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ICEing/waiting at Superchargers

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cpa

Active Member
May 17, 2014
3,802
5,876
Central Valley
It seems that there are periodic threads about Supercharger stations being ICEd or long waits for access and use. This is frustrating and inconvenient to say the least. Frequently these threads devolve into tangential matters, arguments and outrageous solutions. I have yet to see any sort of compilation and data to validate these concerns as widespread, common, infrequent or just isolated.

There is a chart on this site where people can list the Superchargers that they have visited. I don't know if this is sensible or not, but I think it would be a good idea to have a companion chart to list the Superchargers visited with the following information:

Location; day and date of the week; arrival time with number of spots ICEd and number of spots in use; departure time with number of spots ICEd and number of spots in use; number of spots unavailable due to damage or repair. Yes, this requires some bookkeeping, but could easily be recorded while plugging in and before departing.

Once enough data are compiled, we might be able to understand that certain times of day/week at various Superchargers and more likely to experience these issues. We could call ahead to the hotel/motel that experiences undue ICEing to double-check on availability. We could alter our travel time to arrive earlier or later than peak periods. Maybe this data could be transmitted to Tesla for their consideration and possible rectification.

No one likes unexpected inconveniences when traveling, particularly with family or with time constraints. But life is full of annoying inconveniences from out-of-service ATMs, a person with 38 items in the "express" checkout line at the grocery store to 30-minute delays or a 45MPH speed limit for road construction.

Finally, for those individuals who are contemplating buying a Tesla, actual information about Supercharging might be more persuasive and less divisive!
 
Sad to say, but it might be time to start installing these at Supercharger locations to prevent ICE-ing. Perhaps have a receiver nearby that can lower them by app or access code for drivers wanting to charge:

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It seems that there are periodic threads about Supercharger stations being ICEd or long waits for access and use. This is frustrating and inconvenient to say the least. Frequently these threads devolve into tangential matters, arguments and outrageous solutions. I have yet to see any sort of compilation and data to validate these concerns as widespread, common, infrequent or just isolated.

There is a chart on this site where people can list the Superchargers that they have visited. I don't know if this is sensible or not, but I think it would be a good idea to have a companion chart to list the Superchargers visited with the following information:

Location; day and date of the week; arrival time with number of spots ICEd and number of spots in use; departure time with number of spots ICEd and number of spots in use; number of spots unavailable due to damage or repair. Yes, this requires some bookkeeping, but could easily be recorded while plugging in and before departing.

Once enough data are compiled, we might be able to understand that certain times of day/week at various Superchargers and more likely to experience these issues. We could call ahead to the hotel/motel that experiences undue ICEing to double-check on availability. We could alter our travel time to arrive earlier or later than peak periods. Maybe this data could be transmitted to Tesla for their consideration and possible rectification.

No one likes unexpected inconveniences when traveling, particularly with family or with time constraints. But life is full of annoying inconveniences from out-of-service ATMs, a person with 38 items in the "express" checkout line at the grocery store to 30-minute delays or a 45MPH speed limit for road construction.

Finally, for those individuals who are contemplating buying a Tesla, actual information about Supercharging might be more persuasive and less divisive!

I think these are good ideas, but Tesla needs to be the ones to do all the hard work not their customers. The customers job is to contact Tesla and let them know of problems. With the new dashboard it appears that Tesla will be able to monitor how many Superchargers are being actively used. I imagine this is just how many are currently plugged in, not how many spaces are being occupied. I think the best and easiest solution is just to raise it to Tesla's attention every time it happens. They are a good company and thus far listen to their customers. Sorry to potentially derail your idea.
 
http://fastgateopeners.com/store/se...55-hs-m30-h1-0-painted-steel-faac-116002.html

At $15k per stall plus installation these would cost as much or more as the Superchargers themselves. Not going to happen.

Yeah, that's a pretty stiff pricetag, but I think this problem is going to get way worse before it gets better. Once the Gen-III hits the market, there will be lines going down the block at some SC locations. It will take a massive proliferation of them, and parternship with certain restaurant/hotel chains to keep this from becoming an issue, and even then, it won't prevent ICE-ing, unless there is some way to economically restrict access or enforce EV/Tesla-only parking.
 
These are really all that is needed: DPC - Products Overview. I they are around $650 each.

View attachment 53466

Interesting, but I suspect the Model S exceeds the weight rating (product has a max 1500lbs tire weight limit). Also they would need to be customized as the product can only handle a maximum of 15 remote controls per unit. There are >45,000 Model S out there already and every remote would have to operate every gate in the country.
 
Paint the pavement green. That will help.

Umm...doubt it. I don't know if you guys have Fresh & Easy markets where you are, but there are "hybrid parking only" spaces closest to the entrance to the store. You think its only hybrids & EVs that park there? Think again...It would be nice if everyone abided by the honor system, but you're naive to think that signage will suffice unless there are real penalties or consequences to back it up.
 
I think these are good ideas, but Tesla needs to be the ones to do all the hard work not their customers. ... With the new dashboard it appears that Tesla will be able to monitor how many Superchargers are being actively used. I imagine this is just how many are currently plugged in, not how many spaces are being occupied.

Has probably been suggested elsewhere, but it seems to me that one way to get data back to Tesla's dashboard would be to build in-the-ground sensors (similar to the induction coils used at intersections to control traffic lights) or another sensor technology into the SuperCharger stall hardware to identify when a vehicle is actually in the spot. That way Tesla will know not only how many SCs are being actively used but just as importantly how many are blocked by a car (ICE or a Model S that isn't charging).
 
Has probably been suggested elsewhere, but it seems to me that one way to get data back to Tesla's dashboard would be to build in-the-ground sensors (similar to the induction coils used at intersections to control traffic lights) or another sensor technology into the SuperCharger stall hardware to identify when a vehicle is actually in the spot. That way Tesla will know not only how many SCs are being actively used but just as importantly how many are blocked by a car (ICE or a Model S that isn't charging).

Completely agree! I remember seeing my first parking sensors in an airport (and it must have been 10+ years ago). These sensors would tell drivers which lanes had open spaces so the driver did not have to drive down a completely full lane. These same type of sensors could communicate back to Tesla and let them know of ICING by normal ICE vehicles or Tesla's. I would hope they are thinking about this technology after having some real use cases out there. Not sure when we'll see the change or when we'll know if these sensors even exist.

Here is an article about the technology being applied to BWI airport (not the best article but gets the point across) - http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/the-rise-of-smart-parking