Arizona Superchargers (location speculation, discussion)

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

You know, it's curious - though still understandable - that many have the "Oh, Goody!" reaction on hearing a SpC is coming to their neighborhood.

To me, though, that's just wrong! What all should desire is to have SpCs located some 150 or so miles away from their nexus in whatever radiating spoke of roadways gets them away from home base.

Like...Kingman, Buckeye, Yuma, Q'site, Flagstaff, Picacho Peak (?)....gotta love it!

(and THEN, have to work on the Alaska SpCs. But that's a different fantasy)​.

Well, yes and no. If you consider (thinking long-term), a Supercharger as a travel hub, being located close to a Supercharger should mean that you're at a hub and thus have a good travel pattern. Ironically you wouldn't use you local one,


But I think you want to be in the middle of a triangle so that you reduce diversions to Supercharge.

 

[napabill]

Figured I would post this since I was in LA last weekend. I checked both suspected sites locations (Jackson exit and Cabazon Outlets) in Indio and did not see any construction etc. Additionally I can't see how these can even been the correct locations. There is nothing at Jackson exit to even entertain anyone unless I want to shop at Home Depot or Target. As for the outlet there isn't enough parking at the location, so even if they did put chargers there it would be ICE'd all the time. I did check both sides of the outlet.

I suspect the the supercharger will not be installed here, perhaps one of the many casinos.......

fyi i I drove my ICE I'm done driving the tesla until there is a supercharger to allow me to drive the speed limit aka flow of traffic :biggrin:

A bit surprised by your take on Jackson Street. On the north side of I-10 Jackson St has everything needed for a good SC spot; large parking lot, Starbucks, and several restaurants. Seems an obvious spot.

 

[Tyl]

Kingman AZ Tesla Supercharger photo update this morning 1-8-2014.

 

[Darmok]

Is there any word/rumor/speculation regarding a SC in Wickenberg? As a transplant in Las Vegas from Tempe, I'm hopeful for something there or way in the NW valley to facilitate the drives home. Kingman to the Valley in a 60 will be a white knuckle drive, but perhaps not so much as the other direction.

 

[AudubonB]

Well, we all know there is a splotch on TMInc's Supercharger map that appears to be over Wickenburg, and right now, is in the "2014" portion of the rollout. But as I have written elsewhere, I haven't been able to obtain any information on permit data from either City of W'burg or its two county authorities, Maricopa and Yavapai.
I do have a number of sites around Wickenburg that have varying degrees of appeal for SpCs:

1. Carl's Jr (primarily because of their tie-up in other AZ locales). Right on Rte. 60 to the south of the downtown area. What appears to be more than adequate parking behind the restaurant. A good amount of open land adjacent; have no idea to whom belongs. But how will this site fare once the Interstate bypass finally is constructed? And it's a little far to stroll to downtown from there. The competing McD has a more crowded parking lot but would be a great place to walk to downtown from.

2. The junction of Vulture Mine Rd and Rte. 93. There is undeveloped commercial lot for sale at this intersection (east side of road). Away from downtown; would have to attract (name your favorites: Starbucks? In-n-Out? Chipotle Grill? Five Guys?) to compete with the DQ and Jack-in-the-Box at the Mobil station across the street. Excellent site for branching to Quartzite/Yuma on Rte 60; Kingman, Las Vegas etc., on Rte 93; and Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff on Rte. 89. Great site both for traffic and for jumping off the interstate when it finally is constructed.

3. The junction of Rtes. 93 and 71, middle-of-nowhere (north of W'burg and west of Congress). Commercial land for sale. A good SpC there would be absolutely 100% dependent on something, anything being put up there at the same time. Also excellent for access to/from the when-will-it-get-built interstate, plus the destinations as in #2. In other words, it's probably cheap, relative to the others.....

 

[Darmok]

Thanks for the thoughts, I suppose with the tie in to Carl's Jr. in other locations (Kingman, Holbrook, for example), that it would make sense for it to be there. I think I-11 is sufficiently a long way off so as not to really be in their minds at the moment, especially since they've been working on widening the road from Surprise to the Nevada line to 4 lanes for about 20 years.

 

[Kenne74]

I don't disagree that there is plenty of room it just seems like it doesn't seem to fit there supercharger model of shopping and different eating establishments when I compare it to the other superchargers I have visited. Anyways I hope they figure it out soon because my wife isn't a huge fan of my sports car ride lol.

 

[Darmok]

Sadly they aren't following that model in Kingman. Picked the wrong Carl's Jr.

 

[napabill]

I don't disagree that there is plenty of room it just seems like it doesn't seem to fit there supercharger model of shopping and different eating establishments when I compare it to the other superchargers I have visited. Anyways I hope they figure it out soon because my wife isn't a huge fan of my sports car ride lol.

Of the 9 SC's I've been to, about half are located in an Outlet Mall setting, and the others all pretty isolated from all but a couple of fast-food places. I have found that, properly planned, you shouldn't be spending more than 45 minutes at a stop, and that doesn't leave much time for any involved activity. I've, in fact, seen criticisms of sites, Folsom for example, where people end up spending more time shopping than is needed for charging. This, in turn, leads to charging spots being tied up unnecessarily, and as the MS population continues it's rapid growth, this will become a major concern.

 

[MarkR]

Tyl: Very nice photo of the Kingman supercharger with the Carl's Jr in the background!
I think that most of us like the idea of having a supercharger location with something to do, but there aren't a lot of sites in-between major cities in Arizona that are apt to have something like a shopping mall. The location in Buckeye appears to be an exception with Flag & Yuma having some promise, but it is unlikely that many will see Holbrook, Gila Bend, or Kingman as entertainment or shopping destinations. Probably we just need to be grateful to the nice people at Carl's Jr. for giving Tesla owners a place to charge in a number of Arizona cities & towns.

 

[ZBB]

Is there any word/rumor/speculation regarding a SC in Wickenberg? As a transplant in Las Vegas from Tempe, I'm hopeful for something there or way in the NW valley to facilitate the drives home. Kingman to the Valley in a 60 will be a white knuckle drive, but perhaps not so much as the other direction.

I think you have that backwards -- Kingman to the Phoenix area should be OK in a 60 as it's net down elevation. It's Phoenix to Kingman that would be dicey...


My house is 184 miles to Kingman. EV Trip Planner shows Kingman to home using 175 rated, but home to Kingman would use 187 rated -- assuming 72 degree temps, driving limit, and no payload.

The Wickenburg Supercharger will come in handy...

 

[Darmok]

Kingman to Tempe would be the white knuckle drive, Tempe to Kingman would be even more so. That's what I was trying to get across. In fact, in a 60 it's not even possible. I'd have to stop in Surprise both ways. Or at a SC in Wickenberg.

 

[Cottonwood]

Kingman to Tempe would be the white knuckle drive, Tempe to Kingman would be even more so. That's what I was trying to get across. In fact, in a 60 it's not even possible. I'd have to stop in Surprise both ways. Or at a SC in Wickenberg.

Or do the dogleg via Quartzsite. The extra time spent driving could be made up by the Supercharger speed....

 

[gene]

Of the 9 SC's I've been to, about half are located in an Outlet Mall setting, and the others all pretty isolated from all but a couple of fast-food places. I have found that, properly planned, you shouldn't be spending more than 45 minutes at a stop, and that doesn't leave much time for any involved activity.

In general I end up only needing to charge 20 or 30 minutes. Back in the earlier days I'd have free time to roam around. Now with the 120kw chargers I feel to need to hurry it up, eat quickly and get back on the road. I'm fine without a lot of choice of eateries and grateful just to have the chargers...who would have even imagined where we are today just two years ago!

 

[AmpedRealtor]

In general I end up only needing to charge 20 or 30 minutes. Back in the earlier days I'd have free time to roam around. Now with the 120kw chargers I feel to need to hurry it up, eat quickly and get back on the road. I'm fine without a lot of choice of eateries and grateful just to have the chargers...who would have even imagined where we are today just two years ago!

The 120 kW superchargers will only be faster than 90 kW superchargers if you have a "B" or later battery pack version. Cars shipped through April of 2013 seem to have a random mix of A and B batteries, the only way to know is by looking at the battery sticker behind the front passenger wheel well or by charging at a 120 kW station and seeing if you are limited to 90 kW. Don't get too excited unless you've confirmed your battery type.

Here is the thread: Older Tesla's limited to 90kW super charging

 

[gene]

The 120 kW superchargers will only be faster than 90 kW superchargers if you have a "B" or later battery pack version. Cars shipped through April of 2013 seem to have a random mix of A and B batteries, the only way to know is by looking at the battery sticker behind the front passenger wheel well or by charging at a 120 kW station and seeing if you are limited to 90 kW. Don't get too excited unless you've confirmed your battery type.

I do have the faster charging battery. It is "B" type, though my car was delivered April 9th.

 

[Tyl]

@MarkR

We certainly do owe The folks at Carl's Jr. a huge thank you for working with Tesla. Superchargers at their locations will provide us with many years of easy travel around Arizona and onward. The Management team at Carl's Jr. is way ahead of the curve when it comes to superchargers. I've traveled more and more on the TSCN and found each time I stop at a supercharger I'm shaving miles and, obviously time from my charges. The emptier my MS arrives the better. Knowing what I need to get to my next supercharger with a tolerable cushion is all I charge. It does take a little planning, but that is the fun of the trip. I have no range anxiety at all when I travel. I just wish I could nibble away at my arrival "range remaining" numbers a little more. When I leave the Bay Area heading to Phoenix I usually start with 50 miles and arrive Gilroy CA with 5 miles remaining. I then charge up to 150{about twenty minutes} to make it to Harris Ranch CA {112 miles away} but, dog gone it!.. I arrive with 10-20 miles remaining!! Ugg! So each time I do this {depending on load, passengers, etc} I try to reduce my supercharge time at Gilroy CA by a few miles!! ..this saves time and makes the journey very comfortable... and so it goes! One SC we're missing along my route is Cabazon CA. I'm beginning to look at Tejon Ranch CA to Barstow CA to Kingman AZ to Flagstaff AZ as an alternate but that adds mileage time I sometimes don't have. Now,... once we have both Buckeye AZ and Cabazon CA! Oh yea!! Let 'er roll! If we look further to the south, once we have Gila Bend AZ, Yuma AZ and El Centro CA, it will surely make going over to San Diego CA a breeze! BTW.. the main street in Yuma AZ {S Main St} has been pretty lively when I've stopped there. It's only a block from the proposed supercharger location in Yuma AZ. I actually think I'll stop and smell the roses a lil more than I used to when traveling, just investigating the TSCN this past year has been a learning and enriching experience.

 

[Darmok]

So now I have to weigh the fact that I haven't eaten at Carl's Jr. since 1986 when I got sick at their location in Barstow against my desire to support businesses that support EVs.

 

[Pricee2]

"

The 120 kW superchargers will only be faster than 90 kW superchargers if you have a "B" or later battery pack version. Cars shipped through April of 2013 seem to have a random mix of A and B batteries, the only way to know is by looking at the battery sticker behind the front passenger wheel well or by charging at a 120 kW station and seeing if you are limited to 90 kW. Don't get too excited unless you've confirmed your battery type."

I also have the "B" battery. I received my "entering production" e-mail March 8th and my P85 was delivered March 21st.

 

[Tyl]

Gila Bend AZ: The permit has been picked up and the construction at the Carl's Jr. in Gila Bend AZ will begin on Monday! I will have pictures shortly after ground is broken. I will post them as soon as they arrive.