Aviemore superchargers down to 4

[Sidplaysgolf]

Moderator note: This thread was moved from the Model S forum, which was its original location.

How is it that the most northern Tesla supercharger in Britain at aviemore Scotland has been reduced from 12 to 4 , how short sighted is this?

 

[ucmndd]

Dunno. Maybe ask here?

The UK and Ireland

 

[NorfolkMustard]

Seems the hotel wanted them removed
UK Supercharger Site News


They were repurposed for a new site in Inverness
UK Supercharger Site News

 

[Mr Miserable]

It also means that Aviemore will no longer be the most northerly supercharger in Britain.

 

[Andy_T_73]

Aye it is, until Inverness comes online.

 

[Avendit]

I have heard that occasionally the 12 could be well used. I've seen 6 on a random week day :-(

But good if Inverness comes on line soon, as most people charging at avimore were probably heading through Inverness to further north anyway.

My calcs at purchase time suggested that on a cold, wet day, with some weight in the car, San SR+ would struggle with Edinburgh or Glasgow to Inverness without a stop, which would mean a to up at Perth or avimore. The rest of fleet can make it in one in any weather, so Inverness as a charger should be good.

 

[cezdoc]

Aye it is, until Inverness comes online.

Inverness is rumoured to be days away, someone on the FB group reckons 4 of the 6 will be live today with the other 2 soon after. A very specific prediction but there's definitely a team working there.

If the remaining 4 bays at Aviemore end up striking a better balance between satisfying (paying) hotel customers who don't want to walk up a hill in the rain/sleet/snow and Tesla drivers spitting feathers because they can't get a charge on a Friday/Saturday evening it's probably for the best. Policed properly I think it can work fine, especially if those heading on to Inverness know they can access a Supercharger there instead.

I personally doubt there have been many occasions when >4 stalls have been in use at Aviemore - and I do know that Tesla and the hotel looked at usage before agreeing to the new 4 bay compromise. There are plenty of CPS rapid chargers up and down the A9, but Inverness itself has hardly any rapid chargers, so it's great to see a Supercharger there at last.

 

[Durzel]

Seems strange to me that they would’ve been sited there in the first place to be honest. Why would you put the bays in close proximity to the hotel, when that’s preferable for actual paying guests, as opposed to somewhere else on site? It’s not like the people turning up to just use the chargers are guaranteed to use the facilities.

When I had my i3 I used to visit a local(ish) hotel which had a nice new Polar rapid charger. I remember getting some looks from the staff walking to and from the different buildings as I was just sat in the car waiting.

 

[dan223]

I do know that Tesla and the hotel looked at usage before agreeing to the new 4 bay compromise.

The problem is the hotel told cars to park in the supercharger spaces, they were often iced, so while Tesla might see the usage as low, it is often because it is iced..

Seems strange to me that they would’ve been sited there in the first place to be honest. Why would you put the bays in close proximity to the hotel, when that’s preferable for actual paying guests, as opposed to somewhere else on site? It’s not like the people turning up to just use the chargers are guaranteed to use the facilities..

As with most charge points, they are often placed near the building as that is where the electric is, and otherwise would involve significant work to dig up a load of the road/car park to run cabling to the back. There is plenty of other spaces for hotel guests, it is just laziness.

 

[westrow3]

Aviemore down to 3 bays yesterday as 1 bay was taken up by an e-tron. First time I've seen a supercharger bay blocked by an EV

 

[Avendit]

The problem is the hotel told cars to park in the supercharger spaces, they were often iced, so while Tesla might see the usage as low, it is often because it is iced..


As with most charge points, they are often placed near the building as that is where the electric is, and otherwise would involve significant work to dig up a load of the road/car park to run cabling to the back. There is plenty of other spaces for hotel guests, it is just laziness.

The siting of that SC us just bazar. The hotel didn't ever try to make anything from it - a signpost to the toilets and a coffee bar would have made it a net positive for everyone. As it is, you arrive through a weird 1 way system to the service entrance of the hotel and are left with a well, what now? Welcoming it isn't...

We used to stop there on the way to Ullapool and further. Would plug in, set to charge to 100% and walk down to the Italian buffet at the south of avimore. Will probably use the Inverness ones from now as we usually pop in to see family there anyway.

 

[Durzel]

I guess the logical answer is that the location was dictated by the existing supply coming to the hotel. Even so, you can see why it would cause friction between guests and "freeloading Tesla drivers", and why the hotel was on the side of the guests.

From what I gather early on there was some kind of campaign by some Tesla drivers to review bomb the hotel because of the apparent laisse faire attitude to the ICE'ing, etc, so you can see why the whole arrangement got poisoned. Talk about cutting your own nose off to spite your face.

 

[Avendit]

I guess the logical answer is that the location was dictated by the existing supply coming to the hotel. Even so, you can see why it would cause friction between guests and "freeloading Tesla drivers", and why the hotel was on the side of the guests.

From what I gather early on there was some kind of campaign by some Tesla drivers to review bomb the hotel because of the apparent laisse faire attitude to the ICE'ing, etc, so you can see why the whole arrangement got poisoned. Talk about cutting your own nose off to spite your face.

It's like the human race has lost the ability to project into the future :-(

Hotel could have made it better, but sounds like divers could have too.

 

[cezdoc]

Aviemore down to 3 bays yesterday as 1 bay was taken up by an e-tron. First time I've seen a supercharger bay blocked by an EV

I would've parked in the bay on the left and used the e-tron as a very expensive, shiny tool to guarantee I won't have to share power if another Tesla turns up! In defence of the e-tron driver, there's nothing on the signage to say Tesla only (although it looks like they aren't plugged in so there's no way they could argue they were "recharging"). And still two bays free should any other Tesla's turn up in the next 30 minutes.

 

[Jason71]

I would've parked in the bay on the left and used the e-tron as a very expensive, shiny tool to guarantee I won't have to share power if another Tesla turns up! In defence of the e-tron driver, there's nothing on the signage to say Tesla only (although it looks like they aren't plugged in so there's no way they could argue they were "recharging"). And still two bays free should any other Tesla's turn up in the next 30 minutes.

I've seen ev owners use the bays at my work just cos they needed a parking space and it was there. Some even plug in their cable to make it look as if they are charging even though they don't even have the necessary RFID card to enable it ( you can tell by the lights on the charger). An Audi driver is still an Audi driver whatever he has under the hood. Its only driving a Tesla that automatically makes you a saint, well that and the automatic overstay fees

 

[Glan gluaisne]

Places like this hotel are missing a trick by not being more welcoming to those using the chargers, I think. Part of the business model for the new "electric forecourts" seems to be that they have realised that, much like filling stations, they can make as much, perhaps more, profit from offering additional services to people who are stopping there. The hotel could easily have made those stopping feel welcome, offering tea, coffee etc in pleasant surroundings, and gain both from the small additional income and the free advertising, as I suspect that word gets around about places to charge that offer decent facilities.

 

[MrBadger]

A local hotel near us has 'free' destination charging, but at nearly £6 a pop for coffee & gratuity (admittedly nice coffee and ambience) it only gets emergency use. But its £6 they got from me that they wouldn't otherwise have got.

 

[dan223]

Places like this hotel are missing a trick by not being more welcoming to those using the chargers, I think. Part of the business model for the new "electric forecourts" seems to be that they have realised that, much like filling stations, they can make as much, perhaps more, profit from offering additional services to people who are stopping there. The hotel could easily have made those stopping feel welcome, offering tea, coffee etc in pleasant surroundings, and gain both from the small additional income and the free advertising, as I suspect that word gets around about places to charge that offer decent facilities.

100% agree, a lot of owners do use the local facilities if there are some. I know in the US a lot of places actually offer you free coffee to Tesla owners, often to entice you in and get you to buy something else while you are there to.

 

[Durzel]

A local hotel near us has 'free' destination charging, but at nearly £6 a pop for coffee & gratuity (admittedly nice coffee and ambience) it only gets emergency use. But its £6 they got from me that they wouldn't otherwise have got.

I made the mistake (?) of popping into the hotel I mentioned previously to have some food while I waited for my i3 to charge. Ended up getting a steak meal which cost circa £35 after drinks, etc. Would've been cheaper to have had an ICE car on that day

 

[m-i-l]

there's nothing on the signage to say Tesla only

There is a discreet printed sign saying "Electrical vehicles only" (see photo), and I guess technically an Audi E-Tron is an "electrical vehicle" (first time I've seen them called "electrical vehicles" though).