New New England Supercharger Locations

[Robert.Boston]

FWIW, here's a letter I recently sent to Tesla:

There have been some changes to the Supercharger planned locations map in the northeast -- changes that I think are out of touch with actual driving patterns in the region. And, there are still some important gaps

1. Sturbridge, MA. This site has been discussed in the press, so I was surprised to see it disappear. This point is far too important to abandon. No sane person drive from New York City to Boston via I-95; it is shorter and pleasanter to drive up I-91 to I-84 to I-90. In addition to facilitating this central NYC/Boston corridor, it also facilitates Springfield-Boston and Hartford-Boston. Please put this back!


2. Concord/Manchester NH. This point appears to have slipped over to Portsmouth NH. Portsmouth is a pretty good location, as many people head north at that point into ski areas, routes that would not be served by the Portland-area SC. But the Concord/Manchester SC had its own important role of opening access to the White Mountain region along I-93. I would keep this area on the 2015 map.


3. St. Johnsbury VT. While you've got a SC near Trois-Rivières, QC, there's no way for US drivers to get there except routing through Montreal. Going from West Lebanon to Trois-Rivières, there's a need for one more SC along the way. St. Johnsbury is the obvious place for it, coming as it does just north of the junction of I-89 and I-93. This SC would also be very helpful for New England skiers.


4. Bangor ME. Be mindful of the fact that most *commercial* traffic uses I-95, while most *tourist* traffic uses US-1. Going from Portland to Bar Harbor on US-1 takes 20 minutes longer but is 20 miles shorter, more scenic, and has excellent amenities along the way. It would make more sense for touring purposes to have the SC in Bucksport rather than Bangor.


On a slightly different topic, it's a shame that Tesla is completely ignoring the I-81 corridor from Maryland to Tennessee. Two SCs along that route, one near Staunton VA and a second near Wytheville VA, would add a lot of functionality to the SC network in this area, bridging big gaps between the Ohio Valley and the coast as well as opening this major NE--SW corridor.


Thanks for your consideration of these suggestions,
Sincerely,

- - - Updated - - -

Here are a couple of options
1. email comment to [email protected]
2. Complete a request form: http://teslafactory.wufoo.com/forms/supercharging/

Note that Option 2 is for people who can HELP get a SuperCharger installed, not a request form SEEKING a SuperCharger.

 

[David Rhee]

Just got an email response from the supercharger team - I sent an email yesterday about the need for a SC on I93 in NH. Here's the quote from the email,

"Thank you for your email and feedback. It is very helpful to hear local customer input. Please keep in mind that our website represents a general plan of our Supercharger rollout and is meant to highlight corridors of travel. We do still plan on sites in the Concord and West Lebanon areas for next year. "

So it looks like the SC near Hookset (Concord) may still be a go.

 

[PeterK]

I got almost the same exact response, but they mentioned Sturbridge as well because I had. But if that's the case I don't understand why they take sites off the map.

 

[Robert.Boston]

And their response to my note:

Hi Robert,
Thank you for your email and feedback. It is very helpful to hear local customer input. Please keep in mind that our website represents only a general plan of our Supercharger rollout and is meant to highlight corridors of travel. We do still plan on a site in the Sturbridge/Auburn area for next year. We also plan on adding sites in the Concord and Portsmouth areas.

Please make all site suggestions directly to our developers here so that they can easily access the information.

We appreciate your enthusiasm and support of Tesla and our Supercharger technology.

Thanks,
Tesla Supercharger Team

 

[PeterK]

I mentioned efforts to lobby hotels, ski areas and towns in VT, NH and the cape, so they added this paragraph as well:

We very much appreciate your (and the greater New England customer base’s) support of Tesla and the Supercharger network. We have recently begun a new initiative to spread Level 2 charging to ‘destination’ locations like the resorts and hotels that you mentioned. If you have any specific suggestions, please email this new team at [email protected].

Thanks again,
Tesla Supercharger Team

Suggest we all do some more emailing, sharing our favorite destinations.

 

[RDoc]

FWIW, I talked to a Tesla person from Natick today who said they'll be setting up a Supercharger in Attleboro soon. I'm somewhat skeptical of this, since it's so near RI, but that was the statement.

I'm still unhappy about access to Cape Cod though, even if the superchargers that were removed from the map are reinstated. With the dearth of local charging beyond Hyannis, going to the outer Cape is not going to be easy.

WRT level 2 vs Supercharging - a supercharger probably costs about as much as 50-60 Level 2 chargers, including installation. However, each supercharger could service far more cars, probably equivalent to several hundred Level 2 chargers since, on any given day, most of the Level 2 chargers won't be used. For example, a single Supercharger with 8 bays in Raynham at 24 and 495, Plymouth on Rt 3, or Mansfield at 495 and 95 could take the place of hundreds of individual overnight 240V 30A chargers at various inns, B&B's, hotels, parking lots, etc. on the Cape. For day trippers, the Level 2 chargers, used for a few hours, really don't amount to much anyway.

I've already suggested Mansfield, but got no reply.

 

[aronth5]

While some have the option to take either 495 or Rt3 most people would strongly prefer one over the other.
Seems to me the options are a supercharger on both as you get close to the to the Cape, or a supercharger as close to the canal on the mid cape highway.
Better yet would be all 3.

 

[john01]

Here is a great article about the lack of chargers in the Northeast.

The article mentions what was first promised in the first maps then what is promised now.

Life With Tesla Model S East-Coast Road Trip: Freeze In Slow Lane, Or Languish At Nissan Dealers?

 

[PeterK]

Here is a great article about the lack of chargers in the Northeast.

The article mentions what was first promised in the first maps then what is promised now.

Life With Tesla Model S East-Coast Road Trip: Freeze In Slow Lane, Or Languish At Nissan Dealers?

Glad to see this. When Noland complained about vampire losses even with 5.8, Tesla responded by checking his car remotely and then calling him to say they were sending a Ranger to replace his 12v battery. So perhaps it will help bring the lack of superchargers in NE to their attention.

 

[Robert.Boston]

Nolan raises an interesting question: should Tesla be designing the SC network to accommodate long-haul travel in 60kWh vehicles? At least initially, I think not. The 85kWh packs vastly outsell the 60kWh packs, so if Tesla only has time/money/focus enough to install X Superchargers in the next two years, it will do more for more owners to have those spaced ~180 miles apart than ~140 miles. The difference may seem small, but it has a big effect on the number of chargers needed to complete a network.

 

[Enadler]

Nolan raises an interesting question: should Tesla be designing the SC network to accommodate long-haul travel in 60kWh vehicles? At least initially, I think not. The 85kWh packs vastly outsell the 60kWh packs, so if Tesla only has time/money/focus enough to install X Superchargers in the next two years, it will do more for more owners to have those spaced ~180 miles apart than ~140 miles. The difference may seem small, but it has a big effect on the number of chargers needed to complete a network.

Agreed. It also begs the question of what is the owners responsibility? If an owner wants the ability to make long distance trips easily then I think the 85kw option for $8000 is not a significant investment to make. Personally the larger pack also provides peace of mind. Remember this is the owners choice they can choose convenience which comes with a cost or value which comes with inconvenience.

 

[djplong]

I just looked up some articles on the I-93 Hooksett rest area reconstruction - which is where it USED to look like Tesla had a red dot on their map.

From the articles I'm seeing, the reconstruction will be done in April 2015.. Quoting:

[start]
The project calls for equipping both sides of I-93 with new $8.4 million liquor stores, a 1950s-style diner, 20-pump gas station, Italian farmhouse and country-style convenience store....
Both new liquor stores would be about 65 percent bigger than the ones now on site. The design would be a New Hampshire “mill building architectural style.”
Other amenities would include an interactive and informative visitor center, bank vending space, drive-thru window, pet walk area and 310 parking spaces at the northbound side and 240 spaces on the south side.
[end]

Here's to hoping Tesla can work something out there.

 

[772]

Just got an email response from the supercharger team - I sent an email yesterday about the need for a SC on I93 in NH. Here's the quote from the email,

"Thank you for your email and feedback. It is very helpful to hear local customer input. Please keep in mind that our website represents a general plan of our Supercharger rollout and is meant to highlight corridors of travel. We do still plan on sites in the Concord and West Lebanon areas for next year. "

So it looks like the SC near Hookset (Concord) may still be a go.

Wow an SC in West Leb next year... really nice!

 

[Sgt Barone]

East Greenwich, RI now has a supercharger page! Anyone in the area able to check it out? The address is:

1000 Division St., East Greenwich, RI 02818 (near or around East Greenwich Square)

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/eastgreenwich

 

[mitch672]

East Greenwich, RI now has a supercharger page! Anyone in the area able to check it out? The address is:

1000 Division St., East Greenwich, RI 02818 (near or around East Greenwich Square)

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/eastgreenwich

See my reply in the other thread, it's about 50 miles away from me, another poster said it wasn't working near Christmas, might take a drive over to it later today

East Coast Supercharging network - Page 23

 

[ThosEM]

Good evening New England. We live in Annapolis MD, but are from Maine and New Hampshire and we vacation in Scarborough every year and make other visits as well. Just got our Model S for Christmas, and are eager to head up that way with it, a 520 mile trip. Needless to say we are intensely interested in the supercharger network as it is extended up beyond the recent addition in E. Greenwich, RI.

From our POV, Sturbridge MA would be a very helpful addition, since we don't normally take the coastal route through Providence. Hartford would also get us within easier reach and also help folks headed up 91 to Vermont or 90 to Albany.

There seems to be a lot of uncertainty about other locations, with Manchester, Concord, White River Junction, Portsmouth, Portland, and Bangor being mentioned in the forums here.

Best wishes to all in the current winter storm up your way. We have only a faint semblance of it down here in Annapolis, with 15 cm of snow and night time lows of -10C.

 

[772]

Good evening New England. We live in Annapolis MD, but are from Maine and New Hampshire and we vacation in Scarborough every year and make other visits as well. Just got our Model S for Christmas, and are eager to head up that way with it, a 520 mile trip. Needless to say we are intensely interested in the supercharger network as it is extended up beyond the recent addition in E. Greenwich, RI.

From our POV, Sturbridge MA would be a very helpful addition, since we don't normally take the coastal route through Providence. Hartford would also get us within easier reach and also help folks headed up 91 to Vermont or 90 to Albany.

There seems to be a lot of uncertainty about other locations, with Manchester, Concord, White River Junction, Portsmouth, Portland, and Bangor being mentioned in the forums here.

Best wishes to all in the current winter storm up your way. We have only a faint semblance of it down here in Annapolis, with 15 cm of snow and night time lows of -10C.

I saw someone post an e-mail from Tesla saying Concord, NH and West Lebanon, NH (near White River Junction, VT) would be getting SCs in 2014. I'm not sure of the other locations.

 

[juliusa]

I sent an email to [email protected] asking specifically about Sturbridge MA and Providence RI. I told them that I live in NY and Ptown MA. and that lots of Bostonians not to mention others go to the Cape.

Here is their answer "The greater Boston area is a top priority for us. Our East Greenwich, RI site is targeted for completion by end of year. We are also in the process of planning sites enable travel to Maine, the Cape, and into western MA. Please continue to check our website for updates and announcements."

Has East Greenwich opened? Out of the way since I would never drive that way, but at least the detour would be an option to get a little closer to NH and ME. Still not sure the traffic would justify the detour to East Greenwich - may be better to charge slower on HPWC in Natic and take the more direct route.

 

[mitch672]

Has East Greenwich opened?

I drove to it on New Years Day (Wednesday), construction has been completed, but their was no meter on the transformer, so the site is not powered up yet.
I posted pictures in the "East Coast SuperCharger" thread:

East Coast Supercharging network - Page 23

 

[juliusa]

Thanks. Looks like it will open soon.

I re-read this thread from the beginning. Interesting to see what the people's initial expectations on superchargers in New England and the timing was, and where we are now.