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Major Cities without Superchargers - Outliers
- Thread starter BTA2222
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- Model S Supercharging
Distance to city center seems like a rather silly metric. As long as the number is less than 100 miles it doesn't matter. Both Seattle and Minneapolis have Superchargers in every major direction from them, which is what you need. (Well except for 94 west of minneapolis, the
Baxter, MN charger is in an odd spot). Remember Superchargers are not for local use, they are for traveling and both of the cities are well supported for that.
Baxter, MN charger is in an odd spot). Remember Superchargers are not for local use, they are for traveling and both of the cities are well supported for that.
Agree that they aren't for local use - but it's not always so simple. Visiting Seattle or MSP would be much easier if you could charge up when you arrive, or as you leave. Tesla put superchargers so close to the other 31 major cities - so no matter your opinion of SC's intended use - MSP and Seattle are outliers for some reason.
callmesam
Member
ELON MUSK:
We’re putting Superchargers in cities, not just between cities. And this is obviously important in places like, you know, Beijing, Shanghai, London, San Francisco, New York, where at times people may have a challenge with having a fixed parking space. It’s more like some of those people don’t have a definitive parking space. And they might have street parking or something, you know. London is particularly tricky one; where there’s – it’s got lot of high-end neighborhoods just have street parking.
http://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/tesla-earnings-call-transcript-q1-2014...
Julesp313
Member
I live about 30 miles north of the Twin Cities and am surprised that Mall of America doesn't have superchargers... but it also doesn't have a store (unlike many malls in CA) so maybe it's a political thing?
This is why it is important to put superchargers in seasonal vacation destinations where they might not be obviously helpful for long distance travel, like Southampton, NY.
it allows Tesla owners who may not have homes in an important summer vacation colony to visit without having to worry about where they will get a charge.
I could have used such a charger myself last summer even though my summer home actually does have an 80 amp Clipper Creek installed.
it allows Tesla owners who may not have homes in an important summer vacation colony to visit without having to worry about where they will get a charge.
I could have used such a charger myself last summer even though my summer home actually does have an 80 amp Clipper Creek installed.
RogerHScott
Active Member
This table would be somewhat more useful if it were sorted by super-chargers/(mega-)person-mile so that it showed how far the average
person has to travel in any direction to get to a supercharger, weighted by how many people are sharing that(those) supercharger(s).
person has to travel in any direction to get to a supercharger, weighted by how many people are sharing that(those) supercharger(s).
RobStark
Well-Known Member
Incredibly dense cities where upper middle class people can't afford a dedicated parking space will have many urban superchargers. There is no way to crack those markets without them.
That does not include Seattle nor Minneapolis.
In the US that basically means San Francisco and New York.
Malls are horrible spots for superchargers. People use the sc spots as parking spots while they shop even though their car is charged sufficiently that they would have normally left and opened a charging spot for someone else.
If that is your logic, then why would Tesla have put Superchargers in the other 30 largest cities (34 minus NY & LA minus SEA & MSP)? Did they make a mistake?
mikeash
Active Member
I think you're overstating what "in" the city constitutes. For an example I'm familiar with, Washington is on your list and presumably counts as one with a supercharger "in" the city. The closest one is in Bethesda, MD, well into the suburbs. It could be useful for owners who happen to live out that way, but it would not be very practical for most Tesla owners living in DC proper. It is, however, well positioned to be useful for people making trips to and from points to the northwest. Unfortunately, it's a temporary location with only two spots and located near a mall entrance, so it's a terrible location to actually use.
Philadelphia is on your list at over 40 miles. The nearest locations aren't even in the same state. Similar objections apply to many of the others on your list.
The number of major cities that actually have Superchargers in them is fairly low.
dgpcolorado
high altitude member
The lack of a Supercharger Station anywhere near Seattle is a nuisance for me. I want to make a day trip from Portland to visit friends in Kirkland and Issaquah next week and will likely need a couple of hours at a public L2 charge station to keep in my comfort zone for a round trip from/to the Centralia Supercharger Station.
I was surprised to learn from this thread that Seattle and Minneapolis and "special" that way...
I was surprised to learn from this thread that Seattle and Minneapolis and "special" that way...
The lack of a Supercharger Station anywhere near Seattle is a nuisance for me. I want to make a day trip from Portland to visit friends in Kirkland and Issaquah next week and will likely need a couple of hours at a public L2 charge station to keep in my comfort zone for a round trip from/to the Centralia Supercharger Station.
I was surprised to learn from this thread that Seattle and Minneapolis and "special" that way...
OUT OF CURIOSITY, I JUST CHECKED. 90 MILES FROM PORTLAND TO SuC at Centralia, 90 miles from Centralia to Kirkland, spend the day driving around will need some local/destination charging to make it 90 miles back to Centralia. There's several Greenlots-branded Chademos in the Kirkland area, but they look to all be at dealers (and of course require a Chademo adaptor). Looks to be about 20 J1772s between your 2 listed visiting cities, but yes they will be slow. Not impossible, but inconvenient in a 60. Do you have a Chademo? Or can you not leave it plugged in to a slow power outlet, even a 110, for a couple of hours while allowing your friends to drive?
I think most of the time you don't want the Superchargers located in the city center (or the downtown area) because the locations for hosting the superchargers will be extremely limited, since many major cities do not have free parking lots. Best to set them up on the periphery, within 15 miles of the city, preferably where there is food and a restroom so that travelers can rest.
It's my understanding that Tesla needs to negotiate with the owner of the land to put up the SCs, which is why they are commonly in the parking lots of other businesses.
It's my understanding that Tesla needs to negotiate with the owner of the land to put up the SCs, which is why they are commonly in the parking lots of other businesses.
dgpcolorado
high altitude member
I got a Chargepoint card because there are some free L2 stations in Kirkland (the Chargepoint website/app map is superb) that seem to not get too crowded. I don't have a Chademo adapter and have no interest in getting one (I have terrific Supercharger coverage — six Supercharger Stations within Tesla range of my remote mountain house — and zero Chademo where I live). So, the tentative plan is to charge at the Kirkland library or the marina while my friends do the driving.
Perhaps someday Tesla will put a Supercharger Station in the Seattle vicinity; at the very least it would help with travel from Portland to Vancouver, Canada.
For some other examples, the location listed as 42 miles from Dallas is in Denton on I-35, the major north-south highway in the middle if the US, and is appropriatelty spaced with the ones to the north and south of it. No one would go from Dallas to Denton to charge unless they were heading north on I-35 anyway. The one listed for Houston is at the service center near the airport, which is about an hour's drive from where the bulk of Tesla ownership is in Houston (west side). San Antonio does not have a supercharger. Austin does not have a supercharger. BTA2222's logic is all wrong.
RogerHScott
Active Member
Are you just talking about the stretch from Tannersville, PA to Cleveland, OH? 'Cause there's one in Cleveland, Toledo, and Angola, IN as you head toward Chicago. At 380 miles, that stretch is bad enough. An SC in State College, PA might be helpful, reducing the run to a doable -- with a little caution -- 240 miles.
How much longer is taking I76?
I80 west from chicago is also a supercharger desert.
