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Nosken
Active Member
This is why I take a picture when I start charging and when I end of most of the stalls---just in case of 50% full idle charges....if I go over on my time (rare)
When we evacuated Houston and drove to Austin several weeks ago, we called Tesla to verify the superchargers were working on our route - because we didn't want to be stranded without any place to charge.
They indicated all of the chargers were operating - but when we got to Columbus - the area around the superchargers was under water and inaccessible. Fortunately we had enough charge to make it to Flatonia.
Tesla has enough data to provide a lot more information about both the superchargers and destination chargers. What would really be useful is data such as:
When a route is going to a charger - Tesla could also provide real-time updates of the charger status on the navigation display - showing how many cars are currently charging, and their charging rates. While it would be even more helpful for Tesla to indicate which chargers are being used and which ones are available - they may not have any easy way to determine which specific chargers are being used.
They indicated all of the chargers were operating - but when we got to Columbus - the area around the superchargers was under water and inaccessible. Fortunately we had enough charge to make it to Flatonia.
Tesla has enough data to provide a lot more information about both the superchargers and destination chargers. What would really be useful is data such as:
- Last date/time a car charged at that location, and the charging rate
- How many cars have charged at that location during the past hour and past 24 hours, including how many cars were charging simultaneously
When a route is going to a charger - Tesla could also provide real-time updates of the charger status on the navigation display - showing how many cars are currently charging, and their charging rates. While it would be even more helpful for Tesla to indicate which chargers are being used and which ones are available - they may not have any easy way to determine which specific chargers are being used.
cpa
Active Member
The Fresno Supercharger is about 4 miles from our home. I drive past it a couple of times per week. I always check to see how many people are charging there upon departure and then compare it to actual usage as I drive by.
For the past two-plus weeks, this location always shows two stalls in use (therefore eight available) yet the location is vacant as I wave to the empty stalls.
There has been speculation that perhaps there are stalls with very low output that show as in use or perhaps a couple of stalls are out of service, and Tesla has not been around to repair them.
I agree that no information is better than misinformation. A few months from now with the mass release of the Model 3 will just make these situations more frustrating. Tesla needs to improve their Supercharger availability information soon.
For the past two-plus weeks, this location always shows two stalls in use (therefore eight available) yet the location is vacant as I wave to the empty stalls.
There has been speculation that perhaps there are stalls with very low output that show as in use or perhaps a couple of stalls are out of service, and Tesla has not been around to repair them.
I agree that no information is better than misinformation. A few months from now with the mass release of the Model 3 will just make these situations more frustrating. Tesla needs to improve their Supercharger availability information soon.
mknox
Well-Known Member
Yep. I think it was Bolingbrook, IL that was reporting 4 of 8 in use and I was the only car there.
FWIW, Tesla themselves may well be seeing these issues for the first time "just like we are". I Myself am willing to be more forgiving of these type missteps from a manufacturer who is doing something (building out a proprietary network of high speed charging locations) that no other auto maker on the planet has ever even attempted!
There are bound to be eventualities that were unforeseen. Trying to figure out how something that has never existed is going to be utilized, or need over some time can be hard to bake into the first cake. Can it be better? certainly, but they had to start somewhere, and until it began being utilized so they could see some data, they might be learning along with us. Even with it's faults the Supercharger network "seems" to be VERY reliable at it's core function and is currently the best such solution out there. as opposed to others such as Blink, Chargepoint, EVGo, etc. whos DCFC equipment is truly hit and miss even when you do find them, and certainly MUCH better than all the other manufacturers DCFC networks "which don't exist" and likely won't for some time if ever.
There are bound to be eventualities that were unforeseen. Trying to figure out how something that has never existed is going to be utilized, or need over some time can be hard to bake into the first cake. Can it be better? certainly, but they had to start somewhere, and until it began being utilized so they could see some data, they might be learning along with us. Even with it's faults the Supercharger network "seems" to be VERY reliable at it's core function and is currently the best such solution out there. as opposed to others such as Blink, Chargepoint, EVGo, etc. whos DCFC equipment is truly hit and miss even when you do find them, and certainly MUCH better than all the other manufacturers DCFC networks "which don't exist" and likely won't for some time if ever.
@tccartier I completely agree the SC network is great, but if Tesla wants to keep its (main IMO) competitive advantage wrt. other manufacturers (especially with Model 3 coming up), this is an area that can definitely use some work. Making it more reliable, scalable, and user-friendly will be a major part of the success or failure of Model 3. Probably most of Model 3 buyers will expect things to 'just work' and won't be as tolerant as you and me are with the inherent flaws of being the first to try something new.
the only flaw in your forgiveness is that this has been problematic since tesla implemented the whole concept. it hasn't worked well since day 1, if it isn't working properly tesla should shut it down until they can get the reporting more reliable. recently during hurricane irma in fla I was urging people not to rely on the reports from the superchargers. during an event like irma these reports if reliable would have been invaluable
brucet999
Active Member
You were a victim of the "Engineer Question Dilemma". You asked if the chargers were working. The answer to that specific question (as determined by Tesla's online monitoring) was yes, they were working. You did not ask, "Are the chargers working and (what to normal people would seem obviously to be implied) accessible?", so you did not find out where you could charge.
Electricfan
Active Member
Yes, on a trip to Arlington (AT&T stadium) the supercharger in Arlington said "at least 1 charger available" as I approached. When I got there 5 stalls were available. I think there were 8 total.
Yes I agree as well which is why I included the statement that the supercharger network could be improved. Exactly how one does that is above my pay grade. But if it is like getting any "new thing" to work there might be a little trial and error going on. As far as a competitive advantage Elon himself stated they were trying to accelerate adoption to more sustainable transportation, not to try and become an automotive manufacturing juggernaut.
My forgiveness is not flawed because I choose to do so, and I did not indicate that I would do so indefinitely. Going back I can remember when there were gripes about there being no way to tell if a supercharger location was full or had any available units. I also know that Tesla often will push products and services out the door in BETA form and refine them once in the wild with end users. I also know that I have no idea how these issues could be solved "not my line of work" but that said, I don't know if simply turning it off would do any good as for all we know they might be using the feedback from the sights to aid in solving the puzzle??
I just feel that demanding perfection of things that are being attempted for the first time may be too much to expect. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the war room with the folks at Tesla that are trying to make the reporting issue work better (assuming they are trying) which I'd think they are.
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Lasttoy
Active Member
Tesla should use the vehicle information to track supercharger and destination charger usage.
When a car is charging, Tesla knows the GPS location and should be able to determine the charging rate.
That should at least provide an indication of the location of the supercharger or destination charger that's being used, and combining that data from other cars that have recently or are currently charging at the same location - they could provide considerably more accurate reporting.
And if the GPS data is accurate enough, they might even be able to tell which specific charger is being used.
Then, even if the charger information wasn't reliable, they'd couple that with actual charging data - and get more accurate information.
In our case, even if Tesla was showing the Columbus chargers were operational, they would also have known that no one had charged there for a while - which should indicate the chargers may be operating - but not accessible...
Tesla has so much data available with the constant internet connectivity to each car - they could do so much more to utilize that information - and provide better information in their online and mobile apps...
When a car is charging, Tesla knows the GPS location and should be able to determine the charging rate.
That should at least provide an indication of the location of the supercharger or destination charger that's being used, and combining that data from other cars that have recently or are currently charging at the same location - they could provide considerably more accurate reporting.
And if the GPS data is accurate enough, they might even be able to tell which specific charger is being used.
Then, even if the charger information wasn't reliable, they'd couple that with actual charging data - and get more accurate information.
In our case, even if Tesla was showing the Columbus chargers were operational, they would also have known that no one had charged there for a while - which should indicate the chargers may be operating - but not accessible...
Tesla has so much data available with the constant internet connectivity to each car - they could do so much more to utilize that information - and provide better information in their online and mobile apps...
While they may have the data available, having it is one thing, but calculating the results with many variables being intermittently available from the various locations, and then making it available in some user-friendly form in real time is a different matter altogether. It's not a trivial problem and I wish them (and us!) luck in trying to solve it.
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