Harris Ranch is getting first battery swap station

[tdiggity]

Wouldn't be surprised if the stations were Autopilot equipped cars only. It removed any issues with people driving into the pit.

But, I doubt they'd do that. They should've made the place a bit wider while they were doing all construction.

 

[Matias]

I suspect battery swap requires much manual work at the moment.

 

[dpeilow]

I'm surprised they only have 20 spare batteries on site. A busy holiday would flush that out.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

No one has counted 20 spare batteries on site. We see what, two empty battery crates?

 

[Adm]

I'm surprised they only have 20 spare batteries on site. A busy holiday would flush that out.

20 would be enough if they can only swap 1 battery at a time. If they swap back to back in 3 minutes, they have 1 hour to finish charging the first battery in. However, when you realise they start the day with 20 full batteries, that problem maybe even smaller. Assuming they charge to 90% makes it even easier.

If there is a line of 10 cars waiting to swap, it's probably faster to supercharge anyway.

 

[SteveS0353]

20 would be enough if they can only swap 1 battery at a time. If they swap back to back in 3 minutes, they have 1 hour to finish charging the first battery in. However, when you realise they start the day with 20 full batteries, that problem maybe even smaller. Assuming they charge to 90% makes it even easier.

If there is a line of 10 cars waiting to swap, it's probably faster to supercharge anyway.

Without paying an as yet unspecified fee for a permanent swap, I thought the requirement for the nominal fee was to swap back to your original pack on the return trip. If Tesla charge your original pack and swap it into someone else's vehicle, they will loose the ability to support that. If they support both (permanent swaps and return trip swap backs), the logistics quickly becomes complicated and unwieldy without a pretty large inventory of packs. I think there are still great many details remaining in the whole pack swapping process. For me, I like free (supercharge), not fast (swap).

 

[RDoc]

I really don't see how the original idea of leaving your battery there, then getting it back later can possibly be a practical solution.

If battery swapping is going to be at all real I expect they'll go to some kind of battery leasing scheme, or perhaps a database of individual battery degradation values and everyone in the program having a running account of how much battery life they've used in the various batteries they've had. I expect that given all the data they have about how individual cars are used, Tesla can make a very good estimate of how much battery life has been consumed by each driver.

 

[bxr140]

No one has counted 20 spare batteries on site. We see what, two empty battery crates?

The one pic has only one crate.

 

[Panu]

If battery swapping is going to be at all real I expect they'll go to some kind of battery leasing scheme, or perhaps a database of individual battery degradation values and everyone in the program having a running account of how much battery life they've used in the various batteries they've had. I expect that given all the data they have about how individual cars are used, Tesla can make a very good estimate of how much battery life has been consumed by each driver.

Something like that sounds fair. For example you would pay a fixed fee for the swap. In addition you would either pay or receive money depending on the degradation state of the battery you gave them vs what you got from them.

 

[strider]

PVC? I'd expect them to be metal.

Someone up above said they were covered in PVC or some kind of plastic; likely to avoid damage to wheels and tires. I should have said "PVC covered" - typing too fast

 

[rlang59]

No one has counted 20 spare batteries on site. We see what, two empty battery crates?

With it currently being invite only and by scheduled appointment I don't think it is going to be a problem.

 

[apacheguy]

With it currently being invite only and by scheduled appointment I don't think it is going to be a problem.

All the recent work including signage and artwork on the walls suggests it's getting ready for wide release. I think it's fair to expect it to open to all owners within another month or so.

 

[rlang59]

All the recent work including signage and artwork on the walls suggests it's getting ready for wide release. I think it's fair to expect it to open to all owners within another month or so.

Perhaps you are right but I seriously doubt that is the case.

 

[miimura]

I'm sure it will be at least June before the swap station comes out of beta and any owner can make an appointment. Also, probably at least April before we know the final details of the scheme and what a swap will cost.

 

[rrosenbl]

Any updates??

 

[apacheguy]

All the recent work including signage and artwork on the walls suggests it's getting ready for wide release. I think it's fair to expect it to open to all owners within another month or so.

Well, guess I was wrong about "another month." Still holding out hope for the "or so" part.

 

[FredTMC]

Well, guess I was wrong about "another month." Still holding out hope for the "or so" part.

Snooze-fest. Crickets....

 

[TDR32]

I read on the tesla motors forum that tesla is sending email invitations for the beta swapping program.

 

[flankspeed8]

Tesla battery swap at Harris Ranch? Not quite - LA Times

 

[FredTMC]

I read on the tesla motors forum that tesla is sending email invitations for the beta swapping program.

Thx for this news.