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Supercharger - Aiea, HI (6 stalls)

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The wait is finally over. Oahu is getting a supercharger!
@MarcoRP @Chuq @Pluto


98-1005 MOANALUA RD // BRE/PEARLRIDGE LLC - INSTALLATION OF (12) NEW TESLA EV CHARGING STATIONS @ 2ND FLOOR PARKING GARAGE

Permit: Honolulu Internet Permit System - Building Permit

EDIT: I got too excited. The cost of the construction is listed as $480k, so it seems incredibly likely to be a supercharger, but as there isn't a "supercharger" in the permit description yet, perhaps I posted this prematurely. We'll have to wait and see.
 
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The wait is finally over. Oahu is getting a supercharger!
@MarcoRP @Chuq @Pluto




Permit: Honolulu Internet Permit System - Building Permit

EDIT: I got too excited. The cost of the construction is listed as $480k, so it seems incredibly likely to be a supercharger, but as there isn't a "supercharger" in the permit description yet, perhaps I posted this prematurely. We'll have to wait and see.
One of the applicants is a Tesla executive (I think), so I'll say it's good enough. Thanks for the find!!
 
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Yay! We can all use it for those long distance trips now. 🤣

But I am excited for them to open, so that people who have limited charging opportunities at home, such as apartment dwellers, have somewhere much easier and better to go to than a stop and rob EV Charge port.

Seriously, I looked at the EV charge at the Dole plantation while I was out there. $0.50 for a KW, during off peak!
 
Yay! We can all use it for those long distance trips now. 🤣

But I am excited for them to open, so that people who have limited charging opportunities at home, such as apartment dwellers, have somewhere much easier and better to go to than a stop and rob EV Charge port.

Seriously, I looked at the EV charge at the Dole plantation while I was out there. $0.50 for a KW, during off peak!
I am surprised about the location. The apartment dwellers with no firm charging opportunities that own Teslas are in town. Most of the Volta stations in Ala Moana are taken up by Teslas. The need for any kind of Tesla charging stations is in town. Another issue will be the cost to charge. Unless a business subsidies the cost, expect roughly the $0.50 kW charge. Which will be a huge turn-off and Teslas will be once again hogging up the free Voltas at Ala Moana.
 
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I am surprised about the location. The apartment dwellers with no firm charging opportunities that own Teslas are in town. Most of the Volta stations in Ala Moana are taken up by Teslas. The need for any kind of Tesla charging stations is in town. Another issue will be the cost to charge. Unless a business subsidies the cost, expect roughly the $0.50 kW charge. Which will be a huge turn-off and Teslas will be once again hogging up the free Voltas at Ala Moana.
Be surprised if you wish. But find a property owner/manager on Oahu willing to give up space for Superchargers. We don't know the requirements that either side would request or require on the other to get to an agreement, so we have no right to speculate since we can't do better ourselves.

You might also be surprised that there is a core group of owners that have been lobbying for Tesla only charging locations for years in behalf of those that can't charge at home. That group has offered lists (more than one) over the years of possible locations to the Supercharger Team. Same group doesn't need/likely will not use Tesla EV chargers/Superchargers since they charge at home too.
 
Be surprised if you wish. But find a property owner/manager on Oahu willing to give up space for Superchargers. We don't know the requirements that either side would request or require on the other to get to an agreement, so we have no right to speculate since we can't do better ourselves.

You might also be surprised that there is a core group of owners that have been lobbying for Tesla only charging locations for years in behalf of those that can't charge at home. That group has offered lists (more than one) over the years of possible locations to the Supercharger Team. Same group doesn't need/likely will not use Tesla EV chargers/Superchargers since they charge at home too.
Why would anyone buy a Tesla or any EV if the person doesn't have a firm place, be it work or at home, to charge? I have a Tesla and my wife has a Leaf. We have charging capabilities at home. The issue is with the Leaf in that it has very short range compared to a Tesla. So, often times we find ourselves desperately needing to change at our destination such as Ala Moana only to find it filled with Teslas. With the range of a Tesla, there shouldn't be a need to use these Volta stations if you have firm charging options.

Of course property managers/owners are reluctant to give up space for a supercharger or ev charging. It's a cost to them. If they can't recover the cost, it won't happen. Ala Moana needs more charging stations than the existing Volta for their shoppers alone. However, there's no money in it for them. They could raise rent to subsidize them and justify it to their tenants that shoppers stay longer and spend more when charging. That's a tough sell because the tenants can't get any assurances that they will actually be shopping in their store or the hundreds of other stores at Ala Moana.
 
Why would anyone buy a Tesla or any EV if the person doesn't have a firm place, be it work or at home, to charge? I have a Tesla and my wife has a Leaf. We have charging capabilities at home. The issue is with the Leaf in that it has very short range compared to a Tesla. So, often times we find ourselves desperately needing to change at our destination such as Ala Moana only to find it filled with Teslas. With the range of a Tesla, there shouldn't be a need to use these Volta stations if you have firm charging options.

Of course property managers/owners are reluctant to give up space for a supercharger or ev charging. It's a cost to them. If they can't recover the cost, it won't happen. Ala Moana needs more charging stations than the existing Volta for their shoppers alone. However, there's no money in it for them. They could raise rent to subsidize them and justify it to their tenants that shoppers stay longer and spend more when charging. That's a tough sell because the tenants can't get any assurances that they will actually be shopping in their store or the hundreds of other stores at Ala Moana.
For the first year I owned my Tesla I didn't have the ability to charge my car at home or work.. I made due using the public charging stations around the island, but would of loved a supercharger.
 
Why would anyone buy a Tesla or any EV if the person doesn't have a firm place, be it work or at home, to charge? I have a Tesla and my wife has a Leaf. We have charging capabilities at home. The issue is with the Leaf in that it has very short range compared to a Tesla. So, often times we find ourselves desperately needing to change at our destination such as Ala Moana only to find it filled with Teslas. With the range of a Tesla, there shouldn't be a need to use these Volta stations if you have firm charging options.

Of course property managers/owners are reluctant to give up space for a supercharger or ev charging. It's a cost to them. If they can't recover the cost, it won't happen. Ala Moana needs more charging stations than the existing Volta for their shoppers alone. However, there's no money in it for them. They could raise rent to subsidize them and justify it to their tenants that shoppers stay longer and spend more when charging. That's a tough sell because the tenants can't get any assurances that they will actually be shopping in their store or the hundreds of other stores at Ala Moana.
I've owned more than 30 ICE in my life and I never owned a gas station. I could not even fill the tank at home.

"With the range of a Tesla, there shouldn't be a need to use these Volta stations if you have firm charging options." You answered your own question. They don't have firm charging options.

You own a Tesla and you criticize or envy other Tesla owners for charging in the wild? Wow !
 
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Ala Moana needs more charging stations than the existing Volta for their shoppers alone. However, there's no money in it for them. They could raise rent to subsidize them and justify it to their tenants that shoppers stay longer and spend more when charging. That's a tough sell because the tenants can't get any assurances that they will actually be shopping in their store or the hundreds of other stores at Ala Moana.
Remember.... Supercharging at a shopping center leaves no time to shop. Put in destination chargers - cheap and could probably put in hundreds compared to a Supercharger setup. Plus it's a bonus for merchants.
Hawaii is a unique location challenge for chargers designed for long distance destinations.
 
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I am surprised about the location. The apartment dwellers with no firm charging opportunities that own Teslas are in town. Most of the Volta stations in Ala Moana are taken up by Teslas. The need for any kind of Tesla charging stations is in town. Another issue will be the cost to charge. Unless a business subsidies the cost, expect roughly the $0.50 kW charge. Which will be a huge turn-off and Teslas will be once again hogging up the free Voltas at Ala Moana.
I have to agree. It is a great location for the island in general, but looking at the number of new Tesla’s on the road today they absolutely need something in town. Many of the older condo buildings simply cannot support chargers, and those that can it is still quite expensive to do the install. My building was a $11k estimate for the first charger, and ~$3k for each additional unit. Glad I don’t need to charge in town, but really something has to give quickly. Pearlridge is a tough sell for people in town.

I would think Ala Moana Center on the maikai side between the first two entrances Ewa of Atkinson on Ala Moana would be an easy location (on grade, low value space for equipment) for Tesla, and potentially help rejuvinate the Diamond Head side of the garage there. Not heavily used either.
 
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Remember.... Supercharging at a shopping center leaves no time to shop. Put in destination chargers - cheap and could probably put in hundreds compared to a Supercharger setup. Plus it's a bonus for merchants.
Hawaii is a unique location challenge for chargers designed for long distance destinations.
They don’t need to be 250kW Superchargers necessarily, but 48A is not enough to efficiently use the space. You need at least 60 miles/hour IMO for it to work out, as many people will want to charge up ~200 miles, and the average duration really needs to be under 1.5 hours.
 
Good points. I see no one disagreeing that nearly anywhere downtown would be a great location for downtown owners. I have nothing against the non-Tesla EV owners needing to charge any where they can. For every Tesla only EV charging station that's available - here, that's one less Tesla likely to be trying to charge where any EV can charge, and leaves space for non-Teslas. And of course, less non-Tesla owners messing with a Tesla's trying to charge.

What efforts are going on among the downtown owners to help themselves? Anyone trying to organize an effort to persuade Ala Moana Center to host a bunch of Tesla charging stations?

It might not be quite as attractive as outside the door of many high rises or ALC, but there's also Costco and Home Depot. Costco has a HECO charger near the sandwich shop, one or two stalls, but you need a ChadeMo to use it. Home Depot has a seldom used second level parking area. Perfect location for Superchargers, with both Costco and Home Depot a 2 minute walk away. A couple of years ago, I visited Home Depot and discussed that Home Depot providing space for Tesla chargers. Home Depot was receptive. But they as the host did not reach out to Tesla's Supercharging Team, afaik. I contacted the Supercharger Team also. No response. I suspect because I was not the host business.

I encourage those of you that need downtown charging to organize and campaign with Tesla and businesses for Tesla exclusive charging stations. Reach out to your Tesla friends not on TMC and begin working on Tesla charging stations. There's more than 2,000 Teslas on Oahu alone. Is there enough Tesla charging now? Do you think its going to get better before it becomes desperate?