I thought Tesla would provide a HPWC, but you have to install it yourself. Are you saying they have declined to offer you a HPWC? Or you're trying to get them to do all the installation as well?
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Destination chargers are mostly worthless
- Thread starter azred
- Start date
I thought Tesla would provide a HPWC, but you have to install it yourself. Are you saying they have declined to offer you a HPWC? Or you're trying to get them to do all the installation as well?
I think people are talking past each other here by using the term "destination charging" in two different ways. Most of us who drive a Tesla use it to refer to Tesla's destination charging program which gives HPWCs to destinations such as hotels or tourist attractions, pays a stipend towards installation, and lists it in the car navigation system and on the web site. This is 40-80A charging at 208 or 240V.
Destination Charging | Tesla
Others seem to be using the term destination charging in a more generic sense as any non-supercharging done at a destination, whether it be a J1772 or even an outlet, and some are using the term to mean J1772s anywhere such as a grocery store.
Destination Charging | Tesla
Others seem to be using the term destination charging in a more generic sense as any non-supercharging done at a destination, whether it be a J1772 or even an outlet, and some are using the term to mean J1772s anywhere such as a grocery store.
I was very pleased that a hotel that I visit every year for a conference installed a destination charger. It saved me gobs of time.
when my son was in Tallahassee Fl going to school I would have to use an L2 in a school garage, I had to be in after 6pm and out by 7am or I would have been towed, in addition it was an almost a 1 mile walk back to the hotel.
after a year of doing that during my visits the hotel I stayed in installed 2 hpwc units and a generic l2 which was great and increased my loyalty to that hotel.
after he graduated tesla installed a SpC at the edge of town which made the trips out there even less of a concern.
the point is that EVs and the recognition of this segment is still in it's infancy and awareness by business owners is still growing.
it is up to us, the tesla owners to advocate for more businesses to see that installing chargers is good for their business.
I was using it to mean Tesla chargers only just as you were. Probably the reason I have been less than impressed is that I do lots of day trips to East Tucson from my home in Phoenix. The Supercharger in Casa Grande is somewhat helpful but if I spend any time in Tucson additional charging is needed. There are a handful of destination chargers but to use them would never fit my activities in Tucson. Even if I stayed overnight the options are limited. For example the Ritz in Marana has them but it is very expensive and geographically isolated. A good place for someone coming to Tucson for a restful stay at an isolated resort but hardly a spot to head for a long lunch and charge. I can see how destination chargers can be a good thing if for example you are heading to an isolated ski resort. But for routine travel, I would hate to think Tesla would view them as Supercharger substitutes.
Speaking of hate, some of the comments in this thread directed at me are rather concerning. I love my Tesla S and am looking forward to adding my 3. Before Tesla I have had a cng Chevy and currently have a Honda hybrid so I can hardly be accused of disliking non-ICE cars. I'm not new to Internet message boards and the attack nature of people hiding behind keyboards. Nevertheless this thread has been pretty discouraging.
Hmm, your original premise was that the utility of a destination charger itself was lacking:
Once it was pointing out that they are intended to allow a full charge over night at a destination, as opposed to a road trip, and they are capable of doing exactly that, you then changed your objection to be the scarcity of them:
So which is it?
azred said:
Once it was pointing out that they are intended to allow a full charge over night at a destination, as opposed to a road trip, and they are capable of doing exactly that, you then changed your objection to be the scarcity of them:
So which is it?
Good thing Tesla realized this problem and created the SuperCharger network. Everyone else seems to have to make do with destination charger speeds.
Staying with my kids in April I was able to use 120V 12A at the first and a nearby Supercharger for the second. Would have been much better if they had "destination" chargers.
I'm looking forward to the Tuscon AZ SC so we can get to Kartchner Caverns without having to slow charge at one of the inconveniently placed HPWC's there. Haven't had the guts to try that trip yet.
Staying with my kids in April I was able to use 120V 12A at the first and a nearby Supercharger for the second. Would have been much better if they had "destination" chargers.
I'm looking forward to the Tuscon AZ SC so we can get to Kartchner Caverns without having to slow charge at one of the inconveniently placed HPWC's there. Haven't had the guts to try that trip yet.
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
Maybe to you, but I love the destination chargers out in the wild. I used them for roadtripping in my Roadster. And now, on a roadtrip with my X, I was able to skip some superchargers because there were hotels along the way that offered destination charging. I charged overnight to about 80%, then when I got up in the morning used the app to restart charging to 100%, so it would be ready to go as I was.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.
Zero complaints from me about the program. Heck, zero complaints from me directed at ANY company that increaes charging options out in the wild (especially when free).
Olle
Active Member
My only complaint about destination charging is when often the previous customer has thrown the cable on the ground. Looks untidy and my hands get all black from picking it up and organizing it. Maybe people feel; since I threw the towels on the hotel bathroom floor this morning I need to trow this too?
KidDoc
Member
I keep a package of wipes for car grease and such in the trunk with my charging cables for this reason. It would be nice if the cables had a retractor that would wind them back up to decrease the grime.
Olle
Active Member
But overall I love the destination charing program. Such a win-win for both destinations and drivers and totally underrated and under advertised among new Tesla drivers as well as hotels and restaurants, golf courses and so on. Met a new Model S owner at the office last week and mentioned destination charging, he looked like a complete question mark.
I'm guessing the bulk of the comments you're referring to are due to the inflammatory title you chose for the topic. If you would have titled it e.g. "Destination chargers useful?" the tone here would have likely been completely different.
cpa
Active Member
AZred, if I understand you correctly, you have personal reasons to drive from Phoenix to Tucson and return in one day. I guess that it is about a 240-mile or so round trip for you--just a tad too far for a 100% charge at home and freeway speeds, plus whatever around-town driving you need to do. So, the Casa Grande Supercharger more or less is a stop-gap measure for you. But you would like to have "destination" charging throughout Tucson so that you could enjoy a lunch while adding enough range to make it home comfortably.
I am not convinced that the intended purpose(s) of Tesla's destination charging program was to provide charging en route for those of us who have a lengthy, one-day round-trip commute that is beyond the range of our batteries. This sort of availability may be coincidental to their stated purpose, but it is not driving Tesla's policies. I would submit that your particular situation is quite rare among us Tesla owners. (I have a similar situation during filing season. I help out a colleague that is 94 miles from home, 20% closer than your drive; I can make the round trip with a 95% charge. And there are zero charging locations in his community.)
I can offer up the suggestion that you contact a location that is proximate to your destination and see if they would be amenable to applying for a Tesla HPWC. Your comments do not indicate that you have taken any initiative in this regard. Why have you not been proactive in this respect? Secondly, I am positive that this time next year your plaint will be moot as there will in all likelihood be a Supercharger along Interstate 10 in the greater Tucson Metropolitan Area.
I am not convinced that the intended purpose(s) of Tesla's destination charging program was to provide charging en route for those of us who have a lengthy, one-day round-trip commute that is beyond the range of our batteries. This sort of availability may be coincidental to their stated purpose, but it is not driving Tesla's policies. I would submit that your particular situation is quite rare among us Tesla owners. (I have a similar situation during filing season. I help out a colleague that is 94 miles from home, 20% closer than your drive; I can make the round trip with a 95% charge. And there are zero charging locations in his community.)
I can offer up the suggestion that you contact a location that is proximate to your destination and see if they would be amenable to applying for a Tesla HPWC. Your comments do not indicate that you have taken any initiative in this regard. Why have you not been proactive in this respect? Secondly, I am positive that this time next year your plaint will be moot as there will in all likelihood be a Supercharger along Interstate 10 in the greater Tucson Metropolitan Area.
You first, pal; you started this thread. You're just going to fire off this potshot about how something sucks, with no details, but then call people "lazy" if they don't support their disagreeing positions with information and data? That's hypocritical to say the least.
I did see you later add some detail that you're trying to use them as a short stop during a day trip. That's definitely going to be a difficult non-intended use of them that won't work very well most of the time.
Well they were never supposed to be that. There are a few places people have had to try to make do with that because some routes haven't gotten Superchargers yet, but that's not the long term goal.
FlyF4
Son of a MX
FlyF4
Son of a MX
[QUOTE="azred, post: 2124536, member: 46771" I only hope growth of destination chargers doesn't happen at the expense of Supercharger expansion.[/QUOTE]
You hope is fulfilled. They are two separate processes done by completely separate entities. Supercharger expansion is not affected by destination charger expansion.
And did you miss the Autoban's point? He never said he limits choice of hotels based on whether or not they have a destination charger. When I travel, I don't look for hotels with a destination charger, but if one of my favorite hotels has one, then it saves me an extra hour on the next morning by not having to run out to a supercharger as I head out. So for me, a destination charger is far from worthless.
You hope is fulfilled. They are two separate processes done by completely separate entities. Supercharger expansion is not affected by destination charger expansion.
And did you miss the Autoban's point? He never said he limits choice of hotels based on whether or not they have a destination charger. When I travel, I don't look for hotels with a destination charger, but if one of my favorite hotels has one, then it saves me an extra hour on the next morning by not having to run out to a supercharger as I head out. So for me, a destination charger is far from worthless.
To be fair, we can only know that if we know how each entity's budget is set by the parent company.
FlyF4
Son of a MX
Similar threads
