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Is Tesla opening two SuperCharger sites a day anytime soon?

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Nice. So you say my source isn't up to date yet not only will you not disclose your source, you won't even disclose the locations? :eek:

Hopefully, I will clarify better this time. I'm just saying that the usual web site locations are well behind what is actually being done because as someone mentioned, the data being provided to those sites is mainly crowd sourced. The sites are especially behind because when it comes to knowing about permits.

As for my not disclosing locations, I am an independent electronic engineering consultant. My contracts with clients don't give me the liberty to report specific information. Thus, I usually report to web sites when the clients approve or say it is ok to report. They have some very good reasons for wanting to do things this way. Sorry, I have no control over that.
 
... I'm just saying that the usual web site locations are well behind what is actually being done because as someone mentioned, the data being provided to those sites is mainly crowd sourced. The sites are especially behind because when it comes to knowing about permits.

That has been the case in the past just as much. What Supercharge.info shows sure is a little behind, but it has been equally behind in the past. Let's hope there are really that many 'unpublished' constructions sites and permits in place to meet the goal. I doubt it.
 
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When this thread started I believe there were 11 "publicly known" locations with permits or under construction in North America, there are now 26. Not to mention the 11 new locations that opened. Let's hope the trend continues.
 
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That has been the case in the past just as much. What Supercharge.info shows sure is a little behind, but it has been equally behind in the past. Let's hope there are really that many 'unpublished' constructions sites and permits in place to meet the goal. I doubt it.

Frankly, I also doubt there are as many unpublished permits in place to meet the goal. I can only say my work has doubled in the last 3 months and that many other contractors are being added by destination locations and T-man. :) It's a good sign, but I am just a one-mouse experiment. The trouble I run into as being a weak link in the chain is not that Tesla drags their feet. They don't. It is the building departments in various cites around the USA. Some of them are very fast and cooperative, example less than 20 days from submission to approval. Yet many can take as much as 4 months to approve. Then there are local politics pro and con. They always pass the buck by saying they are understaffed and too many permits. Maybe truth, but some of these inspectors like to play God and get picky about things which don't seem that important, while not even looking at some things I consider a possible safety issue and have to point out to them.

And just to make a point clear, I really like supercharge.info and EVTripPlanner and think they are done well considering they have to depend on data that is mostly "discovered" and reported by the crowd. It's a great service to everyone. Not slamming them at all. Over a short time in the next year, it should become less important if data doesn't get to them quickly because there will be more chargers in place to build out the system that most folks will be able to plan long trips easily. Just my opinion.
 
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It is the building departments in various cites around the USA. Some of them are very fast and cooperative, example less than 20 days from submission to approval. Yet many can take as much as 4 months to approve.
You've hit the nail squarely on it's head!
the processes for building/installing a new location is one of the biggest challenges to not only tesla expanding the SpC network but to any business that wants to grow. that coupled with bureaucratic power companies that move at a snails pace to provide the necessary upgrades to their infrastructure is the reason that I believe that tesla's goal will be hard to attain.

while there is a place for communities to assure proper planning of growth, some of the the bureaucratic red tape can seem insurmountable and is borderline insanity.
 
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@FlyF4 thanks for the insight. That is what I and many others suspected. Tesla would go as fast as they can if they could. I read many similar stories of the struggles. And then we have seen many Supercharger locations that were finished but then sat there for weeks or months before the local utility company finally came.
 
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@FlyF4 thanks for the insight. That is what I and many others suspected. Tesla would go as fast as they can if they could. I read many similar stories of the struggles. And then we have seen many Supercharger locations that were finished but then sat there for weeks or months before the local utility company finally came.

You got it ! Just to add, I have run across some big extremes on both sides. Example, an inspector in Southern Ca went out of his way on a Sunday to go check out and approve a location just 2 days after the final phase of a destination charger was complete It went into action the next morning. Total project time was 8 weeks from start to finish. He was a really gung ho inspector wanting to help EV go in the right direction. No, it wasn't because he is an EV owner either. He was a ICE owner.

Then on the opposite end of the spectrum, I ran across an inspector who wouldn't approve a location right at the start of a destination charger project in Arkansas because he said "it can't be in the hotel parking lot". We couldn't find any code ruling to justify that decision. 3 months of haggling occurred because there was no other place on the property to put it. When I said I was going to turn over the complaint to the district attorney's office, bingo, he magically approved it the NEXT DAY. Gee, what a coincidence. I never heard from him again. Someone else took over.

Just goes to show you that there is a lot of politics in decisions like this.
 
Is it possible that Tesla will be changing to a more pre-built system, building them in a factory and shipping modules to the site? They built the temporary units in the past -- maybe they have a more aesthetically pleasing design that will meet the approval of business owners. Then it is a matter of having the utility place the transformer and an electrician to hook it up. Permitting would be a mechanical permit (more like placing an air conditioning unit) rather than a building permit. No excavation, no building contractors, no weather issues, increased reliability. If they need more capacity, drop in another unit.
I just spent the Memorial Day weekend in Palm Springs, utilizing the SC at the Cabazon Outlet Mall. It was very interesting that Tesla recognized the usage for that charger and decided to send four portable chargers to augment the 10 stall super charger at the site. The portable units (2 chargers and transformer on a pallet) were moved in quickly, plugged in and operational in a couple of hours. It added 4 additional spots at a very busy location. Great idea in my book!
Tesla Charger.jpeg
 
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