Is it worth it to use a supercharger as a local?

[MXWing]

Do you use a supercharger as a local and if so, how much money does it save you?

"Free" anything is great, but unless somehow substantial sums of money is to be saved, I'd rather just charge my car in my garage and be at home.

Tesla owners are wealthy by any reasonable standards so I don't know how much value there is to tie up your car and yourself somewhere.

Any savings to me as a local is not worth being a jerk to a traveler who actually needs the SC to get from point A-B.

 

[Nismode]

I think the general consensus that you'll find is that if you can charge at home you should, as it negates the whole concept of using an EV and NOT having to go to station to "fill up." Plus, you look like a dick and it is generally frowned upon.

In all seriousness, the time you would spend to drive to the Supercharger, wait there to charge (if you didn't have to wait for an open stall that is), then drive back, is better spent doing any number of activities. Most people don't need the use of one on a daily or even weekly basis when they can just as easily charge the car at home while they are sleeping. It's probably a matter of saving $20-$50 a week for the time you spend waiting.

 

[aesculus]

In the last several months I have gone to a local supercharger twice. Once was to check out a new supercharger, and the other time was when we wanted to eat nearby. There were few cars there both times. I will probably never go back again unless I am at the retailer buying/eating, which to me is an acceptable use since both of these chargers were situated in retail lots.

The other night we were on a 300 mile trip and the car had to be charged for 20 minutes before we could make it home. That gave us 50%. I could have stayed and put another 40% in but did not want to wait for another 30+ minutes when I could just charge the car at home while I was sleeping.

 

[MXWing]

Thank you both for the rational responses. I don't have any SC experience for myself but I see horror stories here and there of people not being able to find a stall.

It's reprehensible to me that people don't even have respect for themselves let alone respect for others by wasting time charging when you live 10 minutes way.

 

[Canuck]

Even if I was immortal, I have better things to do with my life than charge at Superchargers to save a few bucks when I can charge at home. The fact that I am mortal ends the debate for me at least, although I wouldn't do it in the first place since they are for long distance travel and not locals, unless, perhaps, the local has no way to home charge.

 

[Eclectic]

If there is a supercharger convenient for use, I'll definitely use it. For example, there is now a supercharger about 15 miles from my house next to a supermarket. I use about 100 miles of range a day, so I'll go to the supercharger, plug in, hop across the street to do my grocery shopping and be back at the car in about 20 minutes.

It's not a replacement for plugging in when I get home, but it's there, it was part of the promise when I bought the car, it makes life easier and it saves me a bit of money.

 

[Driver Dave]

Using a supercharger instead of charging at home doesn't make too much sense. The best part of the car is waking up with a full tank of gas and not having to deal with stopping anywhere for fuel.

Using a supe charger when you aren't on a long trip is bad for the community. It will just cause more demand at superchargers, which will then force Tesla to raise prices to cut back on that demand so drivers on long trips will not have to wait for a spot.

My advice: Use superchargers as they are meant to be used, for long trips. For local, stick to your home. Better all around.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Locals Supercharging reminded me of a joke.

Guy took his wife out to dinner, parked at a meter and had a fine meal.
When they got back into the car the guy just sat there in silence. When the wife asked them why was he not driving home he replied...there's still 10 minutes left on the meter : >)

Some people will go to great lengths to get something free, even if the price is relatively small.

In Sweden, some people mounted high powered lights on their solar panel roof. They would turn on the lights at night to generate "solar" power. Seems that off peak power was so cheap they could make money by turning on lights and selling the power generated back to the grid at a higher, agreed, price.

Never underestimate to desire of some people to squeeze a nickel.

Buddy of mine is 1/2 Irish and 1/2 Scotch. Says he likes to drink whiskey, but doesn't like paying for it : >_

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

Thank you both for the rational responses. I don't have any SC experience for myself but I see horror stories here and there of people not being able to find a stall.

It's reprehensible to me that people don't even have respect for themselves let alone respect for others by wasting time charging when you live 10 minutes way.

I live almost exactly 10 minutes from the newly opened Buena Park Supercharger and can't for the life of me ever see the need to waste time sitting in my car staring at traffic on the 5 FWY instead of being home with my family.

To me, it solves only one problem, and that is if I ever forgot to charge the car. I could pop in and hopefully get a stall and charge up prior to heading out for the day. But realistically I would just plug the car in at home and take the ICE out for the day instead of wasting one moment wondering if there were any open slots.

Charging at home is the only thing that makes sense to me unless I am on a road trip, or criss crossing town to the point I have no other choice than to Supercharge.

 

[mspohr]

If you're just going to sit in the car, you're earning minimum wage. Is your time worth more than that?

 

[Larry]

The idea behind SC's is that they are for long distance refueling, not local supercharging. Local sc takes up stalls for those that are in need of a charge as they can't get to the next sc without charging. My opinion, and I know it's the opinion of many others here, is that local sc should be completely eliminated unless in the most dire circumstances. When making long trips it's incredibly frustrating to have to wait for a stall because some cheapskate can't spend a dollar at home. Be conscientious and respectful and this brilliant idea will work but if not it will fail. Do not charge locally unless you are going to run out of electrons. See the letter Elon sent to those abusing the system about a year ago.

 

[JOEV1]

The only reason for me to use a SC which is about 30 Miles away was to demonstrate to friends how it works. Or if I am returning from a longer trip (lets say from Vienna) is to get home safely. Else I charge from my Grid-connected PV as a priciple because the rates for selling a kWh to the organisation is now a joke (down to 3,9 cent, but if I use power from the grid it is over 20 cent)

 

[ggr]

I used the (not very) local supercharger twice, while my driveway was being paved and I had no way to charge at home. That's despite the fact that the supercharger here is at a place I often have business meetings. I just park in a normal spot almost all of the time.

 

[kort677]

The other night we were on a 300 mile trip and the car had to be charged for 20 minutes before we could make it home. That gave us 50%. I could have stayed and put another 40% in but did not want to wait for another 30+ minutes when I could just charge the car at home while I was sleeping.

this type of usage is what the superchargers are there for, not to top off while shopping.

 

[aesculus]

While I generally agree that local supercharging should not be used as a replacement for home charging, many superchargers were put in retail locations for a purpose. Nobody is going traveling and stopping at an outlet mall unless that is where the charger was placed (I am looking at you Manteca, CA). In many cases I am assuming Tesla got agreements with these venues to entice a higher level of clientele to come to their stores while they wait for their car to charge.

If it was solely for long distance travel then you would probably only see superchargers paired with restaurants and gas stations (ala Napa, CA). Maybe that is the trend, but I think both venues are targets for Tesla owners, some that may be local. IMHO these retailers leased/lent space for the superchargers hoping that they would get some sales out of it. If it turns out that retailers don't see the value, then you will see less and less superchargers at retail locations in the future.

However I agree that if you are just sitting in your car and not on a trip, you should charge at home.

 

[MXWing]

Tesla through GPS data could probably determine where "home" generally is for each of the cars. Cut off the abusers. Hell, give em a deal on solar panels.

For every one sensible poster here, I wonder how many are abusers who don't frequent forums or still read here and don't care.

The prisoners dilemma in Economics combined with the concept of public goods means people will take any reason, any time to abuse the system without regard to others.

 

[ReddyLeaf]

If there is a supercharger convenient for use, I'll definitely use it. For example, there is now a supercharger about 15 miles from my house next to a supermarket. I use about 100 miles of range a day, so I'll go to the supercharger, plug in, hop across the street to do my grocery shopping and be back at the car in about 20 minutes.

It's not a replacement for plugging in when I get home, but it's there, it was part of the promise when I bought the car, it makes life easier and it saves me a bit of money.

If this is the San Mateo SC (since you list SF area as your location), then, no please don't opportunity charge while grocery shopping. On my last trip to CA (800 mi, so I think this qualifies as long-distance travel ), San Mateo was the only full SC encountered, even at 9:30 pm (although it opened up after a few minute wait). I would expect that this location, and others in CA, will only get more crowded. That said, I too have opportunity charged locally while grocery shopping (Kennewick Fred Meyer's), but I feel it is important to show EV use in this area (the most I have ever seen charging has been two out of eight stalls). Since many local non-EV drivers think these stations are "stupid", "gov't waste", and never used, I feel it is my duty to show the general public that the stations are being used and are necessary.

 

[Eclectic]

If this is the San Mateo SC (since you list SF area as your location), then, no please don't opportunity charge while grocery shopping. On my last trip to CA (800 mi, so I think this qualifies as long-distance travel ), San Mateo was the only full SC encountered, even at 9:30 pm (although it opened up after a few minute wait). I would expect that this location, and others in CA, will only get more crowded. That said, I too have opportunity charged locally while grocery shopping (Kennewick Fred Meyer's), but I feel it is important to show EV use in this area (the most I have ever seen charging has been two out of eight stalls). Since many local non-EV drivers think these stations are "stupid", "gov't waste", and never used, I feel it is my duty to show the general public that the stations are being used and are necessary.

No need to worry, it's not the San Mateo supercharger.

 

[TES-E]

I live 1 mile from a Supercharger, and I have used it exactly twice in two years. Once was when it opened (second user... missed being first by 5 minutes... ). The only other time was when I got home with about a 30% charge, and found out I needed to make an immediate unexpected trip that would use most of that. I plugged in for 15 minutes to give me a safe cushion for that trip. Everything else local is done at home. IMO this is the way it is supposed to work.

 

[MXWing]

I live 1 mile from a Supercharger, and I have used it exactly twice in two years. Once was when it opened (second user... missed being first by 5 minutes... ). The only other time was when I got home with about a 30% charge, and found out I needed to make an immediate unexpected trip that would use most of that. I plugged in for 15 minutes to give me a safe cushion for that trip. Everything else local is done at home. IMO this is the way it is supposed to work.

Tesla wouldn't have to change their policies or charge Model 3 owners if everyone was like you.