Supercharger - Birmingham, AL

[ElectricTundra]

I've done it in my P85D with about 600 lbs of cargo. Last Jan we drove from Chanticleer Inn B&B (Chanticleer Inn Bed & Breakfast, a Select Registry Property | Chargerville) to a friend's house on lake Guntersville. Stopped at Albertville Nissan to charge but only got 9 miles (in 50 minutes so really slow). After dinner drove down (and up and down and up and down ...) 231 and 79 to Birmingham. I was feathering the pedal the last few miles on 79 and through Birmingham to the Hilton Perimeter where I plugged in at The Colonnade charger by Taziki's with something like 11 miles left IIRC.

Going back the other way we arrived at the Chattanooga Supercharger (from Colonnade) with plenty of room to spare. Couldn't find my spreadsheet for details though.

EVTripPlanner should give you a fairly accurate read on what to expect. It's been quite accurate for us.

OK, found a photo of screen. 162.5 miles, 56.7kWh, 348Wh/mi

 

[Jeff Hudson]

Try using
EV Trip Planner

I've read the planner is very accurate.

 

[AB4EJ]

The more the merrier. Mark your calendar, next meet will be at :

Thursday, December 8th 11:30 am-ish
Carrigan’s Public House
2430 Morris Avenue
Downtown Birmingham, 35203
As you probably know, Carrigan’s has a large lot across the street from the entrance, perfect for our Tesla line-up.

Hope to see you all there.

Thanks for info, I have put it on my calendar.

 

[WalleyBear]

Has anyone made the trip from Birmingham to Chattanooga? I'm curious about how many miles were used. I'm concerned about my S60 on that route due to the elevation changes.

I made that trip about 3 weeks ago in my S 70D and started in Birmingham with around 230 miles of range and ended at about 55 miles. Used the supercharger there prior to the return trip to Birmingham.

 

[N4HHE]

Has anyone made the trip from Birmingham to Chattanooga? I'm curious about how many miles were used. I'm concerned about my S60 on that route due to the elevation changes.

It's about 160 miles and the road is probably going to consume 160 miles of range at posted speed limits.

 

[doubleohwhat]

Thanks guys. It sounds like I'll be able to make it but it'll be close. We really need a few more chargers (of any kind) on I-59 between Birmingham and Chattanooga. I think the only one available is at a Nissan dealership in Gadsden and to my knowledge it's just a single level 2 charger.

BTW, I have a CHAdeMo adapter that I'm considering loaning out. No charge. I'd just need either a copy of your drivers license or a deposit. If you know someone is coming through town and needs a quick charge between now and whenever the supercharger is open, I don't mind running the adapter over to Benton Nissan.

 

[DiamondDave]

Thanks guys. It sounds like I'll be able to make it but it'll be close. We really need a few more chargers (of any kind) on I-59 between Birmingham and Chattanooga. I think the only one available is at a Nissan dealership in Gadsden and to my knowledge it's just a single level 2 charger.

BTW, I have a CHAdeMo adapter that I'm considering loaning out. No charge. I'd just need either a copy of your drivers license or a deposit. If you know someone is coming through town and needs a quick charge between now and whenever the supercharger is open, I don't mind running the adapter over to Benton Nissan.

That's really generous, thanks. Hopefully it won't be necessary the next time we go to Alabama, prob next spring or summer...

Our trip:
We left Tuscaloosa at almost 100% in my P85+, 258 RM. Only made a quick stop at a rest stop. Arrived at the Chattanooga SuC with 33 RM left, total of 211.3 mi travelled (about 60 miles from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham). Averaged 298 Wh/mi. I believe I kept my speed down to 65 mph. Travelling with five people and a ridiculous amount of luggage.

 

[GloverCom]

Slightly off topic but will be travelling thru Bham in the coming months and was looking for recommended locations to charge in town. Love plugshare but looking for reliability, availability and ease of use recommendations for quick 30-40 mile charge to get the rest of the way to Greenville SC or back to home.

Jackyl06, there's a public charger at the Colonnade (that is almost ALWAYS open...). It's in Taziki's parking lot: https://goo.gl/maps/6L217A69pVF2

Don't forget your adapter. There's plenty of options for food around there to hangout and relax while it charges.

 

[Jackyl06]

Thanks for the suggestion GloverCom. Will be in Birmingham in a couple weeks and plan on checking out all the locations before the trip to the beach later in the year.

Do you recall what the mi/hr charge rate was at the Colonnade location.

 

[ElectricTundra]

Colonnade is no charge (IIRC the access code is written on the top of the charger). Do mention to any places nearby that you are there because of the charger though so that they'll know they're getting business from it.

 

[theslimshadyist]

Is the CHAdeMo adapter still hovering around the $500 price point? I would like to have one but the "cost per use" tho!

 

[doubleohwhat]

Yep, it's still $450 plus tax/shipping.

 

[N4HHE]

Do you recall what the mi/hr charge rate was at the Colonnade location.

If it's L2 then it will be less than the 29 MPH of a 10 kW EVSE. Most are 7.6 kW or less. A year or so ago the EVSE at Barber Motorsports Museum was less than 5 kW. It's gone now, museum expansion built on top.

It's painful to travel via L2 but for overnight stays.

 

[doubleohwhat]

It's definitely a level two. I've also seen it iced a few times.

I think the only DC fast charger in town is at the Nissan dealership in Hoover. I wish we had a few more.

 

[S100D]

Thanks for the suggestion GloverCom. Will be in Birmingham in a couple weeks and plan on checking out all the locations before the trip to the beach later in the year.

Do you recall what the mi/hr charge rate was at the Colonnade location.

There are 2 L-2 chargers at the Colonnade. The last time I charged there, I got 30 Amps at between 14-16 mph. I forgot the exact mph.

 

[ElectricTundra]

Is the CHAdeMo adapter still hovering around the $500 price point? I would like to have one but the "cost per use" tho!

OTOH, if you need juice and the only source is a CHAdeMO and you don't have the adapter... Priceless.

 

[ElectricTundra]

I've also seen it iced a few times.

That just frosts by ass... There was a story on here a year or so ago about a guy who needed a charge at a similar shopping center near a hotel thing. It was ICE'd. He parked in front of the two ICE cars with no room for them to move and left notes on their windshields that he needed to charge and when they were ready to leave to give him a call and he'd come more his car. I'd have been worried my car would have been towed or sledge hammered or both but he said he got a quite nice and sheepish call from one of them about 1am apologizing.

 

[doubleohwhat]

We need a law that allows any vehicle other than a plugged in EV to be towed at the owners expense or at least a fine.

I'm currently on my first road trip in my Tesla and until now, I've never realized how badly we need additional chargers in AL. To finally find one and have it be ICE'd is incredibly frustrating.

Btw, I think Tesla needs to have a volt/amp requirement before allowing businesses to be listed on the destination charger map. A HPWC on a 15 amp circuit doesn't do a whole lot of good.

 

[doubleohwhat]

if you need juice and the only source is a CHAdeMO and you don't have the adapter... Priceless

Exactly. Other than the superchargers, CHAdeMO chargers are the only quick chargers we have (and the number of available chargers is growing). Level 2's are fine for destination charging but it's hard to travel via them.

 

[ElectricTundra]

Btw, I think Tesla needs to have a volt/amp requirement before allowing businesses to be listed on the destination charger map. A HPWC on a 15 amp circuit doesn't do a whole lot of good.

That could eliminate a lot of destination chargers. For those at B&B's or hotels where people let their cars charge overnight a 15a may be all they need and much better than nothing.

That said, when you charge you should add a review to Chargerville with your experience including volt/amp and MPH charge rates.