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Supercharger - Ballarat (Lucas)
- Thread starter SPadival
- Start date
Wow. So only 6km from the existing site.
Looks like 9 ? - 7 shown in picture plus two blank footings.
(Have requested above post be broken out as a new thread, and added entry to Wiki Index)
Looks like 9 ? - 7 shown in picture plus two blank footings.
(Have requested above post be broken out as a new thread, and added entry to Wiki Index)
Last edited:
Chuq
Active Member
Agree, surprising location! I expected an expansion along this route to be somewhere like Ararat. Within range of both Keith and Melbourne (even in a Model 3 RWD), which allows bypassing both Ballarat and Horsham if desired.
It’s a funny spot for it in Ballarat.. Lucas is a new housing estate area and it’s not really close to the freeway like the Wendouree ones. I’ll head out tomorrow and have a look.. i wonder if they might de-comm the Wendouree one. It was a very early install and gets a lot of use. What is the life expectancy of a Supercharger site ?
I wonder if now that there is such a large number of Teslas around that the problem that they now have is not that “There is no charger here and I can’t change” but that “All the chargers are full and I can’t charge”.
The issue is still the same for the user “I can’t charge”, but now need is not determined by desire to drive somewhere, but instead to drive to where I usually drive to.
The original anxiety was about being able to go to wherever an ICE car could go to. The anxiety may be changing as the usual case rather than the extreme case becomes the sticking point.
The issue is still the same for the user “I can’t charge”, but now need is not determined by desire to drive somewhere, but instead to drive to where I usually drive to.
The original anxiety was about being able to go to wherever an ICE car could go to. The anxiety may be changing as the usual case rather than the extreme case becomes the sticking point.
I believe the site lease is usually 5 years with a 5 year extension option, but I'd say if they can maintain the lease there's little reason to decommission the site once its in place.
@meloccom Can we get the posts on the new Ballarat site split out into a new "Supercharger - Ballarat (Lucas)" thread please?
I wonder if the separate one might get configured as a "drive through" for those with trailers. Looks like there is adequate space.
Zoltrix77
Member
Seems a little out of the way... however, it least its near things like a servo, cafes and take-away food.....
Yeah it does seem strange.. Although if the state/federal government ever gets some $$ this link/ring road will go 1/2 the way around Ballarat and become a major road.
The current site in Wendouree with 6 chargers is pretty busy.
This site is close to Mc Donalds, KFC, Woolworths, few cafes.. so its no too bad not a lot of retail like the existing site.
The current site in Wendouree with 6 chargers is pretty busy.
This site is close to Mc Donalds, KFC, Woolworths, few cafes.. so its no too bad not a lot of retail like the existing site.
Think some recent council proposals have been for 5+5+5.
That said of the earlier sites Star Casino and St.Leonards didn't last long, so it might be very site dependent.
Very much planning for the future then.
Chuq
Active Member
I don't get the outrage/vexation people are expressing over a new supercharger site. (not just here, in other Tesla groups too)
Yes, it's 6 km from another supercharger... and? I'm sure there are servos in Ballarat that have other servos within 6 km. There will be a need for 16 stalls in Ballarat before too long. We've seen 6-8 stall sites on other major highways experience high levels of congestion. You don't want to wait for that to occur. Remember the next site along is Horsham.. with 3 stalls. Definitely a bottleneck they want to avoid.
It takes time to develop a fast charger/supercharger site. Agreements with councils, land-owners, lease contracts, electricity supply, electricity upgrades. Supply of substations, contractors. Not to mention ensuring the site selected has all the facilities that drivers would need and expect.
When it looks like Tesla isn't doing anything I have no doubt they have a dozen or more sites in progress at various stages - some will move faster than others - and note that only the last couple of months of work is visible (the whole process can be 18-24 months). Just because Tesla are building this site, it doesn't mean they're throwing <location near you which you would prefer> on the junk heap. It just means that negotiations with whoever they were dealing with in this case (land owner, power company) moved quicker than expected.
There can also be other things at play. Some good comments in this thread, for example, about potential for their old lease ending, as well as the plans for the Ballarat Ring Road.
It's a new supercharger - no need to be negative!
Yes, it's 6 km from another supercharger... and? I'm sure there are servos in Ballarat that have other servos within 6 km. There will be a need for 16 stalls in Ballarat before too long. We've seen 6-8 stall sites on other major highways experience high levels of congestion. You don't want to wait for that to occur. Remember the next site along is Horsham.. with 3 stalls. Definitely a bottleneck they want to avoid.
It takes time to develop a fast charger/supercharger site. Agreements with councils, land-owners, lease contracts, electricity supply, electricity upgrades. Supply of substations, contractors. Not to mention ensuring the site selected has all the facilities that drivers would need and expect.
When it looks like Tesla isn't doing anything I have no doubt they have a dozen or more sites in progress at various stages - some will move faster than others - and note that only the last couple of months of work is visible (the whole process can be 18-24 months). Just because Tesla are building this site, it doesn't mean they're throwing <location near you which you would prefer> on the junk heap. It just means that negotiations with whoever they were dealing with in this case (land owner, power company) moved quicker than expected.
There can also be other things at play. Some good comments in this thread, for example, about potential for their old lease ending, as well as the plans for the Ballarat Ring Road.
It's a new supercharger - no need to be negative!
For a few recent examples, Evie Nagambie was construction complete in April but it took another 3 months to commission it; Evie Kingston took about 5 months.
AussieOwner
White M3 2021 LR
bradjc
Member
Did a drive by last night, couple of guys working on it. Don’t get out that way often but feels like Lucas area growing quickly.
srwx
"perf_config": "P1"
10th pedestal installed today in a position that could allow for charging if you're towing if they did a little bit of gardening 
edit: oh wait that was there the last time I visited I just didn't notice
I was in too much shock seeing new superchargers on my usual shop.
edit: oh wait that was there the last time I visited I just didn't notice
I was in too much shock seeing new superchargers on my usual shop.
RichardV
Member
Don't seem to be any charging cabinets yet. Would be interested to know if there are 3 or 4 and what the electrical faceplate is for those, particularly if only 3 installed. Like this one Supercharger - Campbelltown, NSW. If only 3 cabinets are used would expect at least one to be a 4 output unit unlike most other Australian installs.10th pedestal installed today in a position that could allow for charging if you're towing if they did a little bit of gardening
View attachment 963423
edit: oh wait that was there the last time I visited I just didn't notice
srwx
"perf_config": "P1"
Yes large white cabinets are there right now, much larger than the ones at the other site. They are on a concrete section between the 2 pedestals off on their own and the group of 8 together, just to the right of my photo 
