Sun Country Highway Cross-Canada Tour

[mknox]

...many of these small towns already have gas stations and scant few people go touristing around for them.

I actually thing it is important for some of these smaller towns to adopt and embrace EV's. In the early days, I may want to go for a "Sunday drive" and it will be important that there be EVSE where I'm headed. Some of these quaint small towns could attract business and give themselves a bit of a competitive advantage under this model. I really like what Sun Country is doing...

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...then the initial focus should be on locations that many people wish to transport themselves to...

That's where I think Superchargers fit in...

 

[Robert.Boston]

I would love to see a SC charging station at Stanstead, QC, on the 55 (which transitions into I-91 on the US side). Charging here would form a very useful link into the US from Montreal (and into New England, for Canadians).

 

[jcstp]

I am doing my virtual sun country highway crosscountry ;-)
http://openchargemap.org/api/widgets/map/?maptitle=Map%20of%20Charging%20Locations&operatorid=51&maxresults=5000

 

[Spurkey]

I actually thing it is important for some of these smaller towns to adopt and embrace EV's.

This part I absolutely agree with. EVs need to be seen as more than just a city commuter car. "In the early days" there will be few EVs and I fear that many of these small-town chargers will sit idle for lengthy periods potentially leaving a sour taste with businesses who hopped on board. Sun Country populated the Trans Canada with chargers, my disappointment stems from them not doing the same with the Yellowhead which is equally busy.

That's where I think Superchargers fit in...

Those're a long way off from being widespread in Canada and are certainly not part of the initial focus.

 

[mknox]

Those're a long way off from being widespread in Canada and are certainly not part of the initial focus.

Tesla's 2-year Supercharger outlook map does show a couple along the 401 corridor between Montreal and Toronto...

 

[znino]

Tesla's 2-year Supercharger outlook map does show a couple along the 401 corridor between Montreal and Toronto...

Where exactly have you seen this outlook map showing the locations? Thanks

 

[mknox]

Where exactly have you seen this outlook map showing the locations? Thanks

Someone took screen grabs from Tesla's Supercharger presentation:

 

[Zapped]

Looks like Recargo may have been adding some of the SCH sites to it's website.
Unfortunately the site in Red Deer (Queens Diner) may not be marked correctly on SCH and now Recargo.
I had made a phone call today to confirm the location and was surprised to be told there was no charger installed as yet.
Based on that experience, I'd recommend contacting all potential charge locations when planning a road trip. (unless it's clearly been recently used .. of course)

 

[Doug_G]

The Sun Country map app has different colour icons to differentiate chargers that are operational from those that are being installed.

 

[Zapped]

Correct, silver is installed and the address is indicated. Yellow is not and says "Pending"
I let SCH know about the Queen's Diner location in Red Deer.

 

[jcstp]

googlemaps calls the street different
difficult to find then ;-)

Burnt bluff st

 

[Mayhemm]

Sun Country populated the Trans Canada with chargers, my disappointment stems from them not doing the same with the Yellowhead which is equally busy.

SCH's choice of the Trans-Canada was only partially due to its traffic volume. The choice was mainly symbolic; commemorating both the 50th anniversary of the TCH itself, and the 100th anniversary of the first cross-country automobile voyage.

Other major routes like the Yellowhead are certainly on SCH's radar though. Also keep in mind that the company did all this in their first year of operation. They needed to leave something for year two!

 

[Jaff]

I just used the SCH EV charger finder map to help book a room this spring for an EV event in Barrie, ON...makes it very easy if you check the SCH map before booking the hotel as most hotel staff are completely in the dark when asked if their establishment have charging facitlites for EV's...

In my case, I was able to book a room at a hotel that had installed a SCH 90 amp charger...I made sure to advise the front desk staff that they were receiving my business because they had EV charging capabilities...

 

[razasunny54]

Can we use these chargers without staying at the hotels?? has any one tried that...

Regards,
Raza

 

[Doug_G]

I think you'll find you get varying results. If I'm not going to stay I make a point of eating in their restaurant, if they have one.

I always stop by the desk and tell them I'm using it, as a courtesy and also to show that it's useful. Usually the response is very friendly. At the Kingston Best Western they said, "are you staying at the hotel?" "I'm going to eat in your restaurant". "Okay". That was the least welcoming place I've been to, i.e. not that bad.

Unfortunately the Peterborough Best Western doesn't have a restaurant, and that's the one I use the most. They're really nice about it, and I've gone out of my way to stay there. In Peterborough the Berc's Steakhouse also has one, but it's low power (24A delivered versus 70A - huge difference).

 

[Zapped]

If you're ever out in Alberta, the company I work for will be installing a public charging station SCH CS-60 at our business in the next couple of weeks.
We are located close to the rugby, foot ball and soccer fields in St. Albert, AB The location will be on the ReCargo site and we will ask SCH to post it also once it's installed.
A CS-90 charger will also be donated, hopefully to the City of St. Albert, close to downtown, to promote our green city.

http://www.stalbert.ca/community

 

[Vger]

Can we use these chargers without staying at the hotels?? has any one tried that...

Regards,
Raza

I did do this on my beta-testing trip a few times (Whistler Hilton, Greenfield Suites in Calgary, Delta Hotel in Regina, SK). Each time I admitted my plan and was very graciously received and encouraged. I told them that I would certainly patronize the hotel in the future when the timing of my trip supported it. In two cases, I did just that on the return trip.

As Doug_G points out, I think if you make clear that even if you do not use the hotel, that you will refer others to it, and that their business will surely grow as a result, they will appreciate your honesty and enthusiasm.

 

[Jgdixon]

I tried one of their chargers for the first time today. Near Niagara on the Lake at the Hilton. There are supposed to be 2 there but there was only one and a Volt was plugged in. The people at the desk said they didn't know who owned the car (US plates) it looked like it had been there overnight do I unplugged it and plugged my S in. The charge port flashed like it was charging and the screen said it was drawing 69 amps, great I thought. After a 30 minute light lunch got back in the car and it hadn't added anything. Then I realized I probably had to start the charger. If that was the case is it normal for our cars to show that it was charging but it wasn't actually getting current?

 

[Doug_G]

No, that's not normal.

 

[Jaff]

When charging in the wild with the Roadster, I got in the habit of staying with the car (once plugged in) to ensure the car was in fact charging...only takes a few extra moments (and provides peace of mind)...its saved me a couple times...

I tried one of their chargers for the first time today. Near Niagara on the Lake at the Hilton. There are supposed to be 2 there but there was only one and a Volt was plugged in. The people at the desk said they didn't know who owned the car (US plates) it looked like it had been there overnight do I unplugged it and plugged my S in. The charge port flashed like it was charging and the screen said it was drawing 69 amps, great I thought. After a 30 minute light lunch got back in the car and it hadn't added anything. Then I realized I probably had to start the charger. If that was the case is it normal for our cars to show that it was charging but it wasn't actually getting current?