Nominations for superchargers Melbourne to Adelaide and SA

[BenT]

It is interesting to see daily updates of new chargers around the world on Teslarati but not much happening outside Eastern Australia. I think it is time for Tesla to expand westwards in Australia. The next natural step would be a Melbourne-Adelaide route. While this is already possible with destination chargers and the like, it is a currently a 2-3 day trip with a somewhat circuitous route. Looking at optimal spacing of the chargers of 1-200 km and the most direct route, the logical locations would be Ballarat, Horsham, Bordertown, Tailem Bend and Adelaide. This would allow Adelaide Melbourne commute in a day and also open access to the Melbourne ski-fields from Adelaide.
Another logical extension would then be Kingston on Kangaroo Island and perhaps a destination charger at the 6 star Southern Ocean lodge on KI. Kangaroo Island has already declared itself an electric vehicle friendly council so should be supportive. With the upcoming arrival of the Model X, Kangaroo Island would be a perfect place to explore.

 

[paulp]

It is interesting to see daily updates of new chargers around the world on Teslarati but not much happening outside Eastern Australia. I think it is time for Tesla to expand westwards in Australia. The next natural step would be a Melbourne-Adelaide route. While this is already possible with destination chargers and the like, it is a currently a 2-3 day trip with a somewhat circuitous route. Looking at optimal spacing of the chargers of 1-200 km and the most direct route, the logical locations would be Ballarat, Horsham, Bordertown, Tailem Bend and Adelaide. This would allow Adelaide Melbourne commute in a day and also open access to the Melbourne ski-fields from Adelaide.
Another logical extension would then be Kingston on Kangaroo Island and perhaps a destination charger at the 6 star Southern Ocean lodge on KI. Kangaroo Island has already declared itself an electric vehicle friendly council so should be supportive. With the upcoming arrival of the Model X, Kangaroo Island would be a perfect place to explore.

Star ratings in australia don't go above 5, and are controlled and trademarked by the motoring organisations (raa, racv etc). If you ask any tourism destination to see their 6 star rating, they will decline, simply because it doesn't exist.
Agree with your city list as well, although you could probably be just as effective with 3 superchargers between the two cities.

 

[BenT]

Star ratings in australia don't go above 5, and are controlled and trademarked by the motoring organisations (raa, racv etc). If you ask any tourism destination to see their 6 star rating, they will decline, simply because it doesn't exist.
Agree with your city list as well, although you could probably be just as effective with 3 superchargers between the two cities.

Perhaps the addition of a destination charger could add another star. I haven't been to the Lodge but I understand it is very special. I think Elon found the same issue when he looked at safety ratings for the tesla. What do you do when you exceed the current standards? Semantics aside I think that there is market for pairing high end luxury accommodation/retail with tesla destination charging.

 

[mhh]

I think Keith wins over Bordertown as it is the turn off to Naracoorte and Gambier, the latter which also needs a SC.

- - - Updated - - -

Semantics aside I think that there is market for pairing high end luxury accommodation/retail with tesla destination charging.

Agreed. Robe also needs a couple of destination chargers.

 

[BenT]

I think Keith wins over Bordertown as it is the turn off to Naracoorte and Gambier, the latter which also needs a SC.

Fair point. Looks like there are a few cafes in Keith. It is around 2 hours from Adelaide, 2 hours from Mt Gambier and 2 hours from Horsham which makes it a convenient distance to stop for a break from driving, stretch your legs and grab a coffee. According to the Tesla website you can nominate a town for a super charger but you need a local business to host it. Does anyone have any business contacts in Keith?

 

[wpapua]

To complete the Southern (coastal) route from Adelaide to Melbourne, after Mt Gambier, Warrnambool seems logical, together with one at Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. There are already destination chargers at the Richmond Henty Hotel in Portland. The Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld has also been linked with Tesla for a possible DC.

 

[paulp]

Perhaps the addition of a destination charger could add another star. I haven't been to the Lodge but I understand it is very special. I think Elon found the same issue when he looked at safety ratings for the tesla. What do you do when you exceed the current standards? Semantics aside I think that there is market for pairing high end luxury accommodation/retail with tesla destination charging.

Agree, and we are soon to have a destination charger at a very special place near Renmark on the river. Very worthy of a tesla stay. It's not cheap accomodation, but it is amazing. More to follow as soon as its connected in January.

 

[BenT]

To complete the Southern (coastal) route from Adelaide to Melbourne, after Mt Gambier, Warrnambool seems logical, together with one at Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. There are already destination chargers at the Richmond Henty Hotel in Portland. The Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld has also been linked with Tesla for a possible DC.

I see a distinction between superchargers and destination chargers. I want a supercharger on my main transit route. It needs to be conveniently located but not necessarily in a tourist attraction as I will just be passing through. I really need only good coffee and a bite to eat +/- Wifi. Thus a supercharger makes sense for a town on a major transit route that wants to encourage through traffic to stop and spend some time and money in the local community. By installing a Supercharger in a town, the town is likely to pick up the Tesla drivers who are likely to stop in this location than in the many other options along the way but they will likely not be staying long.
A destination charger is as the name suggests best suited to a destination where Tesla drivers want to stop and spend a longer time. Thus the Coonawara, Limestone Coast, and Great Ocean Rd make good sense for destination chargers.
Currently the cost of a Tesla means that Telsa drivers are likley to be low volume but relatively high income individuals and so worthwhile to local businesses to attract. As Tesla expands with addition of cheaper higher volume cars such as the Tesla 3 there will be a switch to higher volume of traffic at chargers.
Looking at Keith and Horsham they both seem great locations for Superchargers as they are on the main highway from Adelaide to Melbourne but also at cross rds to other regions. Keith is the main turn off to the Coonawara, Mt Gambier and Limestone Coast, while Horsham is on cross rds to Coonwara, Great Ocean Rd, Bendigo and Mildura.

 

[_ws]

Initial set of Superchargers in SA should be something like:

South of Adelaide:
1. Keith
2. Tailem Bend
3. Mount Gambier

North of Adelaide:
1. somewhere near one of the roadhouses on the main highway near Port Pirie.
2. Port Augusta
3. Port Wakefield

Then:
1. Adelaide
2. Berri
3. Cowell
4. Kyancutta or Wudinna
5. Ceduna

That's probably all the superchargers that'd likely be needed initially for the vast majority of SA.

The rest could be destination chargers, but other places that could be added later for more infill would be:

* Port Lincoln
* Whyalla
* Gawler
* Naracoorte
* Victor Harbor
* Burra
* Pimba
* Coober Pedy
* Marla

 

[Daemon]

Keith, South Australia

I found this: https://www.tatiara.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/minutesAgendas/20160119.pdf

"Tesla is proposing to build an electric charging station to accommodate 4 parking spaces
plus an additional area to accommodate infrastructure. They recently engaged a network
engineer to visit Keith to make a technical assessment of locations within the town.
The preferred location is on the Heritage Street road reserve at the end of Morcom Street.
Due to the power supply there are very few locations that are suitable. There are two high
voltage feeders at Keith one at the preferred location and the other at the western end of
town near the football oval. Due to the technical limitations, the options are limited.
Elected members and MDIS met in Keith with Evan Beaver (Supercharger Program
Manager) late in 2015 to discuss potential options.
If a charging station is built in Keith it will be the only super charger between Horsham and
Adelaide for the foreseeable future. Previous experience in other countries show that super
chargers provide monetary benefits for townships and in Keith, Tesla believes there will 300
connections per month. Tesla survey data show about 70% of connecting customers use
the local facilities and on average will spend $30 each time. They estimate on these
numbers $75,000 per annum would be spent in Keith which would be very beneficial to the
local businesses.
Tesla pays for all the costs to install and operate the supercharger station and charging is
free. Tesla have charging stations operating around Australia mainly on the east coast with
the most recent constructed at Goulbourn and Wodonga."

 

[mhh]

Good find, Daemon.

The preferred location is adjacent to public toilets and a 4 min walk to Keith's best lunch spot, Henry & Rose.

 

[paulp]

Well spotted! Horsham and Keith seems to be the plan.

 

[mhh]

What's the current thinking on a Supercharger location in Adelaide? I guess it will be adjacent to a future showroom/service centre. Glen Osmond Rd offers some possibilities.

 

[Chuq]

What's the current thinking on a Supercharger location in Adelaide? I guess it will be adjacent to a future showroom/service centre. Glen Osmond Rd offers some possibilities.

With catchments of over a million people each, I think it would be very logical to assume this (in both Adelaide and Brisbane) as the supercharger network extends to these locations.

 

[ixat]

Adelaide - Keith: 226km
Keith - Mt Gamier: 210km
Keith - Horsham: 201km
Horsham - Ballarat: 194km
(Ballarat - Melbourne: 114km)

All acceptable ranges, no real need for infill for years/ever.

Possibility down the line:

Horsham - Warrnambool: 228km
Warrnambool - Mt. Gambier: 182km
Warrnambool - Lorne (Via GOR): 206km
(Lorne - Melbourne: 142km)

Also, just for kicks:

Horsham - Mildura: 309km
Horsham - Bendigo: 215km
Mildura - Broken Hill: 297km

Although Ouyen would probably suit more than Mildura, given it is a crossroads.

 

[BenT]

Adelaide - Keith: 226km
Keith - Mt Gamier: 210km
Keith - Horsham: 201km
Horsham - Ballarat: 194km
(Ballarat - Melbourne: 114km)

All acceptable ranges, no real need for infill for years/ever.

Possibility down the line:

Horsham - Warrnambool: 228km
Warrnambool - Mt. Gambier: 182km
Warrnambool - Lorne (Via GOR): 206km
(Lorne - Melbourne: 142km)

Also, just for kicks:

Horsham - Mildura: 309km
Horsham - Bendigo: 215km
Mildura - Broken Hill: 297km

Although Ouyen would probably suit more than Mildura, given it is a crossroads.

Crossroads is key. Keith, Horsham and Ballarat all crossroads. Mile End perfect for SC in Adelaide as intersection on north south and east west traffic.

 

[paulp]

Crossroads is key. Keith, Horsham and Ballarat all crossroads. Mile End perfect for SC in Adelaide as intersection on north south and east west traffic.

If Mile End is the go then place it near bunnings! Easy to fill in half an hour at bunnings. The issue though I think will be the hideously high cost SAPN charge for significant electrical connections in Adelaide. The selected site will need to be adjacent lots of spare power, or tesla might be kissing a lazy million dollars good-bye. The western part of the CBD is hopelessly short on power, so that may preclude a vast area.

 

[BenT]

If Mile End is the go then place it near bunnings! Easy to fill in half an hour at bunnings. The issue though I think will be the hideously high cost SAPN charge for significant electrical connections in Adelaide. The selected site will need to be adjacent lots of spare power, or tesla might be kissing a lazy million dollars good-bye. The western part of the CBD is hopelessly short on power, so that may preclude a vast area.

Bunnings or Mile End home centre. Lots of roof there for solar.

 

[waitingformodel3]

I hope that there will be one between Horsham and Melbourne as the climb to Ballarat will probably dent the range.

Although Ouyen would probably suit more than Mildura, given it is a crossroads.

Ouyen would be great choice for those who drive the Mallee highway as well, but I imagine that it will be Mildura to get the most traffic from Adelaide/SA through to NSW.

 

[Chuq]

I hope that there will be one between Horsham and Melbourne as the climb to Ballarat will probably dent the range.

It's a 300km gap so they definitely will have one. Ordinarily I would say I am 100% sure it will be at Ballarat but I was also 100% sure the Euroa SC would be at Seymour... Tesla might "do a Euroa" and put one at Beaufort.