New New England Supercharger Locations

[ModelNforNerd]

Where exactly do you see this? I think you are misreading the map. The only additional planed supercharger looks to be in backbay.

If you check back further in this thread, there was some zooming in and analysis done and it looked that the coming soon dot was north of the city.

Back Bay is probably the location of the Gallery inside the Pru, and likely not a SC location....but who knows, maybe there will be some stalls along Newbury or somewhere similar?

 

[AWDtsla]

If you check back further in this thread, there was some zooming in and analysis done and it looked that the coming soon dot was north of the city.

Back Bay is probably the location of the Gallery inside the Pru, and likely not a SC location....but who knows, maybe there will be some stalls along Newbury or somewhere similar?

No idea. But the exact location matters less than that there aren't other SC's planned in the area. Given a comfortable ~65 round trip mile radius in the winter months, quite sad. If you live around the city you won't be using the SC for long distance travel, but for local charging.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

No idea. But the exact location matters less than that there aren't other SC's planned in the area. Given a comfortable ~65 round trip mile radius in the winter months, quite sad. If you live around the city you won't be using the SC for long distance travel, but for local charging.

Agreed....and now we have to wonder....

When TSLA enters the next phase of SC rollouts, will they be using zip code data of those who've reserved Model 3's, to better meet demand in areas before it becomes a crush? Or will they stick with their current stance of basically pleading people to charge at home, and only use SCs for long distance trips?

 

[PeterK]

Agreed....and now we have to wonder....

When TSLA enters the next phase of SC rollouts, will they be using zip code data of those who've reserved Model 3's, to better meet demand in areas before it becomes a crush? Or will they stick with their current stance of basically pleading people to charge at home, and only use SCs for long distance trips?

Tesla never promised free daily charging, just long distance charging. Tesla can't afford to nor is it Tesla's job to build out the charging infrastructure for cities, that's up to city planners. utilities and individual owners working with their condo boards, landlords, employers, town boards etc. Something for Model 3 reservation holders to do during the two or so years between reserving and getting cars.

Charging infrastructure is a chicken-and-egg problem. Tesla is doing its part by selling true ICE replacement EVs and driving competitors to start doing the same. As these cars penetrate the market they should drive local charger demand.

 

[Pollux]

Hi, @PeterK,

A few years ago, I think people would have argued that long-distance charging was also a social responsibility. I think most EV manufacturers STILL take that position and the ones who claim to be building out networks are building out lower-powered, unattractive, and small-node-count networks. (I would even argue that many of those nodes will be located at unattractive places.)

I'm not saying that Tesla is inherently responsible for urban charging infrastructure, or daily charging, or even *any* charging at all. But they have a noticeable track record of taking over any part of the product experience that they think isn't being addressed satisfactorily. Even in an urban environment, they are subsidizing the deployment of destination chargers via free HPWCs for hotels, inns, restaurants and other businesses.

I'd agree with your statement that "charging infrastructure is a chicken-and-egg problem." But I'd go on to say, "Tesla is doing its part by selling true ICE replacement EVs and by providing long-distance charging solutions and by enabling destination charging, and may enable other charging options in the future whenever they think they will be best served by providing a chicken OR an egg."

Alan

Tesla never promised free daily charging, just long distance charging. Tesla can't afford to nor is it Tesla's job to build out the charging infrastructure for cities, that's up to city planners. utilities and individual owners working with their condo boards, landlords, employers, town boards etc. Something for Model 3 reservation holders to do during the two or so years between reserving and getting cars.

Charging infrastructure is a chicken-and-egg problem. Tesla is doing its part by selling true ICE replacement EVs and driving competitors to start doing the same. As these cars penetrate the market they should drive local charger demand.

 

[RDoc]

Tesla never promised free daily charging, just long distance charging. Tesla can't afford to nor is it Tesla's job to build out the charging infrastructure for cities, that's up to city planners. utilities and individual owners working with their condo boards, landlords, employers, town boards etc. Something for Model 3 reservation holders to do during the two or so years between reserving and getting cars.

Charging infrastructure is a chicken-and-egg problem. Tesla is doing its part by selling true ICE replacement EVs and driving competitors to start doing the same. As these cars penetrate the market they should drive local charger demand.

In an ideal world I'd agree, but at least currently, no one is actually going to build such an infrastructure, so Tesla has to in order to sell cars in volume. Almost always, the first question I'm asked is what is the range and how to make trips. When I describe the Supercharger network, it's a revelation.

When the Model 3 comes out, if there isn't a practical way for people who don't own their own homes to charge, the sales volume is going to be severely limited. Tesla can't wait for local broke, and often hostile, governments to make charging possible.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

In an ideal world I'd agree, but at least currently, no one is actually going to build such an infrastructure, so Tesla has to in order to sell cars in volume. Almost always, the first question I'm asked is what is the range and how to make trips. When I describe the Supercharger network, it's a revelation.

When the Model 3 comes out, if there isn't a practical way for people who don't own their own homes to charge, the sales volume is going to be severely limited. Tesla can't wait for local broke, and often hostile, governments to make charging possible.

The largest hole in the "it isn't Tesla's job to..." argument is the proprietary plug and charging system. We're not talking about Level 1 chargers. The whole point of driving a Tesla long-distance is the ability to use the SC network. They're doing a great job of partnering with places for the Destination Charging program, but in many corners of the country, it's B+B's setting those up. What if you're passing through and you don't want to stay the night at a B+B?

Maybe when some of the gas and convenience store chains realize there are a lot of EVs out there, and the only way to recoup some of them as customers is to start putting SC's in the corner of their parking lot, then we'll have the SC coverage that the masses are looking for.

 

[TexasEV]

When the Model 3 comes out, if there isn't a practical way for people who don't own their own homes to charge, the sales volume is going to be severely limited. Tesla can't wait for local broke, and often hostile, governments to make charging possible.

Tesla is aiming for 500,000 cars/year. The US market alone is about 16 million cars/year. The sales volume isn't going to be limited even if the cars are only bought by homeowners with garages.

 

[AWDtsla]

Tesla is aiming for 500,000 cars/year. The US market alone is about 16 million cars/year. The sales volume isn't going to be limited even if the cars are only bought by homeowners with garages.

But it sure can be. There's also nothing wrong with that. It takes a lot more fuel to get around in the suburbs. Seems like a better problem to concentrate on first.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

In an ideal world I'd agree, but at least currently, no one is actually going to build such an infrastructure, so Tesla has to in order to sell cars in volume. Almost always, the first question I'm asked is what is the range and how to make trips. When I describe the Supercharger network, it's a revelation.

When the Model 3 comes out, if there isn't a practical way for people who don't own their own homes to charge, the sales volume is going to be severely limited. Tesla can't wait for local broke, and often hostile, governments to make charging possible.

The percentage of people with ability to charge is more than high enough to establish PEVs to the point that market pressure can take care of the rest. There are really no _technical_ obstacles to charging wherever people park their cars.

 

[aronth5]

Tesla is aiming for 500,000 cars/year. The US market alone is about 16 million cars/year. The sales volume isn't going to be limited even if the cars are only bought by homeowners with garages.

Agree, some estimates have the number of garages in excess of 70 million just in the US.

The percentage of people with ability to charge is more than high enough to establish PEVs to the point that market pressure can take care of the rest. There are really no _technical_ obstacles to charging wherever people park their cars.

Tesla has already realized in certain cities destination charging is not enough so they have already started building out supercharges in cities. Just take a look at London, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

 

[PeterK]

Agree, some estimates have the number of garages in excess of 70 million just in the US.



Tesla has already realized in certain cities destination charging is not enough so they have already started building out supercharges in cities. Just take a look at London, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Those are countries where urban density is much higher than the US, in parts of London people park Bentleys on the street overnight. City Superchargers are needed there to access enough market to prime the chicken-egg cycle.

But Tesla has plenty of market to access in greater Boston without putting a Supercharger in the middle of the city for people with no home charging. Filling in additional road trip routes (e.g. Maine, northern NH, PA, upstate NY) is higher priority than city centers. And I don't think the business model will support providing free lifetime local as well as long distance charging for a large number of customers.

 

[PeterK]

The largest hole in the "it isn't Tesla's job to..." argument is the proprietary plug and charging system. We're not talking about Level 1 chargers. The whole point of driving a Tesla long-distance is the ability to use the SC network. They're doing a great job of partnering with places for the Destination Charging program, but in many corners of the country, it's B+B's setting those up. What if you're passing through and you don't want to stay the night at a B+B?

There are a lot more chargers out there than Superchargers and Destination Charging HPWCs. Take a look at Plugshare. I've often charged at J1772 L2 chargers with the Tesla adapter, including at a Nissan dealer. And I've successfully lobbied a hotel to add Level 2 charging. That's part of our job as early owners, to spread the Tesla/EV message and further the infrastructure buildout - and in many cases, to share our chargers where there are few existing alternatives.

 

[AWDtsla]

This is getting very offtopic.

Superchargers are necessary for long distance travel. They are not necessary for any other charging. New England still needs way more superchargers.

 

[shelbri]

Simply allow Supercharging for city resident but don't make it free. Perhaps grandfathering in those that already bought and didn't have such a concept. I'd have no issue paying for my electricity locally since I do so at my home. At some point the model needs to include a fee for both time and electrons to prevent folks from unnecessarily camping out after charging. Not an issue at the moment but could become one as populations grow as Tesla hopes.

 

[Robert.Boston]

Central Boston is doing okay for EV charging infrastructure, mostly because garage owners saw a strategic advantage of putting them in. Tesla commuters need to gain some discipline, though, in NOT using these plugs routinely; only use charging when you really need the juice. Sure, it's tempting to take free power, but you're taking up a scarce spot that may be needed by a less-capable vehicle (e.g. Leaf).

The Supercharger situation in southern New England is really pretty good for long-distance travel; the biggest gap I see is the lack of Superchargers on MA-2, but I'd also vote for a SC at the I-84/I-684 interchange near Brewster NY.

Although I'm biased, I see the biggest gaps in northern New England. Augusta is the northernmost station on I-95; Hookset, on I-93; West Lebanon on (near) I-91. While it's great that we can now drive to Montréal, I'd have to take a 200-mile detour (on a 275-mile route) to drive to Québec City; a Supercharger near St Johnsbury NH would address this gap. Driving to New Brunswick or beyond is simply not supported by Superchargers; we need Superchargers in Bangor and then eastward (on I-95, US-1 or ME-9) to the Atlantic Provinces. Our neighbors in NY need a couple of SC sites along I-87 north of Albany to bridge over to Montréal.

 

[essaunders]

a Supercharger near St Johnsbury NH.

Vermont... not NH.


But St. Johnsbury would appear to be well situated. ~115 from Hookset, perhaps a hair longer from Brattleboro..

 

[shelbri]

I think a location at the 84/684 interchange would be great but I think it's doubtful given the location in Newburgh.

Another great location would be near New London, CT as close to the 95/395 interchange. There is an awful lot more traffic in southern New England which should warrant more locations like these. Time will tell. All doable now but would be even better if built out with greater options.

 

[Bimbels]

I think a location at the 84/684 interchange would be great but I think it's doubtful given the location in Newburgh.

Another great location would be near New London, CT as close to the 95/395 interchange. There is an awful lot more traffic in southern New England which should warrant more locations like these. Time will tell. All doable now but would be even better if built out with greater options.

Husband and I just had this discussion and that New London site seemed logical to us, as well. To bridge the gap between Milford CT and E. Greenwich RI.

 

[essaunders]

I was looking at the map yesterday: I think they need something in Conway (or North Conway) NH. It would reduce any anxiety about sitting at trailheads (skiing, hiking) in the white mountains. Granted, I don't know what kind of priority this site would have - there are certainly many other much larger 'supercharge' deserts to address....