Proposed Supercharger layout to minimize lines and allow towing

[SVMike]

Here is an idea on how to improve future major Supercharger locations.
This should be especially useful where there might a a line of cars waiting, for example on heavy traffic days.

In addition, it allows drive-through access for people towing in anticipation of the Cybertruck.

The idea, approximated in the drawing, is that each charging pedestal gets two parking spaces that face opposite directions
While one location is in use a newly arrived car can park and be next for that specific charger.
This is instead of first come first served. But by being parked already, overall throughput will increase.
And to make it easier for a new arrival to get the soonest available charger, a digital display (maybe ~12" high or more) above the pedestal can show how many minutes the
current car being charged has remaining. If the driver of this car doesn't show up to unplug within a short time (such as 5 minutes) then the cable can automatically unlock, a text message is sent.

 

[DSolie]

Your footprint will more than double, which means lease rates will more than double. A standard stall is 18-20' deep. So your double-long stall configuration would be between 36-40'. Last spec on the CT is 19'-4", which means that the trailer can only be 20' or less (bumper to tounge) or you will be encroaching on lane traffic.

Also, if you have a towing combo side by side, it'll be VERY tight if not impossible to turn out of the stall with a trailer when the access lane is between 20-24' wide (most AHJ's require 24' of lane width when there is 90degree parking on each side).

So, does it work, sure.. But only in some very narrow scopes and layouts. Generally, it will not work with the way a standard parking lot is designed.


*Edit to add.. The 19' length of the CT, if true, is going to cause some issues on lane aisle blocking when it comes out. Many SC's pour a new curb/pad for the pedestals which turn 20' stalls into 19' or less.

 

[Soul Surfer]

Here is an idea on how to improve future major Supercharger locations.
This should be especially useful where there might a a line of cars waiting, for example on heavy traffic days.

In addition, it allows drive-through access for people towing in anticipation of the Cybertruck.

The idea, approximated in the drawing, is that each charging pedestal gets two parking spaces that face opposite directions
While one location is in use a newly arrived car can park and be next for that specific charger.
This is instead of first come first served. But by being parked already, overall throughput will increase.
And to make it easier for a new arrival to get the soonest available charger, a digital display (maybe ~12" high or more) above the pedestal can show how many minutes the
current car being charged has remaining. If the driver of this car doesn't show up to unplug within a short time (such as 5 minutes) then the cable can automatically unlock, a text message is sent.

They already have this sort of config in Montreal. Easy for straight through. Almost like a regular petrol station, only staggered.

 

[MP3Mike]

Only uses 4 times the space for minimal if any throughput increase. Of course requiring 4 times the space would probably greatly limit the number of sites that would let Tesla install chargers.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Here is an idea on how to improve future major Supercharger locations.
This should be especially useful where there might a a line of cars waiting, for example on heavy traffic days.

In addition, it allows drive-through access for people towing in anticipation of the Cybertruck.

The idea, approximated in the drawing, is that each charging pedestal gets two parking spaces that face opposite directions
While one location is in use a newly arrived car can park and be next for that specific charger.
This is instead of first come first served. But by being parked already, overall throughput will increase.
And to make it easier for a new arrival to get the soonest available charger, a digital display (maybe ~12" high or more) above the pedestal can show how many minutes the
current car being charged has remaining. If the driver of this car doesn't show up to unplug within a short time (such as 5 minutes) then the cable can automatically unlock, a text message is sent.

Do a search for Tesla Supercharger Nebbenes Norway. It's one of their sites with a large number of pull through stalls.

 

[MP3Mike]

Do a search for Tesla Supercharger Nebbenes Norway.

That is similar, but isn't designed to share one stall with a car going each way. It has double the number of pedestals so cars going both directions can charge at the same time.

 

[SVMike]

Only uses 4 times the space for minimal if any throughput increase. Of course requiring 4 times the space would probably greatly limit the number of sites that would let Tesla install chargers.

This is not meant for the majority of Supercharger sites. This is for heavy usage in sparsely populated places on the Interstates.
A good example would be Kettleman City--about midway between LA and SF. (They have a ~40 stall location and recently added one almost across the street that has 56 stalls). On busy days they are all full and parking and backing in takes time.
Real estate is probably dirt cheap at this type of location
I was there at 10am on a Tuesday and was the only one in at the 56 stall location.
The next Sunday at 3pm almost all of the 56 were in use and there was a massive traffic jam getting in and out.
Imagine if there were a few cybertrucks towing something.

 

[SVMike]

Your footprint will more than double, which means lease rates will more than double. A standard stall is 18-20' deep. So your double-long stall configuration would be between 36-40'. Last spec on the CT is 19'-4", which means that the trailer can only be 20' or less (bumper to tounge) or you will be encroaching on lane traffic.

At large or expansive sites maybe only have a portion of the stalls doubled up like this. For example, at sites with 40 stalls, maybe you have 8 or 12 like this.

 

[DSolie]

At large or expansive sites maybe only have a portion of the stalls doubled up like this. For example, at sites with 40 stalls, maybe you have 8 or 12 like this.

Agreed. That's why I had this little caveat in my OP.
"So, does it work, sure.. But only in some very narrow scopes and layouts. Generally, it will not work with the way a standard parking lot is designed."

 

[RTPEV]

I'd still advocate for using the tried and true gas station island layout. This type of layout will accommodate vehicles with charge ports in different positions on different vehicles, allow for towing, provide an efficient way to utilize a canopy, and is a nice form factor for the current 1-charger (red)/4-pedestal (green) type configurations.

 

[roblab]

What Tesla has now is the product of their trying several layouts and picking the most practical. I'd love to see your example of the car sitting and waiting at a charger to be "next in line" when all of a sudden. a car two spaces away decides they're finished and pulls out. Ooops! Someone else just took your place.

Tesla is trying to meet the demand by adding more chargers, so people don't have to queue up. At least here in northern CA, it's working. Where I live, there are two main charging sites about ten miles apart, each with twenty or so chargers. I've never seen crowding at either place. You have to remember that a car at a supercharger won't be there much more than a few minutes, when they're full and leave.

What bothers me are the few leeches in our society who feel that they can drive over to a supercharger and plug in while they read the morning paper, just so they can save ten bucks, when they spent 100 grand on their car. This is the peak of cheap. Did they do this when they owned a gas car? I can picture them skulking around at night, siphoning gas out of someone's pickup into a five gallon can that they can empty into their own gas car, and then justifying their actions by pointing out, "but it's free!" Thankfully Tesla has put a stop to this with the 3 but is sure says a lot about people.

 

[RTPEV]

What Tesla has now is the product of their trying several layouts and picking the most practical.

It certainly doesn't seem that they've necessarily settled on anything at all! I still see them toy with different layouts that seem to fit the real estate they are offered. Which is I think the reality thus far: they are offered a corner of a parking lot, so they do what they need to do to fit in that spot.

Hopefully in the not too distant future they will be able to command a more premium section of the property and then can actively dictate a layout that does truly make sense.

 

[SVMike]

I'd still advocate for using the tried and true gas station island layout. This type of layout will accommodate vehicles with charge ports in different positions on different vehicles, allow for towing, provide an efficient way to utilize a canopy, and is a nice form factor for the current 1-charger (red)/4-pedestal (green) type configurations.
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This is good...sometimes. But doesn't allow two or more parked cars to use the same station before a car is moved. I've been L2 charging at work for 10 years. The best setup for these is 2 or more cars per charging cable. New parking garage and it is one to one with 50 chargers and it is still a problem that would be fixed by 2 or more spaces per charger.

 

[RTPEV]

This is good...sometimes. But doesn't allow two or more parked cars to use the same station before a car is moved. I've been L2 charging at work for 10 years. The best setup for these is 2 or more cars per charging cable. New parking garage and it is one to one with 50 chargers and it is still a problem that would be fixed by 2 or more spaces per charger.

For L2 charging, I agree that one station that can service 2 (or 4) vehicles from the same "head" is acceptable, although I think the preference there would be to have a dual- or quad-headed unit that would share power or charge simultaneously (at lower power).

For Supercharging, idle fees are what you would use to encourage drivers to move after a charge is complete. I agree with others that have stated that allocated two parking spots per stall is way too inefficient a use of real estate, and likely unnecessary for a large site where there will usually be plenty of movement, even if there are a small number of inconsiderate users who don't move when charging is complete.

 

[MP3Mike]

I agree with others that have stated that allocated two parking spots per stall is way too inefficient a use of real estate

Of course, they want to allocate 4 parking spots per stall to allow for trailers and using the stall coming from either direction.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

That is similar, but isn't designed to share one stall with a car going each way. It has double the number of pedestals so cars going both directions can charge at the same time.

Tesla isn't worried about the stalls. They have to be concerned with power.
If Tesla isn't doing many pull-through locations it'll be because back-in is parking-space-efficient and cheap..

The important thing to maximum throughput and allow towing is pull-through.
Nebennes achieves the same thing as the OP's post, but has more stalls.

V2 Superchargers split power to 2 stalls, but each cabinet is effectively a separate max 150kW unit.
V3 Superchargers split power to 4 stalls and the cabinets can distribute power to each other. It's very flexible.