They're completely unrelated programs. While Tesla does provide HPWCs to hotel and restaurant owners for free, it's the responsibility of the hotel or restaurant owner to deploy them. Whereas the Superchargers are deployed, owned, and operated by Tesla.
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Destination chargers are mostly worthless
- Thread starter azred
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They're completely unrelated programs. While Tesla does provide HPWCs to hotel and restaurant owners for free, it's the responsibility of the hotel or restaurant owner to deploy them. Whereas the Superchargers are deployed, owned, and operated by Tesla.
I often stay at hotels with destination chargers vs a nearby option when I am on a road trip. it is a most valuable amenity.
depending where I am this might mean a large chain hotel or a B&B which can be problematic bc if I have the car with me it typically means I have my dogs with me and the B&Bs are often not super pet friendly -- or they have a single room that accommodates pets and it is already taken.
somehow Tesla has filled in a lot of the destination charger only places that I like to visit from last year with nearby SuperChargers, so it is nice to have that as a backup. but in general it is so much easier to wake up with a full battery from a destination charger than it is to schlep to a SC even if said SC is only 10-15 min away.
depending where I am this might mean a large chain hotel or a B&B which can be problematic bc if I have the car with me it typically means I have my dogs with me and the B&Bs are often not super pet friendly -- or they have a single room that accommodates pets and it is already taken.
somehow Tesla has filled in a lot of the destination charger only places that I like to visit from last year with nearby SuperChargers, so it is nice to have that as a backup. but in general it is so much easier to wake up with a full battery from a destination charger than it is to schlep to a SC even if said SC is only 10-15 min away.
DiamondHands
Member
OP- thanks for bringing this topic up. As a relatively new Tesla owner about to head out on a first family roadtrip, I've booked stays at 3 hotels with destination chargers.
To all you seasoned Tesla roadtrippers- what's your general etiquette when staying overnight at a hotel with a destination charger, in terms of calling ahead and asking for the charger to be reserved, one there and plugged in leaving some way you can be contacted by another Tesla owner who'd like to charge when you're done, unplugging in the middle of the night once you've reached your 90-100%, etc?
To all you seasoned Tesla roadtrippers- what's your general etiquette when staying overnight at a hotel with a destination charger, in terms of calling ahead and asking for the charger to be reserved, one there and plugged in leaving some way you can be contacted by another Tesla owner who'd like to charge when you're done, unplugging in the middle of the night once you've reached your 90-100%, etc?
OK, now that I have your attention, I seriously do questions their value. My limited experience with destination chargers is that they are too slow and too restricted to be part of my trip planning. I would drive my ICE rather than counting on destination charging and when we get rid of our last ICE this Fall, I would rent an ICE rather than counting on destination charging for my Model 3 and Model S.
I am sure this thread will generate negative reactions and hopefully not just a bunch of lazy, worthless thumbs down. If you believe I am wrong, tell me what I don't understand. I am interested in hearing how great destination charging is.
The key word in Destination Chargers is "destination". The expectation is that if you are using a destination charger, you're probably going to be there a while because it's a destination. A lot of them are at hotels where you'll be staying the night anyway. The superchargers are intended for fast charging for road trips. Those are the places where you want to stop, charge, and get back on the road as soon as possible.
NikeWings
Active Member
Ritz Carltons, Hyatt, Marriott's etc are usually managed by the valet, who typically move your car (and others to allow for max usage), if busy. If not busy, they allow self park in the evening. Boutique places are hit or miss, and I typically call in advance. Some allow for a reservation and others do not. There are a couple of threads on charging etiquette (quite a debate) for smaller chains that have a first come first serve policy. Some folks move their cars when complete, some leave their phone number on the car during overnight stays, and some have stated they don't want to be woken up in the middle of the night to move and do nothing. I leave my cell number and have yet to be woken up but generally arrive late and leave early.
I rarely use DCs at restaurants, grocery stores and other venues, unless in rare need of a stop gap. For ex, my office building has 10 of them and struggles to manage a solution. The smaller battery owners are complaining the Teslas are "hogging" all the charging time. The Tesla owners are complaining the small batteries are sitting all day despite topping out. This is why charging at home every night and leaving behind the nonsense is a winning plan.
Edit - I just searched threads to link one for you but there are quite a few. Just search 'charging etiquette' in title and you'll find many to choose from.....
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When traveling, I want to start the day with a 100% charge.
It is well worth it to select hotels based on availability of 240 V EV charging, even if you would have picked a different hotel based on other criteria. I have enjoyed all of the hotels and B&Bs with Tesla destination charging that I have stayed at so far. Many are unique, historic. or interesting; enriching my life more than my default choice would of.
We need more destination chargers. In Frankenmuth, MI none of the hotels have any kind of 240 Volt charging. During my recent stay, I was able to charge for 19 hours at 16 Amps and 108 V (only 1.7 kW). I only needed about 200 mile range for the next day's travel, but I did not get it before it was time to leave. Instead, I had to stop for (only) 5 minutes to supercharge, after driving only 20 minutes (not long enough to need a break). Even though the supercharger was right on my route, I would have much preferred to start the day with a 90% charge, eliminating this unnecessary stop.
GSP
(Yes, I have been completely spoiled by Tesla).
It is well worth it to select hotels based on availability of 240 V EV charging, even if you would have picked a different hotel based on other criteria. I have enjoyed all of the hotels and B&Bs with Tesla destination charging that I have stayed at so far. Many are unique, historic. or interesting; enriching my life more than my default choice would of.
We need more destination chargers. In Frankenmuth, MI none of the hotels have any kind of 240 Volt charging. During my recent stay, I was able to charge for 19 hours at 16 Amps and 108 V (only 1.7 kW). I only needed about 200 mile range for the next day's travel, but I did not get it before it was time to leave. Instead, I had to stop for (only) 5 minutes to supercharge, after driving only 20 minutes (not long enough to need a break). Even though the supercharger was right on my route, I would have much preferred to start the day with a 90% charge, eliminating this unnecessary stop.
GSP
(Yes, I have been completely spoiled by Tesla).
Come on, Mark, I am questioning the value of destination charging not electric transportation vs ICE. I'm all in on Teslas, just not all in on the value of destination charging. Fortunately, 99% of my charging is at home and most of that other 1% can be Supercharging...unless I go to a Tesla dead zone like Tucson that has no Supercharging and a handful of destination chargerrs. Would it help if I wrote "I love Supercharging" 100 times?
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From time to time, quippy moderation yields to impeccable logic. This is one.
As several others note:
Destination Chargers- FWIW, Tesla connectors, supplied free by Tesla, are level 2, typically 40a, often 80a. These work well for 3-4 hour full charge if 80a, 8-9 hour full charge if 40a. The 80a ones work well over a long lunch or leisurely shopping spot. The slower ones work perfectly well overnight. Both cases assume one needs a 100% charge from a low SOC.
Level two chargers- anything other than the Destination Chargers with similar 220/240 v, often with less amperage. Almost any, even 30a, can work well if charging overnight.
DC Fast (for us, CHAdeMO). These can meet the 100% in 2-2 1/2 hours usually although they vary quite a lot. I typically have used them when I was on a trip and needed to keep going but had no Supercharger nearby. Frankly, this ned is rapidly disappearing in NA, Europe, and even Japan.
Level one: the typical household outlet can charge a 2-4 mph, so an overnight 12 hour charge can yield 25-50 miles or so. Staying at a hotel generally uses about 12 hours or so, and an extra ~50 miles eliminates much range anxiety. I have done that many times and usually have been surprised about how easily it can be done and how much it helps.
So, I think most of the worry about Destination Charger inadequacy comes from ICE drivers who have not done long-distance EV (i.e. Tesla) driving. The overnight and lunch stops work quite consistently to eliminate daytime stopping. It's hard to adapt without the experiences because most of us have spent almost all our lives thinking we must stop at a refueling station and wait among the fumes for the pumps to refill. That does not happen with EV's because EV's can charge anywhere there is electricity. I was surprised how automatic and even pleasant the planning becomes, even more surprised how helpful nearly everyone everywhere tend to be.
it could be all that will change once lots of long-range EV's appear, but by that time hotel, restaurant, shopping center and city charging options will become ubiquitous. The downside is that we'll begin to pay for our charging more often, and the novelty excitement will gradually diminish. Strange that fossil-fueling stations came to be regarded as the only way to fuel a road vehicle.
what was their reasoning for not plugging you in?
what I usually do in valet situations is accompany the valet to the charger and I plug the car in. for me this is crucial because I usually arrive with a very low SOC and I have to be certain that the charging is successful.
calling ahead to alert the hotel that you intend to use their charger is a good idea, however most places will just tell you it is first come first served some properties are more diligent than others in this regard.
as for allowing others to use the charger if it is a valet lot they will manage the charging if not you could leave a note on your car with contact info.
in addition to tesla destination chargers at hotels you can sometimes find chargers near to where you are staying by using www.plugshare.com and charging there overnight. I was just in chicago and the hotel I stayed in did not have a charger but a block away was a public garage where I overnighted the car and charged, I paid the parking fee and the chargepoint unit was free to use.
these days in many places L2 units are easy to locate.
these days in many places L2 units are easy to locate.
This is now my regular way of staying in a city. Parking garages are often a fraction of the price of hotel valet, and I hate valet parking anyway - I find it much less convenient.
Olle
Active Member
In my experience destination charging is wonderful. Just came home from vacay in Florida Keys and Evergaldes. Stayed only at destination charging hotels and had lunch along the way a couple of times at destination charge restaurants (when we wanted to eat, not when the car was necessarily low on battery). Aside from the fact that it is nice to drive the best car on the road (subjective), many Tesla destination charging trips are objectively faster and more convenient than ICE trips because of the absence of separate refueling stops.
Not only is destination charging convenient, it is also a way to vote with your wallet if you want to accelerate the transition sustainable transportation. I stay only at destination charging hotels if there is one where I'm going and I make sure to mention to the hotel why I picked it.
Not only is destination charging convenient, it is also a way to vote with your wallet if you want to accelerate the transition sustainable transportation. I stay only at destination charging hotels if there is one where I'm going and I make sure to mention to the hotel why I picked it.
Olle
Active Member
It is always a good idea to call in advance and reserve a spot. Make sure to check plugshare too if there is no Tesla destination charger where you want to stay. Especially important to call and reserve if you plan on charging at a non Tesla charger since they seem to often be full with other EVs and hybrids.
I always mention the benefits of installing chargers to hotel managers. some embrace the concept others just nod in agreement but ignore the suggestion.
it would be wise for everyone who drives an EV and stays in hotels to mention that the charger is what brought you to that property or if the property does not have one installed the benefits of installing one would be.
what business wouldn't want to make a low cost investment to attract an affluent tesla owner to their business?
Even though we do not currently (har) require EV charging at hotels, we do ask every time we make reservations. And we have the valet handle the charging and always tip. I want my kids to grow up in a world where that question is as necessary as asking the desk: "Do you have rest rooms at your hotel?"
KidDoc
Member
Destination charging is great but the issue is the lack of support, reliability, and infrastructure. I have used it several times in Austin & Galveston. I tried using it while parked at a garage near Hobby airport in Houston but had issues there. That was super annoying because when I made the parking reservation the website & person I called guaranteed I would have a plug but it was a huge hassle to find one and then it only charged for about 12 hours then cut off for some reason.
I'm working on planning a trip to Marksville, Louisiana for a family reunion and getting there from College Station is not an issue but unless I can find and use some destination charging it is going to be a real pain to have to drive back to Alexandria if my charge is getting low. Luckily I think my family out there probably has some RV plugs in their houses I can borrow. The casino has a L2 charger that I can probably bum while I'm gambling or golfing as well so I'm optimistic I can pull it off.
I'm working on planning a trip to Marksville, Louisiana for a family reunion and getting there from College Station is not an issue but unless I can find and use some destination charging it is going to be a real pain to have to drive back to Alexandria if my charge is getting low. Luckily I think my family out there probably has some RV plugs in their houses I can borrow. The casino has a L2 charger that I can probably bum while I'm gambling or golfing as well so I'm optimistic I can pull it off.
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