even be better if there were Superchargers on every corner too.

The fact remains, as you apparently agree, that Gulf Coast Town Center is a good location with many amenities and space. It would be a wise and economic decision on Tesla's part to plan an expansion there where they have an established agreement and relationship, rather than to start from scratch and build a new Supercharger Station just 4 miles away.

Larry

 

[alseTrick]

Not me. I much prefer some place with better and healthier food options, nicer restrooms and other amenities.

What are some examples of locations that fit your criteria along the Turnpike?

 

[Racerx22b]

I can't believe nobody has commented (sorry if I missed it) about the massive black hole of charging in central FL south and north of Orlando.

Something in Okechobee, Acadia, Labelle, Sebring, Lake Wales, Bartow, Palatka, Starke, etc.... would be really helpful. I regularly drive from Palm Beach to Tampa and having something along HWY 60 would be awesome. Something along Hwy 80 would also be nice.

The Tampa SC is really not convenient to those going along I-4 or coming from the SE. It is not the preferred route. Adding chargers at Yeehaw is stupid with the Fort Drum chargers. You could easily expand the Fort Drum charging by adding chargers where the semi trucks park. Having chargers at every service center along turnpike would make sense. Actually, expanding the chargers at the West Palm Beach store should be taken away (if that is the plan) and add chargers at the Lake Worth service plaza would be awesome.

 

[kort677]

palm beach to brandon according the maps is about 185 miles, easily doable in anything but a 60. we still need infilling not redundancies. something between ft myers and st pete would be nice, sebring is a very lightly travelled area. starke is close by to ocala,lake city and st. augustine while palatka is close to st augustine.
I don't know the other locales well enough to comment.
IMHO the biggest desert is the nw gulf coast there is zero, even l2s are rare, along the gulf coast from clearwater all the way around to PCB.

 

[Racerx22b]

I never said it wasn't doable. It's just not convenient. And your next sentence is exactly the point of my post. We need to fill in the gaps. Central FL (NOT Orlando) is a charging desert. Barely any Level 2 (except for some car dealers) much less a single supercharger.

Sebring might be lightly traveled cause of a lack of charging. Probably would help Tesla sales overall as well. For Tesla to succeed you need to show that it is convenient. Somebody going from Jacksonville/Daytona to Tampa and back that has a Tesla, or wants a Tesla, having to detour south on I-75 (even for a short distance) to charge is not going to be happy. Or even having to go North on the Tpike (even for a short distance and pay a toll) is not going to be happy. I have bypassed the Brandon charger everytime because it's out of the way. Luckily my stays are overnight and the hotel I select in Tampa has a charger so I have that luxury. But if I was doing a same day turnaround I would be forced to go out of my way to charge. I think 2-3 chargers should be placed in Central FL. Something near Lake Wales/Bartow, Okeechobee, and Palatka. People need reassurance that if they need it it's there.

Do we ever really need to have a gas station on all 4 corners of an intersection? No. But when there is (and one is a few cents higher than the other) if it's on the side of the road that is most convenient I will pay the extra to not have to cross over. People like to be hand fed... That is just how it is.

 

[kort677]

I never said it wasn't doable. It's just not convenient. And your next sentence is exactly the point of my post. We need to fill in the gaps. Central FL (NOT Orlando) is a charging desert. Barely any Level 2 (except for some car dealers) much less a single supercharger.

Sebring might be lightly traveled cause of a lack of charging. Probably would help Tesla sales overall as well. For Tesla to succeed you need to show that it is convenient. Somebody going from Jacksonville/Daytona to Tampa and back that has a Tesla, or wants a Tesla, having to detour south on I-75 (even for a short distance) to charge is not going to be happy. Or even having to go North on the Tpike (even for a short distance and pay a toll) is not going to be happy. I have bypassed the Brandon charger everytime because it's out of the way. Luckily my stays are overnight and the hotel I select in Tampa has a charger so I have that luxury. But if I was doing a same day turnaround I would be forced to go out of my way to charge. I think 2-3 chargers should be placed in Central FL. Something near Lake Wales/Bartow, Okeechobee, and Palatka. People need reassurance that if they need it it's there.

I hate to sound argumentative, but I live just south of JAX and can easily make brandon in my S90d, as for brandon being out of the way, get your map out!
If you are including daytona as part of your ride, Pt Orange is less than 10 minutes out of the way.
sebring is less traveled by most people, tesla or not, why waste resources in a lightly traveled place? Palatka is all of 25 miles from the St Aug SpC and not necessary.

 

[Racerx22b]

I don't think you are actually comprehending what I am typing...

Let me summarize...

I personally don't have an issue with diversions to charge. I am an early adopter and I knew what I was getting into.

My position is that from an ICE owner considering a switch to Tesla. I thought I made that clear. To flip an ICE owner, and grow Tesla sales, chargers need to appear to fill most gaps (even if not 100% necessary) to make these people feel warm and fuzzy. Most people don't like to spend a half hour or more strategizing their trip to ensure they don't run out of electric or driving 10 miles out of their way to charge for 30mins. With an ICE, you just plot your destination and go. You never think about gas until you get the idiot light because gas is everywhere. I am not saying superchargers need to ubiquitous but they need to be present enough to make long distance travel something that doesn't require massive planning. I think ICE owners considering Tesla are reasonable enough to realize you will not have chargers on all 4 corners of an intersection but expecting one to be available along (not 10 miles away) major and secondary routes every ~75 miles is something most ICE owners would expect.

 

[kort677]

when I talk to people who are interested in my car the first thing I always explain to them is that it is not like any car that they've ever owned. the charging while not problematic for most people can be an an issue for people who drive a lot of miles a day and venture off the SpC grid. I liken it to thinking like a pilot, you always need to plan and be aware of when you'll need to charge and where you'll be able to charge. I know people who in years of owning the car have never been to a SpC. I always query people about their driving habits so they can be advised if this is the car for them.
there are many places that are very troubling to visit because of a lack of charger availability. this is just the way it is. things will improve, they've improved dramatically from the time I first received my original car. that said we are still far away from being able to drive the tesla carefree like you can drive an ICE.