Supercharger - Bishop, CA (LIVE 18 Nov 2020, 12 stalls)

[ecarfan]

Now that the Inyokern and Lone Pine Superchargers are operational, and travel on Hwy 395 is easier, I thought I would start a new thread about the possibility of a Supercharger in Bishop. The Tesla Motors Supercharger map at Supercharger | Tesla Motors seems to indicate more Superchargers coming on the 395 this year, but of course the map is too low resolution to allow for the locations to be determined.

I am hoping for an SC in Bishop and an SC in Lee Vining, preferably at the Whoa Nellie Deli (intersection of 395 and 120)

If you have any info about a new Supercharger in Bishop or somewhere north of Lone Pine, please post it here.

 

[WarrenInCA]

It would be nice to travel between Truckee and Mammoth.

 

[ecarfan]

The Tesla website 2015 Supercharger map appears to show a Supercharger planned for the Reno/Sparks area. It's only 167 miles from Reno to Mammoth so that would be an easy trip.

But I still think there should be a Supercharger in Lee Vining and in Bishop. Reno to Bishop is 203 miles which is a bit too far for comfort in wintertime temperatures. A Supercharger in Lee Vining would also make it easier to get from the Manteca Supercharger across the Sierras to 395, though you would still need to stop somewhere for an L2 charge along the way. The Groveland Hotel in Groveland has an 80A HPWC that they let non-guests use for $10.

 

[dmckinstry]

Bishop is too near to Lone Pine to be of much use. It's been speculated that Lee Vining would be a probable location. On Friday (the 13th) I charged in Lone Pine and spent the night there. The next day, I added back the ~60 miles getting to Bishop in the Highlands RV park in order to make it Reno. Arrived in Reno with about 40 miles, so I could have gone directly to Truckee. Lee Vining would be a better location to easily make it to Tahoe, Truckee or Reno.

 

[ecarfan]

You are quite right. I failed to check the distance from Lone Pine to Bishop, it's only 57 miles. No point in placing an SC there. Lone Pine to Lee Vining is just 122 miles, but there is an elevation increase.

Let's hope the next SC on 395 is in Lee Vining.

 

[emupilot]

In May of last year, Tesla approached the City of Bishop with a proposal to put superchargers on city-owned property. The city didn't like the terms and gave Tesla a counter-offer, but Tesla rejected that. I haven't seen any rumblings from Bishop since.

 

[GRA]

You are quite right. I failed to check the distance from Lone Pine to Bishop, it's only 57 miles. No point in placing an SC there. Lone Pine to Lee Vining is just 122 miles, but there is an elevation increase.

Let's hope the next SC on 395 is in Lee Vining.

On the contrary, Bishop is needed so that people (especially in S60s) who are heading up to trailheads and/or campgrounds without power between Bishop and Lee Vining (when coming from the south), or between Bishop and Lone Pine (when coming from the north) can make the round trip with no worries and no long waits at a 15-40 or HPWC. I'm always coming from the north, and might be headed up to either the White Mountains, Bishop/Big Pine Creek/Onion Valley trailheads, etc., typically with a load, normally at night, sometimes in fall. Most people who travel over to 395 are going somewhere off it, not just tooling along it between Mojave/Kramer Junction and Reno. Bishop will also (eventually) provide the link to Tonopah. So, while Lee Vining (and an SC in either Groveland or Jamestown, not just the HPWC in the former) is a higher priority than Bishop, we want both.

 

[cpa]

Bishop

I have it on pretty good authority that Tesla is actively pursuing a Supercharger in Bishop. Details still need to be hammered out before a permit is issued, so it is anyone's guess when a permit is finally granted.

That said, Bishop is also at the junction of US6 with US395, and US6 provides access eastward to Tonopah and Ely across the Great Basin. I feel that Tesla will eventually back fill the Supercharger Highway for US95 between Reno and Las Vegas; US93/US93A from Wells/West Wendover to Las Vegas. This will require a Supercharger in Tonopah and Ely and Caliente to be able to reach Lost Wages and points south for all the snowbirds from Canada.

California State Route 120 is frequently closed during the winter (if we will ever get snow again) from 8 miles east of its eastern junction with US395 to Benton Hot Springs, but US6 is always open.

Lee Vining makes more sense than Bridgeport, but maybe Tesla will endeavor to place a Supercharger in Gardnerville or Minden instead, with a destination charger at the Whoa Nellie Deli at the foot of Tioga Road. We will just have to stay tuned!

 

[GRA]

I have it on pretty good authority that Tesla is actively pursuing a Supercharger in Bishop. Details still need to be hammered out before a permit is issued, so it is anyone's guess when a permit is finally granted.

That said, Bishop is also at the junction of US6 with US395, and US6 provides access eastward to Tonopah and Ely across the Great Basin. I feel that Tesla will eventually back fill the Supercharger Highway for US95 between Reno and Las Vegas; US93/US93A from Wells/West Wendover to Las Vegas. This will require a Supercharger in Tonopah and Ely and Caliente to be able to reach Lost Wages and points south for all the snowbirds from Canada.

California State Route 120 is frequently closed during the winter (if we will ever get snow again) from 8 miles east of its eastern junction with US395 to Benton Hot Springs, but US6 is always open.

Lee Vining makes more sense than Bridgeport, but maybe Tesla will endeavor to place a Supercharger in Gardnerville or Minden instead, with a destination charger at the Whoa Nellie Deli at the foot of Tioga Road. We will just have to stay tuned!

The 2015 map does show an SC in either Stateline or Minden/Gardnerville (the map is hard to read, but it appears to me it's well east of the state line) as well as SLT, so that should close 395. Bridgeport would still be a nice to have, though, and ultimately we want them in pretty much any town big enough to have a gas station, spaced no more than 30 miles or so apart. That's quite a ways down the road (so to speak). Going to Google maps and entering something like "gas stations near Bishop (or Lee Vining), CA" will show you where they all are, and where we eventually want SCs; most are obvious.

 

[GRA]

Does anyone have any news on Lee Vining, Bishop, Minden/Gardnerville and/or SLT, now that 120 is open (albeit they've got roadwork going on all season)?

 

[tbleakne]

I am hoping for an SC in Bishop and an SC in Lee Vining, preferably at the Whoa Nellie Deli (intersection of 395 and 120)

If you have any info about a new Supercharger in Bishop or somewhere north of Lone Pine, please post it here.

Last summer and fall I had communications with the owner and his daughter of the Whoa Nellie Deli. I showed the daughter, the manager, my MS parked outside their restaurant, and encouraged them to apply to Tesla for a free HPWC, and explained to them the advantages of their location. I sent them email showing other HPWC installations. Much later the owner emailed me that they were very interested. That was some months ago, and I have not heard from them since.

One possible problem is that the restaurant closes in the winter, although I believe the gas station stays open. Another problem is that parking during their busy summer season is very tight.

If Tesla put in a full SC station, there might be sufficient budget to expand the parking lot.

If anyone is passing through, I encourage you to ask them about status. Mention my inquiry last year, red Tesla. Look for the busiest person in the place, and that would be the manager.

 

[cpa]

Last summer and fall I had communications with the owner and his daughter of the Whoa Nellie Deli. I showed the daughter, the manager, my MS parked outside their restaurant, and encouraged them to apply to Tesla for a free HPWC, and explained to them the advantages of their location. I sent them email showing other HPWC installations. Much later the owner emailed me that they were very interested. That was some months ago, and I have not heard from them since.

One possible problem is that the restaurant closes in the winter, although I believe the gas station stays open. Another problem is that parking during their busy summer season is very tight.

If Tesla put in a full SC station, there might be sufficient budget to expand the parking lot.

If anyone is passing through, I encourage you to ask them about status. Mention my inquiry last year, red Tesla. Look for the busiest person in the place, and that would be the manager.

View attachment 83978

I plan on taking a leisurely drive up 395 the last week in June. I will try to remember to stop by. I can see having an HPWC located there because of the closure of the Deli during winter. It makes sense for summer travelers using Tioga Pass or spending some time in the Eastern Sierra. However, Lee Vining proper is about a third of a mile north. I know of White's Cafe, but not much else that is open during winter (but could be wrong.) With three locations at Mammoth Mountain with HPWC and Bishop an hour or so away, the likelihood of a Supercharger in Lee Vining is remote in my opinion.

Bishop to Gardnerville is about 160 miles, doable for all 85s and 70s, and mostly doable in 60s, even during winter with careful driving.

The only advantage of placing a SC in Lee Vining would be that if Tesla decides to place a SC in Tonopah and Ely, then this location would open up crossing the Great Basin on SR120 and US6, or reaching Lost Wages after crossing the Sierra over one of the mountain passes.

 

[GRA]

I plan on taking a leisurely drive up 395 the last week in June. I will try to remember to stop by. I can see having an HPWC located there because of the closure of the Deli during winter. It makes sense for summer travelers using Tioga Pass or spending some time in the Eastern Sierra. However, Lee Vining proper is about a third of a mile north. I know of White's Cafe, but not much else that is open during winter (but could be wrong.) With three locations at Mammoth Mountain with HPWC and Bishop an hour or so away, the likelihood of a Supercharger in Lee Vining is remote in my opinion.

Bishop to Gardnerville is about 160 miles, doable for all 85s and 70s, and mostly doable in 60s, even during winter with careful driving.

The only advantage of placing a SC in Lee Vining would be that if Tesla decides to place a SC in Tonopah and Ely, then this location would open up crossing the Great Basin on SR120 and US6, or reaching Lost Wages after crossing the Sierra over one of the mountain passes.

It has many other advantages as well, because in additiomn to the ones listed upthread, from Manteca it's a very long haul (and requires a full charge), possibly too much for a 60 much of the year depending on load and temp, especially one with any degradation. Even without that, you can only reach Lee Vining with little to spare, and Mammoth would be problematic.

 

[GRA]

Last summer and fall I had communications with the owner and his daughter of the Whoa Nellie Deli. I showed the daughter, the manager, my MS parked outside their restaurant, and encouraged them to apply to Tesla for a free HPWC, and explained to them the advantages of their location. I sent them email showing other HPWC installations. Much later the owner emailed me that they were very interested. That was some months ago, and I have not heard from them since.

One possible problem is that the restaurant closes in the winter, although I believe the gas station stays open. Another problem is that parking during their busy summer season is very tight.

If Tesla put in a full SC station, there might be sufficient budget to expand the parking lot.

If anyone is passing through, I encourage you to ask them about status. Mention my inquiry last year, red Tesla. Look for the busiest person in the place, and that would be the manager.

I'd talked with the daughter back in September of 2012 about putting in some L2 or better yet QC there, when I was scouting potential charging locations along 120. I also talked with the managers of several of the motels in town and the owner of the RV park. As you say, the Deli is only open part of the year, and much as the majority of traffic goes through there when it's open (April-Oct), it would be problematical to put an SC there for winter use, because it's a bit of a hike down to town, with no sidewalk much of the way and a limited shoulder (I walked it after talking to her. No big deal if you're in reasonable shape, semi-acclimatized and comfortable dodging brush, but not for everyone, especially coming back up). Doing it with snow on the ground could be a safety issue for many, as well, and Lee Vining can be very cold in winter.

In season it's clearly the ideal location for an SC (parking issues aside; the place is normally packed in the afternoons and evenings IME), but out of season you'd just have to sit in your car twiddling your thumbs. If all you need is a short top off to get to Mammoth, Bishop or Bridgeport no biggie, but being forced to sit there in winter instead of in a restaurant while you wait for a long charge would be a waste of time. I think Nicely's Coffee shop is open year-round (used to eat there before the deli opened), but there again parking is limited, although at least it's in town. Perhaps the El Mono Motel/Latte de Coffee Cafe (@ 3rd St.) might work. It's right across the corner from the Mono Lake Information center, and an easy walk to any of the other restaurants, Not that they'll want you doing that. But parking is going to be the major problem at any business in Lee Vining. The biggest group of only occasionally used paved parking spaces is at the park on Matly Ave. by the Mono Basin Historical Society building; otherwise the Shell station on 395.

 

[tbleakne]

Another possibility for the Lee Vining area is the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center, located off the highway just N of town.
Pros: lots of parking, good rest rooms, scenic vistas, displays and short videos to pass the time.

Cons: no food, and I don't recall any picnic facilities for eating food brought from town.
I thought it was open year-around, but now I see it is closed Winter, and closed Tues and Wed in Spring and Fall.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recreation/recarea/?recid=20620&actid=120

They have a solar installation, but they told me that came to them as part of the financial crisis stimulus package, and there was no more "green" money for things like EV charging. It looked like provisioning 240V 40A or 70A power would require fairly long trenches to the parking, raising the installation cost.

The center is a National Forest facility, and so they would not be willing to host a SC and most likely would refuse to host a HPWC as a brand-specific EVSE, but they might be willing to host a 40A or 70A J1772 plug or two if money could be found.

 

[mspohr]

the best reason for a supercharger in Lee Vining is access to Yosemite Park. all of Lee Vining pretty much shuts down in the winter but it's very busy in the summer with Mono, Lake Yosemite Park and north-south travel on 395.

 

[GRA]

Another possibility for the Lee Vining area is the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center, located off the highway just N of town.
Pros: lots of parking, good rest rooms, scenic vistas, displays and short videos to pass the time.

Cons: no food, and I don't recall any picnic facilities for eating food brought from town.
I thought it was open year-around, but now I see it is closed Winter, and closed Tues and Wed in Spring and Fall.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recreation/recarea/?recid=20620&actid=120

They have a solar installation, but they told me that came to them as part of the financial crisis stimulus package, and there was no more "green" money for things like EV charging. It looked like provisioning 240V 40A or 70A power would require fairly long trenches to the parking, raising the installation cost.

The center is a National Forest facility, and so they would not be willing to host a SC and most likely would refuse to host a HPWC as a brand-specific EVSE, but they might be willing to host a 40A or 70A J1772 plug or two if money could be found.

I think there are one or two picnic tables under the cross-shaped interpretive shelter between the parking lot and the main building, and maybe there's a couple of tables on a patio facing the lake? My memory is very hazy, but Google Street view gets you on the road in the parking lot, and I think I can see tables in the shelter. Even so, this is too far from town and restaurants, they almost certainly lock the bathrooms at night, and it just isn't going to cut it for many reasons including the ones you mention.

Wherever an SC eventually goes, it is disappointing to see nothing yet during the height of tourist season, here or in SLT, while nice-to-have but non-essential and redundant SCs are installed in Mountain View AND San Mateo? Are they going to miss the entire summer again, as has happened in other tourist locations where SCs opened in fall or winter when there was nobody there?

 

[cpa]

Alas, according to my sources, Tesla was looking at two different locations in Bishop a few months ago. Both locations fell through for Supercharger installations. One of the locations had a landlord that made unreasonable demands, and the other location was already at the minimum for parking spaces, and could not dedicate spaces for Tesla Supercharging. The scout team has not been in Bishop for several weeks.

So, I guess it is back to the drawing board.

I believe that this sort of headache possibly contributes to the long delays of Supercharger installations. If there is no likelihood of a location in Bishop, Tesla might have to reconfigure their charging locations along US395. I will be anxious to see if there is any progress come autumn.

 

[mspohr]

Alas, according to my sources, Tesla was looking at two different locations in Bishop a few months ago. Both locations fell through for Supercharger installations. One of the locations had a landlord that made unreasonable demands, and the other location was already at the minimum for parking spaces, and could not dedicate spaces for Tesla Supercharging. The scout team has not been in Bishop for several weeks.

So, I guess it is back to the drawing board.

I believe that this sort of headache possibly contributes to the long delays of Supercharger installations. If there is no likelihood of a location in Bishop, Tesla might have to reconfigure their charging locations along US395. I will be anxious to see if there is any progress come autumn.

Bishop is only 60 miles from Lone Pine so it really doesn't make much sense.
OTOH, the Mammoth Airport is further North, next to 395 and Mammoth Mountain ski area (popular destination) and has plenty of space and electrical infrastructure.
Of course, my favorite location is Lee Vining.

 

[Lloyd]

Lee Vining, then Minden at the new Holiday Inn at the intersection of 395 and 88 would be perfect IMO. The Holiday Inn has lots of parking in the back and most is not yet landscaped.

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Or.... Carson City