Supercharger - Alexandria, MN

[DivelyS]

I'd support that although my interests are mainly along I-29. If I was in charge, Alexandria MN would be secondary to Fargo ND, which is at the intersection of I-94 and I-29. Why is Fargo not yet supported? Watertown SD should be just as important as Alexandria in opening up to Fargo...

I tried two years ago to set Watertown up for
Tesla. I drove my Tesla out to the Technical College at Watertown from St. Paul (4 miles of range left on my 2015 Model S when I limped in to the 240 V at the College to charge), detected interest at the college, found an excellent charging location and got interest from them and then emailed Tesla’s Charger Department.

I quickly found that enthusiastic loyal customers no longer get the interest from Tesla that they did in 2015, as we do their spade work for them on a volunteer basis.

I got crickets!

 

[MikeMacMan]

The form could be trailer mounted chademos with biodiesel-fueled generators.

And who is going to pay for that?

 

[Evbwcaer]

And who is going to pay for that?

Probably the users, but hopefully nobody. If we just started a crowd funding campaign, it may draw enough enough attention that Tesla would be embarrassed enough to take action.

 

[CarlB]

Is it possible there's nothing flagged in the proposed Alexandria location because there's nothing to flag on that grassy knoll? (How does a utility company say "nope, nothing here"?)

In ND, when a line locate request is submitted the excavator outlines a dig area and all stakeholders with interests in the area are notified to perform locates separately. The excavator is given a checklist of the interested parties, and will be contacted by each one with 72 hours of the request put in as to the status of the locate. In the event that there is nothing to flag the locator will call/email the excavator and report "all clear", but no actual markings will be placed on the ground.


Source: 5 years of oilfield operations building and repairing pads in North Dakota.

 

[CarlB]

Clearwater can't be used as it's an endpoint in the middle of nowhere. If you complete the router I know it will see more use. So that's a bad excuse to give Tesla.

Tweet storm? Full page add in a newspaper is much more effective and picks up media attention.

I'm awaiting a construction meeting in Dickinson before I go the newspaper route. Because if that meetings sets dates, YAY!

Not that I want to give Tesla even the hint that the current set is fine, but the newly authorized CHAdeMO chargers for my model 3 have allowed me to shave considerable travel time off of my weekly Dickinson -> St Paul commute. I was getting 41kW on the low end, up to 48 kW as it ramped up. Unlike the superchargers it seemed to increase rate of charge as SoC went up, full charge in about 1.5 hours in Fargo to make the trek west.

 

[MD-2000]

Yes, consider what’s happening. This is analogous to ICE cars. Tesla can’t really hope to build every gas station in the country or even every highway gas station. Fortunately EVs are getting close to the critical mass where others fill in the gaps due to demand.

I wonder too what it will be like for ICE vehicles a decade or two down the line when fewer gas stations are around and finding a gas station is the problem.

 

[meanwhileinND]

I can see present day gas/convience stations adding charging stations. The infrastructure is already there. At least in the short term

 

[mociaf9]

Not that I want to give Tesla even the hint that the current set is fine, but the newly authorized CHAdeMO chargers for my model 3 have allowed me to shave considerable travel time off of my weekly Dickinson -> St Paul commute. I was getting 41kW on the low end, up to 48 kW as it ramped up. Unlike the superchargers it seemed to increase rate of charge as SoC went up, full charge in about 1.5 hours in Fargo to make the trek west.

That's expected behavior. Charging on CHAdeMO, you're limited by the max current of 125 amps. Which is much lower than the car can take. So, as pack voltage rises with a filling up battery, the charging kW rate will also rise because you're already getting the full current the whole time.

 

[Manitoba Keith]

Tesla can’t really hope to build every gas station in the country

Tesla seems to be doing a pretty decent job so far. Yes, moving slowly in our areas and I certainly hope they get the northern US and Canada completed so we can travel easily with chargers along the route. In the summer, I can get to Grand Forks OK, and do an overnight, but not a hope in the winter - UNTIL Winnipeg or Pembina gets built.

 

[MD-2000]

I can see present day gas/convience stations adding charging stations. The infrastructure is already there. At least in the short term

That’s a theory... but then they will need a long term business model. A charge point can go almost anywhere there’s a parking spot. It doesn’t need an attendant or a booth to take money or sell you oil or transmission fluid. There’s a lot less of the expensive risk of leaky tanks, you don’t need regular tanker deliveries. Plus I wonder what the relative profit margins are? I spend $40 for a tank full that gets me what? Six hours driving? But service station chargers will have to compete with every Walmart or supermarket or 7-11 that avoided the hassle of a full gas bar, not to mention restaurants and hotels.

A lot of gas stations will die off as demand drops. There are times where I’ve been in the middle of nowhere wondering how far to another gas station or whether they’re open . Imagine where that becomes common everywhere for ICE cars. I think one day demand for iCE will drop off a cliff due to fuel hassles.

You’ll know this is happening as the number of gas bars starts to drop precipitously. Probably 15 years away, but... interesting to speculate.

 

[Manitoba Keith]

Slightly off topic.
Is there a SC in Fargo?
Tesla doesn't list one as completed but, A Better Route Planner does
Tesla Supercharger, 8 stalls, 120kW
5680 23rd Ave S, Fargo
Just wondering if that is correct.

 

[VIKING26]

Slightly off topic.
Is there a SC in Fargo?
Tesla doesn't list one as completed but, A Better Route Planner does
Tesla Supercharger, 8 stalls, 120kW
5680 23rd Ave S, Fargo
Just wondering if that is correct.

I'm not seeing the Fargo SC on A Better Route Planner. Anyways, the Fargo SC hasn't started construction. If you want to follow updates there is a forum for it...Fargo ND Supercharger

 

[Manitoba Keith]

I'm not seeing the Fargo SC on A Better Route Planner. Anyways, the Fargo SC hasn't started construction. If you want to follow updates there is a forum for it...Fargo ND Supercharger

Thanks. In ABRP start a new Route, type in Fargo, 3rd item down in the choices is Tesla Supercharger Fargo. But, given you live there I'll believe you

 

[MD-2000]

Slightly off topic.
Is there a SC in Fargo?
Tesla doesn't list one as completed but, A Better Route Planner does
Tesla Supercharger, 8 stalls, 120kW
5680 23rd Ave S, Fargo
Just wondering if that is correct.

that's the address for Casey's. where they are allegedly doing a site survey for a coming supercharger. But, for now all that's there is a bunch of utility flags.

 

[Manitoba Keith]

Thanks Good to hear the Flags are up. Might be a harbinger of construction coming soon.

 

[meanwhileinND]

Be great to see some Tesla crates arrive!

 

[Manitoba Keith]

It certainly would. In all our black hole areas. I think it will take quite a while for them to get the equipment here in Brandon. In-ground construction was completed a couple of weeks ago so I'm thinking that once they get all the ground work done in all locations, another crew will place the chargers. Sadly, most companies usually wait for the cold weather to get the electricians out! Experience.

 

[MD-2000]

Thanks Good to hear the Flags are up. Might be a harbinger of construction coming soon.

My wife was there a week ago - still only the utility flags in Fargo - but flags is some progress. The alleged site in Grand Forks, in the Target parking lot in front of the Auto Center - not even flags yet. People in Pembina know nuthink, hear nuthink, see nussink. So ND may be a little longer yet.

 

[Manitoba Keith]

Ah, Grand Forks, close to "Jimmy Johns" will work great for me !
Really, if there is a charger at Fargo or Alexandria, my concerns will be "Not so much!"
GF, I can stay at the hotel but it will add an extra 1/2 day to the trip. Hope there are roses there to smell.

 

[MD-2000]

Ah, Grand Forks, close to "Jimmy Johns" will work great for me !
Really, if there is a charger at Fargo or Alexandria, my concerns will be "Not so much!"
GF, I can stay at the hotel but it will add an extra 1/2 day to the trip. Hope there are roses there to smell.

I have a Model 3 LR-AWD - but my concern is how far I could get from Winnipeg with 500k nominal on those winter 0F/-20C days. GF, 230km probably. Fargo, 350km - i don't know what happens in winter. I suppose a short L2 charge in GF might help. But then, getting back would be a problem.

(I have an insulated but not heated garage, so typically it's roughly just at freezing on the coldest nights. But then - it charges overnight so the batteries would be freshly warmed over.