Bristol East Filton Supercharger Closing 30-Nov-2016

[WannabeOwner]

Tesla's Website has an NB saying "Closing on 30-Nov-2016". I wonder how well that works in practice - does EV Trip Planner and Supercharger Info have any wind of such things? Also no indication on the UK Index Page on Tesla site, only when you get to the charger-specific page. I can see folk getting caught out - at least there are other Superchargers in Bristol, but its not exactly a simple journey to get from East side of the city to the other chargers on the West side.

Bristol - East Filton Supercharger | Tesla UK

 

[Topher]

Any idea why they are closing it?

Thank you kindly.

 

[WannabeOwner]

It is a couple of stalls at a Sainsbury supermarket. The Darts Farm Supercharger at Exeter which closed a while while back was also at a Sainsburys - maybe Sainsbury has decided that Tesla drivers are not a useful demographic? in particular if the deal with Sainsburys requires them having to pay for all / part of the elctricity.

but i'm guessing ... the two stalls are reasonably close to the front door, rather than right-at-the-back of the parking lot but other than that I can't see that they are causing any loss of parking space type issues.

 

[WannabeOwner]

There has been talk on Speak EV about whether the Sainsburys charger at Badger Farm, Winchester was at risk

Exeter Sainsbury's Supercharger Removed

 

[NullException]

To be fair, I don't think Tesla need 3 supercharger sites in Bristol. Since the 8 stall supercharger at Gordano Services opened, it was pretty likely they'd close one or both of the older 2-stall sites. They may leave Cribbs Causeway open, given there's a Tesla store there.

 

[J1mbo]

That's a real shame. Gordano is a complete nightmare to get to from the M4 during rush hour, but it is a mandatory stop for anyone with less than a 90 who is going into Wales from the Reading SC.

 

[NullException]

Hi @J1mbo , is the Sarn supercharger not in a useful location, then?
I've never used it, but it looks okay if you're heading to South Wales at least?

 

[DrBobM]

I guess a lot of the folks travelling into Wales from England won't be going beyond Cardiff and Sarn's 20 miles west of Cardiff. The superchargers at Sarn are very accessible though, they're within the motorway service area and accessible from either west or eastbound.

 

[NullException]

Good point. Cardiff Gate, Magor or Severn View would be more useful to people heading to/from Cardiff from England.

 

[J1mbo]

Hi @J1mbo , is the Sarn supercharger not in a useful location, then?
I've never used it, but it looks okay if you're heading to South Wales at least?

It's actually just a bit too far, especially during the Winter. In fairness, I set off from London, so maybe a stop @ Reading to top off might just be enough.

 

[WannabeOwner]

maybe a stop @ Reading to top off might just be enough.

Not much there to pass the time at the Reading charger and only 4 bays. The Italian Street Food place has good eat-in or takeaway (wraps etc.) if you are needing a meal. Coming East I try to get to South Mimms A1/M25 as it has loads of chargers so little chance of pairing, let alone having to wait! but SatNav always wants to take me to closest (Reading) even though I have plenty enough to reach South Mimms - they could do with improving that to choose "best" charger, rather than "nearest" (as it seems to me that it picks)

 

[TC56]

I have to do the trip fairly often from the SC desert on the south coast. I frequently stop at M4 Junction 18/17 Leigh Delamere for a comfort break. It would seem that would be an ideal place. It does currently have an EcoTricity charger, bust that usually has one of those Japanese plug in hybrid 4x4 occupying it and there is only one DC charger. I thought Tesla and EcoTricity had sorted out their "spat" so hopefully re-locating the SC their wouldn't be too much of a problem.

I do find EcoTricity's attitude baffling. They want to promote green transport and yet they also want to restrict the placement of SC. Guess they are just a business like all the rest at heart.

I am starting to get concerned about the number and placement of SC's. I know a fair number of people that have reservations for Model 3's and they need to travel long distances. I know they will have to pay, but that's not the point. They would have to pay for diesel/petrol anyway, so as long as the price is close to home charging, I don't see a problem.

The problem is charging facilities, no, the problem is with fast charging facilities for people on the move. Stopping for a 30 min charge and getting a substantial range boost is fine. Stopping for an hour and only getting 22-30 miles range increase isn't.

Surly we are now getting to the stage of market maturity where the 22 miles in an hour is fine for destination charging, but the equivalent of an ICE refuelling stop is desperately needed. Action is going to be needed now if the facilities are to be available when the next gen, 200 mile+ EV start hitting the streets.

Just saying....

 

[arg]

It is a couple of stalls at a Sainsbury supermarket. The Darts Farm Supercharger at Exeter which closed a while while back was also at a Sainsburys - maybe Sainsbury has decided that Tesla drivers are not a useful demographic?

Darts Farm is not a Sainsburys and is still open. Sainsburys in Exeter was a separate site and has now closed - prompted by Sainsburys rebuilding work.

These three 2-bay sites at Sainsburys (and the additional 2-bay sites at nearby non-sainsbury locations corresponding to each of the Sainsbury ones) were put in at the height of the Ecotricity wars, where 'Plan A' at motorway sites shared with Ecotricity had gone down the drain and Tesla were under huge pressure to deliver a supercharger, any supercharger, to make good on their promises. It's never been confirmed, but I've always suspected that Sainsburys was 'Plan B' and Darts Farm/NortonPark/Cribbs Causeway was 'Plan C' (or vice-versa) and Tesla just pressed 'go' on both plans, being unsure which if any would actually come off (in the end, they both came to fruition within a few weeks).

At the clubhouse event a couple of weeks ago, Tesla confirmed that the Sainsburys sites were not their preferred option going forward and their long term plan had been to close them once new sites covering those routes had been opened. In the case of Exeter, replacement sites are not ready but their hand had been forced by Sainsburys building work (requiring the supercharger location to be demolished). No mention was made of Bristol/Filton, but I would guess that they consider the combination of Gordano/Sarn/Reading to cover most routes (with the exception as pointed out above of people who want to cross the Severn bridge and turn right).

We can only guess at the exact reasons for phasing out Sainsburys, but strong contenders are difficulty in expanding to more bays and an unfavourable commercial deal. There's no building work at Sainsburys Filton that directly affects the supercharger, but at the other end of the carpark they are losing a couple of parking spaces to accommodate a cabin for a Timpsons concession - which presumably pays good rent. Tesla now need much more than 2 bays at each site to cope with traffic (they say they are targeting 8+ bays for all new sites), and have a stronger negotiating posiitiion with suitable hosts than they had 2 years ago (real data on typical refreshment spend by supercharger users). Quite possibly the original Sainsbury contract was up for renewal and the terms are now unattractive.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I am starting to get concerned about the number and placement of SC'

Musk has said they will double (or something like that) ...

... but no sign of that in the UK as yet. supercharge.info indicates that three have opened this year (Sarn on M4, Elveden on A11 near Thetford en route to Norwich, Bristol M5 Jct 19, by Welcome Break Services). The two at Sainsburys, Exeter and Bristol East Filton have closed(ing) and Dundee (for some time now) and Chorley M6 between Warrington / Preston are under construction.

Darts Farm is not a Sainsburys and is still open

Sorry, cut&paste error on my part.

 

[TC56]

The reason I would like to see a J18 M4 SC is that Reading is a no go for me. I would have to turn back towards London. I could use the Badgers Farm/Norton Park SC's off the M3/A34. All add time to the trip and to get to the Bristol area by about 9:00am I already leave at 5:30-6:00 to miss traffic on the A27/M27.

All of which leads to another complaint/annoyance, The South Coast Corridor. I know there is one in Folkestone (although isn't there some trouble getting to that one?) and there is one in Exeter and if you draw a 175m radius circle from both of those they do overlap in the Portsmouth/Southampton area (ideal place for a SC location). Yes there is the Winchester one, but, in the rush hour this is a significant diversion north and completely wrecks the travel timing for an "along the coast" route. Not all long distance journeys are "road trips" where a delay does not matter as much.

I understand there have been clubhouse events recently where hits about locations of further superchargers are going to be, but the projected south coast charger that from the map looks to be in the Brighton area has had that on the "coming soon" list for 2 years. If it is going to take that long to get an SC location sorted, then if they don't start now, how are they going to cope with Model 3, or even the steady increase in Model S/X?

 

[WannabeOwner]

I know there is one in Folkestone (although isn't there some trouble getting to that one?)

Its on the France-side of the Channel Tunnel checkin - Calais not really on your direct route!

I think the delay is either because its a Budget issue (within Tesla), or its a Planning Authority and/or Landlord Contract issue

 

[ecarfan]

Tesla's Website has an NB saying "Closing on 30-Nov-2016". I wonder how well that works in practice - does EV Trip Planner and Supercharger Info have any wind of such things?

If the recent experience of the Barstow California Supercharger being vandalized and rendered inoperable for a few days is any guide, the Tesla in car navigation will know when a Supercharger is not available (within about a day in the case of Barstow, and surely immediately in cases where Tesla plans to shut down a location) and will not use that Supercharger when displaying a navigation route.

 

[TC56]

I think the delay is either because its a Budget issue (within Tesla), or its a Planning Authority and/or Landlord Contract issue

I do wish they would say if that's the case. They need to learn to "manage expectations". Most (not all) people will forgive a delay if they are told about it and the reasons behind it. Hearing nothing is never a good plan.

 

[arg]

I understand there have been clubhouse events recently where hits about locations of further superchargers are going to be, but the projected south coast charger that from the map looks to be in the Brighton area has had that on the "coming soon" list for 2 years. If it is going to take that long to get an SC location sorted, then if they don't start now, how are they going to cope with Model 3, or even the steady increase in Model S/X?

IMO, they are doing the right thing to cope with the 'model 3 surge' - building 8-bay and 12-bay sites now (when demand is only just overflowing 2/4-bay sites, and bearing in mind that a 8 bay site can serve significantly more than twice the demand of a 4-bay).

However, you are right to say that they have been slow in achieving the promised geographic coverage. The UK build-out does seem to come in surges, suggesting either a budget constraint or perhaps a human resources constraint (if you look at the timeline on supercharge.info, the overall progress seems to come with groups of sites in a given area coming on together).

 

[DrBobM]

bearing in mind that a 8 bay site can serve significantly more than twice the demand of a 4-bay

Sorry for being a bit dim but can you explain that?