Or not at all depending on location. I have NEVER had to wait and I have charged at 58 individual chargers, some on multiple occasions. Not only have I never had to wait, I also have never seen anyone else have to wait either. It really does depend on where you are located.
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Agree. Right now it's not an issue. Especially outside of CA but even if it's only once where you are in a hurry, need a charge and they're all full it will be once too many for some people. Of course those same people might have waited in line at CostCo for gas but they see that differently.
Lex
Member
My guess is that the local Supercharging letters went to owners who visited the same SC a few times a day, pressing the MS into 24/7 service and enjoying the SC's for free fuel. I doubt any Toronto owner got one for visiting the SC every day or so. I did it for my first week of ownership. 120 V wasn't enough for my needs, but 220V is.
I bet if you bring this exact scenario in writing to Tesla Motors, they'd tell you to buy the car and enjoy the Superchargers, because they know that L2 chargers eg. Chargepoint will spout up everywhere in no time, and you'll probably move in a few years anyway.
I suggest L2 chargers provide plenty of power for a condo spot and should be available in every damn underground lot in the GTA. Cables can be run, there are no excuses. And, the property managers will have less toxic gas, fumes, and particulate to worry about down there, see there's already an ROI case brewing here...
I bet if you bring this exact scenario in writing to Tesla Motors, they'd tell you to buy the car and enjoy the Superchargers, because they know that L2 chargers eg. Chargepoint will spout up everywhere in no time, and you'll probably move in a few years anyway.
I suggest L2 chargers provide plenty of power for a condo spot and should be available in every damn underground lot in the GTA. Cables can be run, there are no excuses. And, the property managers will have less toxic gas, fumes, and particulate to worry about down there, see there's already an ROI case brewing here...
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Cottonwood
Roadster#433, Model S#S37
A hybrid could work. See if they are willing to at least put in, or let you use, some simple, 120V outlets (5-15 or 5-20). The 5-15 will give you 75 miles per 24 hour period, 50 miles per 16 hours, 25 miles per 8 hours, etc. Just remember to limit charging to one car per circuit breaker. 120 Volt charging as a basel charging source plus an occasional top up at a Supercharger may be a good combination approach.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
If the only way to have a Tesla is to SpC it weekly, I might have still done it if the SpC was close enough...
10 mins from home, how often are you going to be charging? (i.e. if you drive 50miles to work each day, then I'd say it'll be a PITA. If you drive 5 miles, then it's a different story)
10 mins from home, how often are you going to be charging? (i.e. if you drive 50miles to work each day, then I'd say it'll be a PITA. If you drive 5 miles, then it's a different story)
I am in a similar boat as the OP. I live in a condo, too, and the condo board has not seen fit to install a charger yet. The main issue here is lack of any suitable spaces. We are already short on visitor spaces so the board (quite rightly) does not want to take away a visitor space for use by a charger. (Shared use could be the solution but we did not get to that.) My own parking space is in an open lot far enough from any power supply that bringing power to it would be ridiculously costly (if allowed, and there is no guarantee it would be since power to my space would need to run through spaces owned by several other people). I also got assurances from my Tesla sales people not to worry about it and to use my local Supercharger, only a couple of miles away. I was not too concerned because I do not commute to work and have modest weekly travel needs. BUT -- then the infamous letter came out, just about when I had finally decided to order. I went ahead, but am a bit worried about how it will work out. SC charging may prove impractical, or Tesla may give me a hassle, etc.
Also, I strongly agree that Tesla (and the rest of the EV industry) will encounter this issue even more with Model 3, because the people it is aimed to are more likely to live in multi-unit housing than are the Model S owners. New buildings can be designed to accommodate charging, of course (if the owners or developers feel the need for that), but older buildings like mine are a more difficult proposition.
Also, I strongly agree that Tesla (and the rest of the EV industry) will encounter this issue even more with Model 3, because the people it is aimed to are more likely to live in multi-unit housing than are the Model S owners. New buildings can be designed to accommodate charging, of course (if the owners or developers feel the need for that), but older buildings like mine are a more difficult proposition.
tliving
Member
It also depends on what your time is worth. Charging takes time and you have to sit there or find something to do while charging. At home you just plug in and go watch TV, read TMC etc. At some random SC in the middle of nowhere its not the same as being at home.
Khatsalano
Member
I'd say do it. That Tesla letter was a blunder on a massive scale.
I'm with Cottonwood on the hybrid approach.
I would also strike a deal with your HOA. Do you have 120V plug access, maybe in your assigned parking stall? If not, why don't you pay to have one installed (I own my house and I had to pay an electrician to install my HPWC too!)? That is actually quite effective to gain up 24-40 miles per night. Offer to pay a flat fee of $50 a month to your HOA and show them by math, there is actually no way you can suck up that much electricity per month. Tell them this is way to market the condo as a "green" development and it will associate a value-raising image for the next person who sells there.
Then just top off at the SC when needed.
- K
I'm with Cottonwood on the hybrid approach.
I would also strike a deal with your HOA. Do you have 120V plug access, maybe in your assigned parking stall? If not, why don't you pay to have one installed (I own my house and I had to pay an electrician to install my HPWC too!)? That is actually quite effective to gain up 24-40 miles per night. Offer to pay a flat fee of $50 a month to your HOA and show them by math, there is actually no way you can suck up that much electricity per month. Tell them this is way to market the condo as a "green" development and it will associate a value-raising image for the next person who sells there.
Then just top off at the SC when needed.
- K
mknox
Well-Known Member
I thing the OP's original point is that it is not an option, at any cost, to have charging equipment installed. Even a 120 volt outlet. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I am aware of many condos in the Toronto area that simply will not allow this to be done. There was a very strong push to have by-laws enacted to require condo boards to be cooperative, but I do not believe the initiative was successful. So right now, if a condo board or apartment owner says "no", that is it.
First part is somewhat easy. Second part is very hard in many cases.
In my previous condo's HOA, we had a friend elected to the VP position of the baord. We asked for a favor. He fought tooth and nail, but one old grumpy person on the board who's lived in the condo for 25+ years, said that he doesn't want to see anything new and prefers the archaic policies (my take of his words).
I think some people in Hong Kong were quoted like $15,000 to $20,000 to install a charger in their parking garages. Sometimes you have to consider other options (such as moving).
I would never live in a neighborhood with an HOA myself.
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