Northern Colorado Locations?

[dgpcolorado]

See, in Nebraska we call rough-terrain, scenery.

Hmm. Not that I'm anywhere near Northern Colorado or Nebraska, but I call both rough terrain and scenery "home"...

^ Parked along the county road leading to my house.

^ Two views of the highway that crosses the local mountains. The highway doesn't have guard rails so that avalanches can flow over the road. Some of the hairpin turns elsewhere on the road are posted at 10 mph but are fun to take in a Tesla at 15-20 mph.

 

[W0QR]

That's just spectacular.

 

[Mkorpal]

Speaking of mountain views, I hope we get some of the inter-mountain routes covered by superchargers next year. Places like Salida, Alamosa, Durango, Montrose, Granby and Steamboat Springs. It would be nice not to have to take I-70 around the state.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Speaking of mountain views, I hope we get some of the inter-mountain routes covered by superchargers next year. Places like Salida, Alamosa, Durango, Montrose, Granby and Steamboat Springs. It would be nice not to have to take I-70 around the state.

Salida seems like the best candidate since it would open up the San Luis Valley, as well as Great Sand Dunes National Park, and it would serve as an alternate route for when I-70 is closed by rock slides. But that sort of fill-in Supercharging seems as if it will be a long time coming, given that there are major routes, such as I-10 and I-80, that remain unfinished, as well as places of high demand where lines to Supercharge develop.

For getting around our state off the Interstates, destination charging will help for now. But, yes, I miss taking US 50 and US 285 over Monarch and Kenosha Passes to get to Denver. I-70 isn't as much fun to drive.

I know Montrose would like to have Superchargers — I know the city official who got the L2 charge station installed (I was the first person to use it) — but would there really be enough traffic to justify the cost and upkeep? Same for Steamboat Springs and the rest. I'm much more interested in a Supercharger Station in Kayenta AZ, but I suppose that's more of a Four Corners thing.

 

[Barry]

but would there really be enough traffic to justify the cost and upkeep?

They have gas stations, right?

If Tesla really wants to become mainstream with the M3, they need Superchargers virtually everywhere. Otherwise, you're not going to convince the "regular" folks. People don't want to have to think about where they are going to charge and if they can make the trip.

 

[dgpcolorado]

They have gas stations, right?

If Tesla really wants to become mainstream with the M3, they need Superchargers virtually everywhere. Otherwise, you're not going to convince the "regular" folks. People don't want to have to think about where they are going to charge and if they can make the trip.

We are a long way from having Superchargers be as ubiquitous as gas stations. For the time being Tesla's proprietary network needs to be carefully planned for maximum utility. And that is to cover the main travel corridors plus sufficient density and redundancy in areas heavily traveled by Teslas.

Perhaps, once the pay-for-charging model becomes accepted and the number of EVs capable of fast charging reaches the millions, a market for fast charging stations will develop, as is the case with gas stations today. But that seems to be a long way off and the incompatible fast charging standards are an impediment. And, bear in mind that for the majority of EV owners most charging will be done at home, no filling stations needed. That is very different from the ICE car model and reduces the customer base for the commercial fast charge stations.

 

[Beryl]

I'm thrilled to read about the progress in Loveland. My next trip to Greeley will be less stressful.

 

[W0QR]

We are a long way from having Superchargers be as ubiquitous as gas stations. For the time being Tesla's proprietary network needs to be carefully planned for maximum utility. And that is to cover the main travel corridors plus sufficient density and redundancy in areas heavily traveled by Teslas.

Perhaps, once the pay-for-charging model becomes accepted and the number of EVs capable of fast charging reaches the millions, a market for fast charging stations will develop, as is the case with gas stations today. But that seems to be a long way off and the incompatible fast charging standards are an impediment. And, bear in mind that for the majority of EV owners most charging will be done at home, no filling stations needed. That is very different from the ICE car model and reduces the customer base for the commercial fast charge stations.

If you have an app that shows you other charging options they could pick up the difference for a while (J1772) although not to fully charge. Just enough to get you to the next SC. They're everywhere. Also, destination chargers will really help. They're free for the vendor so if I'm a motel or lodge or restaurant there is no reason to not have that for your customers. IOW, there're more options out there than would first appear. You might check this out: PlugShare

 

[dgpcolorado]

If you have an app that shows you other charging options they could pick up the difference for a while (J1772) although not to fully charge. Just enough to get you to the next SC. They're everywhere. Also, destination chargers will really help. They're free for the vendor so if I'm a motel or lodge or restaurant there is no reason to not have that for your customers. IOW, there're more options out there than would first appear. You might check this out: PlugShare

I'm familiar with Plugshare, having been driving electric since 2011 and having entered a number of charge stations into that database. But I disagree that Level 2 charging is much help for long distance travel. Destination charging helps but when driving ten to twelve hours a day L2 just doesn't cut it. And even L2 charge stations are rare and hard to find where I live (they are common in big cities but out in rural places they are rare; RV plugs are the usual alternative out in the boondocks).

My guess is that public L2 charge stations will fade away once most EVs have 200 miles of range or more, and that DCFC will take over as the predominant charge station option for other than home/work/destination charging.

 

[W0QR]

I'm familiar with Plugshare, having been driving electric since 2011 and having entered a number of charge stations into that database. But I disagree that Level 2 charging is much help for long distance travel. Destination charging helps but when driving ten to twelve hours a day L2 just doesn't cut it. And even L2 charge stations are rare and hard to find where I live (they are common in big cities but out in rural places they are rare; RV plugs are the usual alternative out in the boondocks).

My guess is that public L2 charge stations will fade away once most EVs have 200 miles of range or more, and that DCFC will take over as the predominant charge station option for other than home/work/destination charging.

Yea, I agree with you there. Well, the L2s will still be used by some and if I were desperate I wouldn't turn my nose up at them. Course it's feasible to use a KOA 14-50 too and I'd go for that in a pinch. I expect it will be a combination of Superchargers and extended range Tesla models someday. I don't think the media realizes what's happening and how Tesla has a LOCK on ev travel. The Chevrolet Bolt is late to the table for extended travel. And the rest to follow. Damn exciting. In fact I got so excited I bought some Tesla stock! Yikes!

 

[Beryl]

Yea, I agree with you there. Well, the L2s will still be used by some and if I were desperate I wouldn't turn my nose up at them. Course it's feasible to use a KOA 14-50 too and I'd go for that in a pinch. I expect it will be a combination of Superchargers and extended range Tesla models someday. I don't think the media realizes what's happening and how Tesla has a LOCK on ev travel. The Chevrolet Bolt is late to the table for extended travel. And the rest to follow. Damn exciting. In fact I got so excited I bought some Tesla stock! Yikes!

L2s will still reign at places where a little charge is better than none and will come in handy for those new to our world buying bargain short range EVs that will be in abundance soon. They will be gobbled up as second vehicles, college students, and for teenagers. I'm picturing them all over CSU, UNC, DU, CU, and even High School campuses.

However, I think Tesla will eventually sell keys to the "lock" on EV travel to other EVS. It won't happen now but I'm guessing after a couple of years of a successful Model 3 rollout. I'm also a TSLA stockholder also and think that would be good for business and our environment. The more EVs on the road, the better. (I could be wrong but I doubt it.)

 

[PLUS EV]

I think long term, the L-2s still have a place in limited settings such as apartment buildings and office parks, i.e. places where one spends 8 hours or more at a time. I could imagine parking lots/garages in such settings where ~10% of the spaces have dedicated L-2 charging.

But the idea of charging for an hour while at the mall or the grocery store, just to "break even" on the trip is too tedious for the general public imo. I don't really see that as being a long-lasting concept. That being said, L-2 chargers at malls will be good for EV-driving mall employees and of course they would make them open to the public at large as a form of customer service.

 

[hikerockies]

Update:

No big changes since Nov 25 when I stopped by there last. Pavement has been cleaned up and repaired. There is a dark green box behind the charger cabinets that wasn't there before (some sort of distribution box??). Retaining wall behind cabinets has gotten higher. No transformer pad yet. Pictures below.

 

[ohmman]

Update:

No big changes since Nov 25 when I stopped by there last. Pavement has been cleaned up and repaired. There is a dark green box behind the charger cabinets that wasn't there before (some sort of distribution box??). Retaining wall behind cabinets has gotten higher. No transformer pad yet. Pictures below.
View attachment 204528 View attachment 204529

Thanks.

So much for Thanksgiving week completion!

 

[hikerockies]

Update:

Not much change from last week. Parking lot is finished. Parking signs are up. Four of the parking spots are marked 30 minute general parking, rest six are marked for charging only. There is no sign of transformer yet.

 

[evkbns]

The transformer is installed! Looks like the work is done and they are just waiting for inspection and power-on.

 

[mgeroche]

The transformer is installed! Looks like the work is done and they are just waiting for inspection and power-on.

This is great, thanks for the update. Picking up my Model S on Friday, just in time for the holidays.

 

[ahm]

What about fencing or walls around the cabinets?

 

[weradln]

The Loveland Supercharger opened this afternoon

 

[ColBatGuano]

There is a rather unhelpful photo of 'Loveland SC' in the Superchargers app. This isn't the first supercharger listing to have 'off topic' photos. I hope that there is a way to report or flag such photos for removal.