How do we get Tesla to do something about deadzones?

[midwestLemur]

Ever since I got my Tesla towards the end of last year people always want to talk to me about it, but its been extremely difficult to convince people in my area that I talk to that electric vehicles are a viable option due to the lack of infrastructure in the area.

Its understandable that Tesla would be dedicating more resources to building up infrastructure in major cities, since that's where the majority of Tesla vehicles are sold and driven, but how do we get them to do something about areas that don't get much traffic, because they've made no infrastructure investments, or even planned infrastructure investments in them?
Tesla is never going to get much traffic showing up on their heat maps even on major routes like Chicago <-> Kansas City if there's no charging available along it.

 

[TiggerTime]

Maybe trying zooming in closer there are plenty superchargers in the area

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Tesla hasn't even completed the 48-state Interstate network yet, so they're not yet going to address the other holes in the network in rural areas, unless that hole has a significant tourist destination.

You can recommend sites on the Tesla website.

Where do you drive that wouldn't allow you to do a round trip, given that there appear to be Superchargers in the major cities around there?

 

[midwestLemur]

Quincy/Hannibal which is roughly at the center of the dead zone is a tourist destination, the western end of I-72, and a major river crossing on the Chicago<->Kansas City expressway.
It seems crazy that it doesn't at least have a planned Super Charger.

Maybe trying zooming in closer there are plenty superchargers in the area

Perhaps you meant to zoom out from 10? Sure there are Super Chargers to around the midwest dead zone, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I challenge you to come up with efficient routes for travel through this area or to find a larger area with a similar population with no super chargers, planned super chargers, or destination chargers.

The thing that really has me on about this is that there is so far there is no plan from Tesla for this area like they have for North Dakota.

 

[ewoodrick]

What's the problem? It doesn't look dead to me Tesla.com/Trips 3 stops, 1:55 in charging for 510 miles looks nice.

 

[midwestLemur]

Chicago–Kansas City Expressway - Wikipedia

Its a specific route, not simply a generic route between the two cities.

Plus it ignores my question, how do you convince people in places like Peoria Illinois, or Burlington Iowa to adopt electric cars, if there's practically no infrastructure, or if you have to explain to people that there may be a charger but its the wrong type of charger (CCS)?

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Quincy/Hannibal which is roughly at the center of the dead zone is a tourist destination, the western end of I-72, and a major river crossing on the Chicago<->Kansas City expressway.
It seems crazy that it doesn't at least have a planned Super Charger.


Perhaps you meant to zoom out from 10? Sure there are Super Chargers to around the midwest dead zone, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I challenge you to come up with efficient routes for travel through this area or to find a larger area with a similar population with no super chargers, planned super chargers, or destination chargers.

The thing that really has me on about this is that there is so far there is no plan from Tesla for this area like they have for North Dakota.

Just to be clear about Tesla's "planned" Superchargers (as indicated at tesla.com/findus), they only show those they intend to build this year. They obviously would ultimately intend to build everywhere.

The plan for North Dakota is simply to complete connect I-94 across North Dakota, and I-29 up to Winnipeg, MB. Since Quincy is at the end of I-72 (unless Missouri ever agrees to provide the funding that would allow I-72 to be extended all the way to I-35 as originally planned), Tesla won't prioritize I-72.

But, if you want Tesla to build something in the Hannibal area, it could only help to identify suitable locations and use the contact form on Tesla's Supercharger page to provide the information.

Also, if you have any influence there, you can encourage a business to engage with the Tesla destination charger program.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Tesla has been working like crazy to strategly place superchargers to permit travel. Some areas still need to rely on destination chargers which are slower, but usually can get the job done.

 

[midwestLemur]

Tesla has been working like crazy to strategly place superchargers to permit travel. Some areas still need to rely on destination chargers which are slower, but usually can get the job done.

But there are no Tesla destination chargers in that area.

Oh I did a little checking of the route Telsa suggested, as usual you may want to take that with a grain of salt. The bridge it wants you to use over the Mississippi is an old 2 lane bridge with no divider and no shoulders. The CHI-KC expressway route may be a little longer, but the attraction is its all 4 lane and uses a modern bridge.
Plus at least if you live in the Quad Cities like I do its a generally much more convenient route than going around western Illinois and using the Springfield SC or taking the northern route via Des Moines.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Chicago–Kansas City Expressway - Wikipedia

Its a specific route, not simply a generic route between the two cities.

Plus it ignores my question, how do you convince people in places like Peoria Illinois, or Burlington Iowa to adopt electric cars, if there's practically no infrastructure, or if you have to explain to people that there may be a charger but its the wrong type of charger (CCS)?

I would explain the concept that you primarily refuel a BEV at home, and ask where they drive and how many vehicles they own. If their driving is within range, not a problem. If they have an alternative vehicle, it's also not a problem: every vehicle doesn't have to do everything. If somebody in Peoria, IL is driving to Bloomington, IL (42 miles) or Springfield (81 miles), it's no problem, and if they're traveling to Chicago, IL then in poor weather they can divert via Peru, IL (70 miles).

If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, at least for now. But, I think that the main thing is to ensure that people understand the paradigm shift of being able to starting every day with a full tank, and that your need for charging infrastructure isn't to refuel where you live, it's to allow you to make the trips that you can't make on a single full battery.

 

[midwestLemur]

The plan for North Dakota is simply to complete connect I-94 across North Dakota, and I-29 up to Winnipeg, MB. Since Quincy is at the end of I-72 (unless Missouri ever agrees to provide the funding that would allow I-72 to be extended all the way to I-35 as originally planned), Tesla won't prioritize I-72.

According to Google Maps the 4 lane is done the whole way, so it doesn't seem like a funding issue. Is it just some sort of technicality that's preventing official interstate status like corners that are slightly too sharp?

But, if you want Tesla to build something in the Hannibal area, it could only help to identify suitable locations and use the contact form on Tesla's Supercharger page to provide the information.

Also, if you have any influence there, you can encourage a business to engage with the Tesla destination charger program.

Unfortunately like I said I live in the Quad Cities where we have a super charger, at least for the traffic going around on the Iowa side. Not that it really matters to me since I charge at home and most of my destinations are to the south. Which is why the poor state of EV infrastructure in the area I screenshotted has really affected me, and so far discouraged anybody else I know from going electric.
If I was driving to Iowa City or Dubuque all the time I wouldn't have any issues. Quad Cities to Peoria on the other hand is still more anxiety inducing than it should be. In good weather when I don't need to drive around town I get back with ~10%. Bad weather has required me to really exploit the few destination and L2 chargers available, abetterrouteplanner always suggests I drive on to Bloomington/Normal for the Super Charger but it adds even more time especially when you consider its one of the oldest locations and is in a parking structure down town.

Isn't the form on Tesla's site if you're a business and you want to host a charging site? Or are you suggesting that I volunteer businesses to get calls from Tesla?

 

[efusco]

I agree that it is frustrating that certain areas in the midwest seem to be getting neglected. I live in Springfield, MO area and it is almost 300 miles to Memphis and over 200 miles to the Little Rock, AR supercharger. So I feel the frustration. That said, 161 miles from Moline to Hannibel on your first map crop really isn't bad. That's a very doable trip. I like to see superchargers more like 120 miles apart where possible, but it's not a big deal.

When people bring up this issue, which honestly, I've found to be pretty rare in the many people I've talked to about buying a Tesla over the years, just ask them where they typically drive, sit down with PlugShare and a map and discuss how simple trip planning works.

 

[OrbiterTI4]

When I lived in STL and traveled to central IA twice a year, lack of coverage on 61/218 prevented taking my 85D. I had started conversation with the Mt Pleasant Chamber of Commerce to see about destination chargers, to encourage them to follow a plan like the Custer SD Chamber of Commerce had done in 2013/2014...I can dig up my emails/contacts if it would be of benefit.

 

[jgillispie]

There is a significant problem in the Midwest in the rural(ish) areas for decent L2 charging. I'd really love to see Tesla put in 2-stall urban chargers in the middle size towns like Burlington/Cedar Rapids/Waterloo/Quincy/Hannibal etc. Shouldn't require nearly as much juice and install work. There are plenty of Superchargers for doing the long distance stuff but there are places that are difficult to plan round trip in winter.

If you are a regular in certain areas, like I am in Decorah, it doesn't hurt to bug some business owners and see if they would consider adding a Chargepoint/Tesla destination or even just an outside 240 plug.

Chicago <-> Kansas City is easy with the Bethany charger in place now. I know as I've done the trip twice round trip.

 

[mociaf9]

But there are no Tesla destination chargers in that area.

With maybe a few veeeery rare exceptions, I don't believe that Tesla proactively scouts locations for destination chargers. Though they may have done so at the very beginning of the program. But now it gets "destinations" from people applying for it. If you want a destination charger in your deadzone or along your pet route, then YOU should find some appropriate businesses to host them and convince the owners that it's worth it to apply: Charging Partners | Tesla. Be sure to include in the "additional comments" section the reasons why you think this route is important and how it appears to be underserved by Tesla's current charging options.

Is there a local/regional Tesla or EV owners club/group and are you active in it? What are you all doing to try and get public charging infrastructure installed in the area? If there isn't such a group already, you should start one and organize them to advocate to area businesses on the issue. Etc.

 

[efusco]

There is a significant problem in the Midwest in the rural(ish) areas for decent L2 charging. I'd really love to see Tesla put in 2-stall urban chargers in the middle size towns like Burlington/Cedar Rapids/Waterloo/Quincy/Hannibal etc. Shouldn't require nearly as much juice and install work. There are plenty of Superchargers for doing the long distance stuff but there are places that are difficult to plan round trip in winter.

If you are a regular in certain areas, like I am in Decorah, it doesn't hurt to bug some business owners and see if they would consider adding a Chargepoint/Tesla destination or even just an outside 240 plug.

Chicago <-> Kansas City is easy with the Bethany charger in place now. I know as I've done the trip twice round trip.

The Urban chargers are Level 3, and I agree that your idea is a good one. The cost for a 72A supercharger pair should be pretty low (relative) and could fill many of the 'holes' where travel from point A to point B is nearly impossible now due to complete lack of infrastructure.

 

[midwestLemur]

If you want a destination charger in your deadzone or along your pet route, then YOU should find some appropriate businesses to host them

Thanks for linking the form, I didn't realize it could be filled out as a Tesla owner. I've now put in every Hy-Vee location near a major interstate or river crossing I can think of in western Illinois, eastern Iowa that is lacking charging. Hy-Vee already have a deal in place with Tesla to host Super Chargers at a number of other locations, so they seem like the obvious choice.

Is there a local/regional Tesla or EV owners club/group

There is a Quad Cities thread here, but I'm not aware of any more formally organized groups in the area. We had our first Cars and Coffee of the year two weeks ago, but I was the only EV in attendance which rather hurt any chances for organizing.

I realize that these areas may seem empty and not very important to some people, but it really isn't great for Tesla when a place like Peoria (just to the east of the dead zone) that has a population of more than 300k people in its urban area and where I seem to always run into other Tesla owners can't get more than a few destination chargers. Or when Tesla doesn't have a single Mississippi river crossing covered or planned between St Louis, and the Quad Cities.

The Urban chargers are Level 3, and I agree that your idea is a good one. The cost for a 72A supercharger pair should be pretty low (relative) and could fill many of the 'holes' where travel from point A to point B is nearly impossible now due to complete lack of infrastructure.

Yeah, that would be a great solution to the problem, even if it was shared between two stalls since 36kw if there are two cars present is still way faster than the typical 6/3kw L2 charger I've found around Illinois/Iowa.

 

[mach5]

I am in St. Louis area and daughter starts college in Iowa City in the fall. I need to charge right around Hannibal, MO in order to drive her there in Model 3 SR+.

 

[GSP]

I am in St. Louis area and daughter starts college in Iowa City in the fall. I need to charge right around Hannibal, MO in order to drive her there in Model 3 SR+.

supercharge.info shows that Tesla has permits for Superchargers in Hannibal and Mt.Pleasant. After they are built, St. Louis to Iowa City will be enabled. The Hannibal SC should also help @midwestLemur

GSP

 

[DCGOO]

I am in St. Louis area and daughter starts college in Iowa City in the fall. I need to charge right around Hannibal, MO in order to drive her there in Model 3 SR+.

A reasonably direct route does not appear to be possible in an SR+ today. If you set it up in ABRP, you will find some alternative routes to get there. But it does not look like a pleasant trip (more than an extra 100 miles)