Supercharger - Auburn MA

[bhuwan]

I still can't understand why Tesla picked such a poor location for a supercharger. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that we have it, but this location is so out of the way.

The Charlton plaza would have been nicer

 

[PeterK]

I still can't understand why Tesla picked such a poor location for a supercharger. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that we have it, but this location is so out of the way.

The Charlton plaza would have been nicer

Charlton was definitely their first choice, and a Tesla exec even mentioned that it was underway in a newspaper interview a couple of years ago. I heard from someone who consults on EV charger locations that MA was concerned about the optics of providing facilities on a state highway that were only usable by people with expensive cars. The newspaper interview could have had a negative impact on the discussion, who knows. Unfortunate because in a couple years they would have been used by people with far more affordable Teslas. Glad that not all states are like that, e.g. CT putting Superchargers in several service areas.

 

[tga]

MA was concerned about the optics of providing facilities on a state highway that were only usable by people with expensive cars.

Which, of course, is classic MA thinking...

Charlton would be better for travellers on the Mass Pike, but it would have left north/south travellers on 395/290 out in the cold. Auburn (at the intersection of the roads) does allow more travellers to charge, at the inconvenience of others.

A lot of through-travellers going from CT/NY to northeast MA/Portsmouth/ME get off in Auburn anyway and take 90/290/495. It's a bit shorter and you save a bit in tolls.

 

[tliving]

Just FYI for those looking for something to do while charging, you can scratch off browsing through Macys, it is closed. Apparently it is one of the many underperforming stores Macys said they were closing.

Don't care much about Macys but wheres the nearest bathroom to the SC now?

 

[PeterK]

The pizza place?

 

[Nikxice]

We charged in Auburn last Saturday. Asked a retail employee inside the mall about the Macy's closure. Was told that Simon Properties was looking to move ahead and demolish the Macy's to make way for the planned 12 screen theater. I guess everyone already knew this was an older mall. Old enough I was told, that the Macy's was formally a Caldor's. Maybe you have to be over 45 to remember them? With a TBA restaurant also going in, it's probably fortuitous that the Superchargers were built on the fringe of the property.

I just looked back to find the damage pictures posted of 4A and 4B. Post 196. Glad to see Tesla providing upkeep. Noticed last Saturday that the damaged plastic has been replaced.

 

[mitch672]

The pizza place?

Yup, Golden Pizza:

Google Maps

20 Auburn St, Auburn, MA 01501
goldenpizza.net
(508) 721-1271
Open now: 10:30AM–2AM
Menu goldenpizza.net

Golden Pizza 20 Auburn St, Auburn, MA 01501

Or give us a call at (508) 721-1271
Fax (508) 721-1333
Sun -Tue: 10:30 am to 12 midnight
Wed - Thu: 10:30 am to 1:00 am
Fri - Sat: 10:30 am to 2:00 am
20 Auburn St, Auburn, MA 01501


There is also a Subway in the mall, and in general, don't malls have public bathrooms?

 

[shelbri]

Yup, Golden Pizza:

There is also a Subway in the mall, and in general, don't malls have public bathrooms?

They do indeed but only when the mall is open. I like the chargers being out of the way requiring a walk to the mall. This is a good way to kill a little time and also minimizes ICEing.

 

[mitch672]

They do indeed but only when the mall is open. I like the chargers being out of the way requiring a walk to the mall. This is a good way to kill a little time and also minimizes ICEing.

Sure, but if you look at the hours Golden Pizza is open, it is open much later than the mall, and it is also a shorter walk from the SuperChargers, plus I'd rather support a small business than a national chain.

 

[tliving]

Sure, but if you look at the hours Golden Pizza is open, it is open much later than the mall, and it is also a shorter walk from the SuperChargers, plus I'd rather support a small business than a national chain.

Funny, I never thought about going there. Good idea if they're friendly.

 

[Bluespark]

I get a kick out of people complaining about Tesla's choice of locations for superchargers. The assumption is that they can put them wherever they want? Forgetting about finding cooperative property owners near major routes that have places for people to get something to eat, use the bathrooms, etc. Then that given town has to allow the construction of a SC site.

The Auburn site is within site of the highway. How is that out of the way?

 

[RDoc]

The Auburn site really makes a lot more sense than the service center on the Pike because it's accessible from both the Pike and 290/395. I've found it quite easy to get to and a reasonable location.

The location I don't like is W. Springfield, it really is a long way from the Pike.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

The main Macy's store didn't close, just the Home Goods. The theater will go there and the new restaurant will be freestanding and close to the SCs, so ICEing may occur.

The Dunkin Donuts isn't that far, or the Shell station, but I'm not sure if either is 24/7.

Unlike NJ, the Pike rest areas would require coverage on both sides, this location is very efficient. It's really not that far off the Pike.

 

[shelbri]

The location I don't like is W. Springfield, it really is a long way from the Pike.

But is only a few minutes off I-91. While the location feels isolated being in the back of shopping plaza, I think it is actually fairly well located from the exit and available food and shopping.

I also agree with Bluespark - the supercharger network is pretty amazing. I have now travelled as far north as VT and Utica, NY and as far south as Florida on the network.

Traveling 5 minutes or so out of your way to fuel up cost free is outstanding. How far do people travel to get $0.01/gallon better price at gas stations.

 

[Robert.Boston]

Golden Pizza makes very good pizza, but unfortunately has effectively zero seating—it's set up for pick-up and delivery customers. They do have bathrooms.

 

[AWDtsla]

I still can't understand why Tesla picked such a poor location for a supercharger. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that we have it, but this location is so out of the way.

The Charlton plaza would have been nicer

This location serves 2 highways with convenience. The only problem with it is the non-familiy-friendly walking distances to things like bathrooms and food. By that I also include suburbanites who may die from a heart attack at the quarter mile walk to the dunkin donuts. They should have built on the side facing dunkin/starbucks/arby's/etc. On the plus side ICEing is unlikely on this end of the mall.

- - - Updated - - -

Golden Pizza makes very good pizza, but unfortunately has effectively zero seating—it's set up for pick-up and delivery customers. They do have bathrooms.

Until midnight...

 

[Snow Drift]

I still can't understand why Tesla picked such a poor location for a supercharger. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that we have it, but this location is so out of the way.

The Charlton plaza would have been nicer

Agreed. We travel from NY to NH a lot and we usually stop at Charlton for the bathroom, food and gas.

While we do take I-290, the overall ambiance of the Pike rest stop would be nicer for a 20+ minute charge.

The NH I-93 rest stop supercharger location is great.

 

[Pollux]

Hey... while I myself prefer some Superchargers to others (e.g., Darien CT over Milford CT), I confess that I feel like I can't bring myself to voice any criticisms over site choice. When I stop at Auburn MA or Milford CT much less the amazing setup at Newark DE, I am always thinking to myself,

OH

MY

GOSH!!!!!

Tesla HAS DONE ALL THE WORK TO PROVIDE ME WITH THIS SUPERCHARGER!!!!!!

I CAN GO FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND ZAP FAST ELECTRONS INTO MY BATTERY!!!!!!!!!!!

Try doing THAT in your Leaf or e-Compliance Car or upcoming Bolt or even your Porsche 918 .

I remember creeping along in the right hand lane at 50 mph when driving from Boston to DC, with range mode on, with the heater shut off, conserving battery power like mad, in the middle of winter, while my wife quietly avoided panic'ing out loud about whether we were going to make it or just all going to be abducted from the side of the road by maniacs while we waited for a tow truck.

This Supercharger thing is freakin' awesome!

Alan

P.S. Now, I'll go back to sleep for another month.

 

[Pollux]

P.S. That original $995 spent for the Tesla Paint Armor that they offered back in 2013 and so wisely dropped from their menu? Now THAT I'll be happy to rant about.

 

[EdA]

Yes, @Pollux, I can see how you've avoided that DC/Boston range anxiety by moving to DC