Eastern Canada Superchargers

[Peter_M]

Selfishly (planning a trip to the Maritimes), I'd like to see Rivière-du-Loup and east to Halifax done next. My trip aside, I see it as a higher priority than Grimsby because you can already get from Woodstock, Toronto or Port Hope to Buffalo, so Grimsby would really be for additional capacity and for round-trips, not to add the ability to do long-distance travel on that route.

And I hope they keep the growth pace going, filling in locations like Grimsby and more along major corridors - even more along the 401. If they really do start shipping 500,000 Model 3's per year starting in 2018, those superchargers are suddenly going to get very busy...

 

[mknox]

Sudbury or North Bay for SC. I'm the Orangeville destination charger:wink:

I think something around Gravenhurst is shown on the 2016 map, if not mistaken, along with points north. That would be cool.

I think something around the 401 and 402 in London is needed along with something in the Sarnia area.

 

[mnx]

I think something around Gravenhurst is shown on the 2016 map, if not mistaken, along with points north. That would be cool.

I think something around the 401 and 402 in London is needed along with something in the Sarnia area.

I was wishing yesterday that the Woodstock SC was farther west (ie. London) or that the Comber was farther east (ie. Chatham). I had to do a Hamilton -> Chatham roundtrip yesterday with less than 2 hours in Chatham. Thankfully the SunCountry EVSE at the Chatham mall was unoccupied. I still ran without heat and did a bit of drafting on the way there so I had lots of options in case the charger was occupied or unavailable. I managed to keep consumption to 206Wh/km between Woodstock and Chatham pretty good for -11C and headwinds I'd say!

 

[Jaff]

It would be nice if Tesla can keep deploying until we get all of Canada hooked up...especially prior to Canadian deliveries of the Model 3...would be a marketing boon for sure!

Not sure if Tesla can build bridges though... Ontario's Nipigon River bridge fails, severing Trans-Canada Highway - Thunder Bay - CBC News :wink:

Somewhere in Quebec for sure such as Riviere du Loup!
Have you folks forgotten that Eastern Canada also includes Quebec?
There's more to Eastern Canada than Ontario!

 

[mrElbe]

... 206Wh/km between Woodstock and Chatham. pretty good for -11C and headwinds I'd say!

That is outstanding I only managed 243WH/km from Buffalo to Stouffville.

 

[Peter_M]

Yesterday with a 24 km/h tailwind at -10C, I was tracking at 181 Wh/km over 50 km for a while, going 118 km/h. It really shows that the biggest cause of reduced winter range is denser air, not cabin or battery heating.

 

[RiverBrick]

Somewhere in Quebec for sure such as Riviere du Loup!
Have you folks forgotten that Eastern Canada also includes Quebec?
There's more to Eastern Canada than Ontario!

Selfishly (planning a trip to the Maritimes), I'd like to see Rivière-du-Loup and east to Halifax done next. My trip aside, I see it as a higher priority than Grimsby because you can already get from Woodstock, Toronto or Port Hope to Buffalo, so Grimsby would really be for additional capacity and for round-trips, not to add the ability to do long-distance travel on that route.

And I hope they keep the growth pace going, filling in locations like Grimsby and more along major corridors - even more along the 401. If they really do start shipping 500,000 Model 3's per year starting in 2018, those superchargers are suddenly going to get very busy...

I agree with both of you. Rivière-du-Loup is the gateway to the Atlantic provinces as well as to the Quebec regions of Gaspesie and Bas Saint Laurent and should be a priority. I mentioned Grimsby as being favored not because of need, but because of likelihood since it seems to be in an advanced stage of planning and will apparently use the "temporary" Supercharger platforms which may be easier to install in the Winter.

Another aspect to Rivière-du-Loup is that it's close to several ferries to the North shore. Quebec EVs now have free passage (a $47.50 value) on those vessels, but it is hard to take advantage of that benefit with no Superchargers in the area.

Currently, Teslas in Quebec are falling back on CHAdeMO for long-distance travel. The dynamic is totally different than in Ontario.

Quebec -- Only two Supercharger sites with a total of ten stalls, but 34 100+ amp CHAdeMO stations available 24/7
Ontario -- Seven Supercharger sites with a total of 54 stalls, but only one 100+ amp CHAdeMO station that is open to all seven days per week.

Unfortunately, this is causing some animosity is the shorter-range EV community against Tesla. When someone in a LEAF wishes to DCQC but an i3 is charging, they know the wait will be less than 30 minutes. However, when they see a Model S it could be 1.5 hours. Since drivers of other EVs will definitely be considering a Tesla for their next vehicle (whether it be a Model 3, Model S, Model X, or Model ?) this is not a good group for Tesla Motors to be annoying, however slightly and unintentionally. Hopefully, this problem will go away this year with more Superchargers opening in Quebec.

 

[wayner]

I think something around Gravenhurst is shown on the 2016 map, if not mistaken, along with points north. That would be cool.

It is hard to tell exactly from the map but to me it looks more like Huntsville in Muskoka, plus North Bay and Sudbury. IMHO Huntsville makes more sense than Gravenhurst as it is farther from Barrie. The distance from Barrie to Gravenhurst is only 83km. Huntsville is an additional 50 km. And it would be better to facilitate travel to Algonquin Park - you may even be able to make it to Ottawa from there as it is about 350km from Huntsville to Ottawa.

 

[KenN]

Unfortunately, this is causing some animosity is the shorter-range EV community against Tesla.

This just provides fodder for the argument that Tesla's model of placing several charging stalls at each site is the correct way to implement chargers. Plopping a single DCFC in random locations is problematic with or without Teslas in the long run as EV uptake increases.

 

[dasRad]

This just provides fodder for the argument that Tesla's model of placing several charging stalls at each site is the correct way to implement chargers. Plopping a single DCFC in random locations is problematic with or without Teslas in the long run as EV uptake increases.

In addition to only being able to charge one vehicle at a time, these single headed charger locations offer ZERO redundancy. BC Hydro's CHAdeMO units in both Squamish and Kamloops were down for over a month last spring while awaiting repairs to the nozzles. Single headed DCFC units are, at best, a proof of concept exercise. These locations need redundancy.

 

[Phillip L]

In addition to only being able to charge one vehicle at a time, these single headed charger locations offer ZERO redundancy. BC Hydro's CHAdeMO units in both Squamish and Kamloops were down for over a month last spring while awaiting repairs to the nozzles. Single headed DCFC units are, at best, a proof of concept exercise. These locations need redundancy.

If the power supply in these spots is not redundant enough to supply additional chargers as usage would support, it should be. But I know that the one I used in Quebec City was placed in a pretty prime parking spot... So multiple ChaDeMo spots staying non-ICE'd would be a problem.

 

[sitter_k]

Sudbury or North Bay for SC. I'm the Orangeville destination charger:wink:

Oh nice I'll have to stay and give you a good rating on trip advisor.

 

[wayner]

I was wishing yesterday that the Woodstock SC was farther west (ie. London) or that the Comber was farther east (ie. Chatham). I had to do a Hamilton -> Chatham roundtrip yesterday with less than 2 hours in Chatham.

Couldn't you have done it by stopping briefly at Woodstock in both directions? That's what I had to do last winter when doing a Scarborough-London-Scarborough day trip. On the way there I had lunch and the way home a coffee and bathroom break and we were good to go.

 

[mknox]

It is hard to tell exactly from the map but to me it looks more like Huntsville in Muskoka, plus North Bay and Sudbury. IMHO Huntsville makes more sense than Gravenhurst as it is farther from Barrie.

Could be. I like Gravenhurst because it would facilitate travel up either side of the (larger) Muskoka Lakes (Rosseau, Joseph and Muskoka).

- - - Updated - - -

I was wishing yesterday that the Woodstock SC was farther west (ie. London) or that the Comber was farther east (ie. Chatham).

I think Comber is good where it is to facilitate travel to/from the US, but always felt Cambridge and London would have been better than just Woodstock.

 

[mnx]

Couldn't you have done it by stopping briefly at Woodstock in both directions? That's what I had to do last winter when doing a Scarborough-London-Scarborough day trip. On the way there I had lunch and the way home a coffee and bathroom break and we were good to go.

I did hit Woodstock in both directions! The distance is only 150km from Woodstock to Chatham, but evtriplanner said to expect a 224km rated drop, for 5% above speed and -9C.
Driving those 300km in the summer is a piece of cake, but in the winter especially after letting the car cold soak for several hours it wouldn't have made it without extreme measures... (drafting trucks with no heat etc.)

 

[beeeerock]

In addition to only being able to charge one vehicle at a time, these single headed charger locations offer ZERO redundancy. BC Hydro's CHAdeMO units in both Squamish and Kamloops were down for over a month last spring while awaiting repairs to the nozzles. Single headed DCFC units are, at best, a proof of concept exercise. These locations need redundancy.

Even a Level 2 device at the same spot would be a step in the right direction. If you are driving something with limited range, or even a Model S that's pushing the distance envelope, arriving at a dead DCFC site would be a big problem. I'm really not sure what the thinking was in putting these sites together. In one city, I spoke with the director of engineering who was involved with providing the site etc... his inference was that Hydro et al were not interested in allowing anything else to be installed at the same site. Given the price (35 cents / kWh) and lack of redundancy, I don't think they'll see much use. Almost as if they were designed to show 'nobody really wants charge stations'...

Hopefully my take on the program is 100% incorrect, but I'm skeptical at best.

 

[Lex]

Putting a single charger anywhere really does seem totally wrong, now that we've actually been able to rely on electric transportation for a few months / years now (months for me, years for many of you).

Has anyone seen this post in the Canadian group area
Tesla supercharger and service centre coming to OAKVILLE

This place is so massive and ever-filling that I didn't even know about groups until now.

good to know in advance that the group posts aren't private :wink:

 

[Dufferin]

On my trip back from Windsor on Sunday night, charged up at Comber to 300kms range with GPS saying it was more than needed. Pulled into Woodstock with just 4kms of range left. Last 100kms of the drive with heat on and off. Temp was about -10c. Started drive at 120 kms an hour, reduced to 100kms and finished between 85 and 95kms an hour on the 401.

Friend in the car asked what happens if we don't make it. He said Tesla should supply booster cables with one end that is just a plug to go into the Tesla. The other end goes on a running cars battery....wonder if it would work?

 

[Judge Advocate]

The Port Hope SC is a godsend.
I'm now able to drive Toronto to Montreal at regular speeds, 130 kp/h, like a regular car, with stops at Kingston and Cornwall.
Takes much less time then before.
Half hour charging at each SC is great for a quick bite and washroom break.
I can now skip the stupidly located traffic bound Lawrence SC. Good riddance!
Why Tesla put their SC there is ludicrous! Awful spot in rush hour!

 

[Doug_G]

Moving a bunch of posts to Trip planner issues - Ontario