Supercharger - Boston, MA - Fenway/Kenmore

[eladts]

Yet another supercharger popped up in Boston without anyone noticing. According to the in-car navigation, there are 8 72kW stalls in the Van Ness Garage. The entrance to the garage is from Richard B. Ross Way.

@BlueShift @Chuq

 

[eladts]

This supercharger still appears on the Tesla web site as coming soon.

Boston, MA - Fenway/Kenmore

 

[Tdreamer]

This supercharger still appears on the Tesla web site as coming soon.

Boston, MA - Fenway/Kenmore

Verified as operational at 9pm this evening. On the P3/third level below ground - no cell service.

 

[Tdreamer]

By the way, permit E921315 for this site shows up in the City of Boston online permit database. I didn't see any other active permits for other possible supercharger sites that might also be quietly under construction (ie. the Charlestown & Seaport coming in 2019 pins). There does seem to be an active permit for Dock Square Garage at 20 Clinton St for what looks like 8 HPWC's (permit #E931558 opened 3/15/2019).

If you search the permit database for "tesla" you find all sorts of tesla related permits. Mostly HPWC installs, but some solar, one 2xpowerwall install, the Allstate rd and Boylston st supercharger sites and the work done on the Boston Tesla showroom.

 

[powaking]

Verified as operational at 9pm this evening. On the P3/third level below ground - no cell service.

View attachment 401379 View attachment 401380

Was there no cell service for your phone or for both you and the car? Wonder how you would be notified once you get close to your charging limit so that fees are not enforced (unless the Supercharger would inform based on the reading from the car). I did go to the Sox game last night so was pretty close by but was not parked close enough to try. Instead I went to the Allstate and had something to eat on the way home.

 

[eladts]

There does seem to be an active permit for Dock Square Garage at 20 Clinton St for what looks like 8 HPWC's (permit #E931558 opened 3/15/2019).

The Dock Square Garage is already on Tesla's map as a destination charging site.

 

[Tdreamer]

Was there no cell service for your phone or for both you and the car? Wonder how you would be notified once you get close to your charging limit so that fees are not enforced (unless the Supercharger would inform based on the reading from the car). I did go to the Sox game last night so was pretty close by but was not parked close enough to try. Instead I went to the Allstate and had something to eat on the way home.

No cell service on the phone or the car. The superchargers have connectivity with Tesla directly, so any usage is tracked that way along with remote site monitoring.

 

[appleguru]

Is this pay to park/charge? Or free?

 

[Tdreamer]

Pay to park $7 for the first half hour

 

[Big Earl]

No cell service on the phone or the car. The superchargers have connectivity with Tesla directly, so any usage is tracked that way along with remote site monitoring.

While each Supercharger cabinet does have a cell modem, I believe it's the car that handles billing and notifications.

 

[appleguru]

Pay to park $7 for the first half hour

Yikes! Do you know the hour+ rates? I guess South Bay remains the only viable local supercharger then (with cambridgeside as a close second due to the very reasonable parking rates). Pru comes in 3rd if you validate (I think it is still $12 for a few hours with validation).

I thought the whole point of these lower power “city” superchargers was to give those of us that live in the city a place to charge (since we can’t charge at home). Putting them behind paid parking does not accomplish that goal at all :-/

 

[Tdreamer]

While each Supercharger cabinet does have a cell modem, I believe it's the car that handles billing and notifications.

They must have provisions for hardwired network connectivity for sites like this. It's possible the car logs the charging session information when there is no network connectivity and sends it back to the mothership once connectivity is restored.

There was also a bag of what looked like networking connectivity stuff (cables, etc...) that may have been leftovers from the install by the supercharger cabinet. I believe in the future Tesla will be enabling the superchargers with WiFi hotspots for cars to use while charging. Elon time of course....

 

[Tdreamer]

Yikes! Do you know the hour+ rates? I guess South Bay remains the only viable local supercharger then (with cambridgeside as a close second due to the very reasonable parking rates). Pru comes in 3rd if you validate (I think it is still $12 for a few hours with validation).

I thought the whole point of these lower power “city” superchargers was to give those of us that live in the city a place to charge (since we can’t charge at home). Putting them behind paid parking does not accomplish that goal at all :-/

Rates posted on the garage website., with validation available from Target as noted below copied form the garage website:

Target validation available (with minimum purchase of $30). $5 for 1 hour or less. $8 for 2 hours of less. Normal rates apply after 2 hours. Subject to change.

• 1/2 Hour or Less$7.00
• 1 Hour or Less$10.00
• 1 1/2 Hours or Less$12.00
• 2 Hours or Less$15.00
• 2 1/2 Hours or Less$20.00
• 3 Hours of Less$32.00
• Maximum Daily Rate Until 5 AM$36.00

*These rates are not valid during ballgames or Fenway Events. For Event rates, please contact the Van Ness Parking Office at (857) 310-5105.

 

[powaking]

No cell service on the phone or the car. The superchargers have connectivity with Tesla directly, so any usage is tracked that way along with remote site monitoring.

Even if the superchargers have connectivity would that mean then you would not be able to keep tabs on how the car is charging?

 

[Tdreamer]

I presume that is correct - unless the supercharger can share data from a connected car back to the mothership which in turn could push notifications out to the phone app. I would think Tesla has solved this problem somehow - if not, they couldn't do idle fees at these "dark sites".

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Yikes! Do you know the hour+ rates? I guess South Bay remains the only viable local supercharger then (with cambridgeside as a close second due to the very reasonable parking rates). Pru comes in 3rd if you validate (I think it is still $12 for a few hours with validation).

I thought the whole point of these lower power “city” superchargers was to give those of us that live in the city a place to charge (since we can’t charge at home). Putting them behind paid parking does not accomplish that goal at all :-/

I'm sure that if Tesla could get Superchargers at any of the abundant free parking lots and garages in Boston, they'd put them there instead.

 

[yousexy]

I'm sure that if Tesla could get Superchargers at any of the abundant free parking lots and garages in Boston, they'd put them there instead.

or they can put one in the garage I park every day, but they won't.

 

[appleguru]

Rates posted on the garage website., with validation available from Target as noted below copied form the garage website:

Target validation available (with minimum purchase of $30). $5 for 1 hour or less. $8 for 2 hours of less. Normal rates apply after 2 hours. Subject to change.

• 1/2 Hour or Less$7.00
• 1 Hour or Less$10.00
• 1 1/2 Hours or Less$12.00
• 2 Hours or Less$15.00
• 2 1/2 Hours or Less$20.00
• 3 Hours of Less$32.00
• Maximum Daily Rate Until 5 AM$36.00

*These rates are not valid during ballgames or Fenway Events. For Event rates, please contact the Van Ness Parking Office at (857) 310-5105.

Ah, this is the Target garage. I somehow missed that before. Validation helps a lot; will definitely use this SC while shopping at Target.

 

[appleguru]

I'm sure that if Tesla could get Superchargers at any of the abundant free parking lots and garages in Boston, they'd put them there instead.

Perhaps they could install some on the side of the street where I park my car every day...

At any rate, you of course make a very good point regarding the realities of city parking. Given the very transient nature of superchargers, I was thinking more along the lines of them putting their charges outside the paid parking section of garages setup like that. The Pru, where they have chargers already, has lots of space outside the parking gates they could have gone.

Similar setup at the Channel Center Garage (which actually already has EV parking outside their parking gates, and uses the EV fees in lieu of parking fees for EVs).

 

[eladts]

I visited Van Ness Garage yesterday, by foot. This supercharger is really at the back of the lot in the lowest level. The elevator from Target doesn't reach this level, so no danger from shopping carts. No chance of ICEing or entitled Tesla owners parking but not charging either. It looks like Tesla has learned their lesson from the Prudential supercharger, where the stalls are in prime spots. There are also three ChargePoint stations in the garage, one in each floor.

They must have provisions for hardwired network connectivity for sites like this. It's possible the car logs the charging session information when there is no network connectivity and sends it back to the mothership once connectivity is restored.

There was also a bag of what looked like networking connectivity stuff (cables, etc...) that may have been leftovers from the install by the supercharger cabinet. I believe in the future Tesla will be enabling the superchargers with WiFi hotspots for cars to use while charging. Elon time of course....

View attachment 401555

There are signs indicating a free Wi-Fi in the garage which my phone could pick up near the superchargers. I don't know if it was there before or if it was added along with the superchargers. Presumably you should be able to connect the car to this network.

I'm sure that if Tesla could get Superchargers at any of the abundant free parking lots and garages in Boston, they'd put them there instead.

The only free parking garage in Boston that I know of, South Bay, has already a supercharger, but it does not have 24/7 access. If you want free parking and 24/7 access near Boston, you have to go to Dedham. If you also want 24/7 amenities you won't find any in Massachusetts.